Considering Our Prayers

  Reading the Word Psalm 66:17–20 (ESV) 17 I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. 18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. 19 But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. 20 Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me! Understanding and Applying the Word These verses conclude Psalm 66. Here we read that the psalmist called out to God. This is a way of saying that the psalmist prayed … Continue reading Considering Our Prayers

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Come and Hear

Reading the Word Psalm 66:13–16 (ESV) 13 I will come into your house with burnt offerings; I will perform my vows to you, 14 that which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble. 15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals, with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams; I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul. Understanding and Applying the Word In these verses, the psalmist promises to publicly worship … Continue reading Come and Hear

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Praise God for Testing Us

  Reading the Word Psalm 66:6–12 (ESV) 6 He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There did we rejoice in him, 7 who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations— let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah8 Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard, 9 who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip. 10 For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. 11 You brought us into the … Continue reading Praise God for Testing Us

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Give to Him Glorious Praise

Reading the Word Psalm 66:1–5 (ESV) 1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth; 2 sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! 3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you. 4 All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah5 Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man. Understanding and Applying the Word Psalm 66 calls for all people to praise God for who … Continue reading Give to Him Glorious Praise

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The God of Harvest

  Reading the Word Psalm 65:9–13 (ESV) 9 You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it. 10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. 11 You crown the year with your bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance. 12 The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, 13 the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for … Continue reading The God of Harvest

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The Hope of All the Ends of the Earth

  Thank you for reading Shaped by the Word, a daily Bible reading devotional. I do not publish devotional content on Sundays, but I do include a suggested Scripture reading for the day. Please subscribe to this page so you can follow along as we read through the Book of Psalms in 2018. Reading the Word Psalm 65:5–8 (ESV) 5 By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas; 6 the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with … Continue reading The Hope of All the Ends of the Earth

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Praise Is Due to You, O God

Reading the Word Psalm 65:1–4 (ESV) 1 Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed. 2 O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come. 3 When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. 4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple! Understanding and Applying the Word “Praise is due to you, O God.” What great words. This is how Psalm 65 begins. It then goes … Continue reading Praise Is Due to You, O God

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Let the Righteous Rejoice in the Lord

  Reading the Word Psalm 64:7–10 (ESV) 7 But God shoots his arrow at them; they are wounded suddenly. 8 They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them; all who see them will wag their heads. 9 Then all mankind fears; they tell what God has brought about and ponder what he has done. 10 Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him! Let all the upright in heart exult! Understanding and Applying the Word The world can often seem unfair and even cruel. Wicked and evil people seem to get … Continue reading Let the Righteous Rejoice in the Lord

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All Who Swear by Him Shall Exult

Reading the Word Psalm 63:9–11 (ESV) 9 But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth; 10 they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals. 11 But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped. Understanding and Applying the Word In these words, we read David’s confidence that God would defeat his enemies. David is the king of verse 11 and he mentions that God’s deliverance would result in … Continue reading All Who Swear by Him Shall Exult

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You Have Been My Help

Reading the Word Psalm 63:5–8 (ESV) 5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, 6 when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; 7 for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. 8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. Understanding and Applying the Word Life can be a roller coaster. In the heat of the moment we can feel fear and loneliness when things … Continue reading You Have Been My Help

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