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Introduction to Summer Psalm

What was the longest night you have ever experienced?

Pastor Tyler Daniels Summer Series July-August, 2025 Sojourn Church

Maybe you were driving nonstop, hoping to get where you were going with minimal delay. Or perhaps it was a bleary red-eye flight across the ocean. Maybe you and your family were riding out the weather, lights off while the storm was still on. Or you lay awake, nagged by a thousand stresses: bills mounting, decisions looming, sickness unyielding, guilt weighing, heart heavy.

The nights of our lives can be long. Even if we’re all in this together, that’s not exactly a good-news message.

But! After every long night—whether it’s that one night or a whole season of nights—the morning comes! Every and all darkness has been dispelled by the dawn. Pain and sorrow and frustration can’t stay, since God has already declared, “Let there be light!” This summer, we return to the Book of the Psalms, and we do it with a common longing: after night, the morning; after dark, the light; after whatever sorrow, joy! Psalms 30-39 will remind us again and again that the God of grace will see us through. Whatever the threat from whichever threateners, His goodness and mercy and protection shelter us still, and the dawn comes! Maybe you’re just coming out of one of those long-night seasons in this very season. Maybe you’re still in the middle of it, wondering how in the world you’ll make it until morning. Or maybe you’ve got a testimony that remembers all the ways and all the times God’s mercy shone in your life— and showed you the way. This summer, wrestle alongside the Psalmist as he rests in the truth, and learn to sing together:

“Weeping may stay overnight, but there is joy in the morning!”

Psalm 30

Joy Comes with the Morning

The sun begins to rise, Temperatures increase, Warming the air, the ground, The fog begins to slowly disperse, A veil on the view. Obscuring the light. Overshadowing the mountain.

There never was night that had no morn. - Dinah Mulock Craik

Morning is coming, Gradually. Faithfully, from the east, Relief. From the darkness.

The sun’s rays will shine, Eventually, through the mist, Light will come. Warmth will come. The veil will lift. The mountain illuminates. Though, the grass is still wet, Though, the view is still hazy. With certainty, Light comes, Following the darkness, Morning comes, Following the night. The mountain remains strong. Steady. Still.

There is always light, Never leaving, Never forsaking.

The haze lifts, The view is no longer veiled. Mountain revealed. The darkness is overcome. The sun shines.

Let’s Pray: Lord, I will exalt you in all circumstances, the good, the bad, the beautiful, the difficult. Thank you for turning my sadness into joy. I will give you thanks forever. For the Week: Set a goal to read Psalm 30 each day this week. Memorize Psalm 30:1

No longer concealed. Unexpectedly brighter, Vibrant colors of orange, red, and yellow. Dry the grass, Unveil the view, You can see.

The Mountain. You remember.

Morning always follows night. Darkness will come again, But light always follows the darkness. Joy always follows weeping. Suffering will come again, But dancing always follows lamenting. There is beauty in the shadows, Even light in the darkness, And light in the night. But it is harder to see, The moon is there, The stars still shine, How much longer until morning? Morning is coming. Night is leaving. Gladness comes. Lamenting ceases–weep no more.

It is time to dance. It is time to sing–with JOY! Praise to you, Lord! A new morning is coming. A new morning comes. A new morning finds you.

Praise to you, Lord forever!

Let’s Do It: Have you experienced a “fog” in your life—times when God's presence felt hidden? How did the “light” eventually come? How does this Psalm help you understand God’s faithfulness in seasons of darkness?

What does this Psalm teach us about waiting—especially during seasons of suffering or uncertainty? What do you think "a new morning" represents in our lives?

How does the idea that “the mountain remains strong” reflect God’s unchanging character?

How does this Psalm inspire you to respond to God—with singing, dancing, gratitude, or prayer?

Try writing a poem as a family that reflects the hardness of life but also demonstrates God’s goodness and mercy.

Psalm 31 What a blessed truth to understand that, in the middle of all our difficulties and calamities, we have a refuge. - A.W. Tozer

David is thought to have been fleeing from Saul at the time he wrote this psalm, but no matter the context of its writing, it speaks to us because we are people who seek to serve and follow the same, never changing God.

The opening verse sets the tone for this psalm and gives us a beautiful picture of God’s position with us: He is our refuge, honor, and savior.

David expresses a spectrum of emotions in this psalm as he seeks God in his troubles; he says he is afflicted, troubled of soul, distressed, frustrated, consumed by grief, wasting away from iniquity, ridiculed, dreaded by others, forgotten. A real person seeking God in moments of incertitude. In our moments of doubt, fear, anxiety, and shame; where do we go? Whom do we seek? David steps into those realities and speaks profoundly: “For you are my rock and my fortress; you lead and guide me for your name’s sake. You will free me from the net that is secretly set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hand I entrust my spirit; you have redeemed me, Lord, God of truth.” (vs 3-5) Throughout the psalm David calls on God to be who God IS. God is our rock, He is our fortress, He is our refuge. He is the god of truth who leads, guides, and redeems us. In our moments of grief, ridicule, iniquity, and forgottenness, we need to remember who redeems, who loves faithfully, and who knows and sees us. David ends the psalm by calling all the faithful to love the Lord, be strong, and to let our hearts be courageous because we serve the God who is our rock, refuge, and fortress in every moment. Take time to sit with Jesus and think about the reality of Him as our faithful refuge that redeems us. “Be strong, and let your heart be courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord.” (v. 24)

Let’s Pray Father God, so many of the circumstances in my life make absolutely no sense to me, but they do to you. Help me, like David, to run to you for refuge, because you are my fortress and rock. Let’s Do This What strikes you as you read Psalm 31? In what circumstance do you need to be reminded of your refuge? How are you resting in the divine fortress that is God? Do you find strength and courage in Jesus? Why or why not? Let your children use blocks or some other building material to design and construct a fortress. Discuss why that image is used to describe God.

For the Week Set a goal to read Psalm 31 each day this week. Memorize Psalm 30:1-2

Psalm 31:14-15 “But I trust in you, Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands...

Psalm 32 This is a psalm about God’s grace and about our being

If you ask children to pick their favorite season, summer is usually a popular response. Lazy days with no early morning alarm, time spent playing outside, swimming, and hanging out with friends are just some of the reasons why children love summer. Many adults, however, might not agree because with summer also comes more yard work, bugs, entertaining the children who are now home from school, sunburns, and let’s not forget the heat. That oppressive summer heat that causes your clothing to stick to you in the most uncomfortable places and makes you feel miserable. It is that feeling of misery in the middle of unbearable summer heat to which David compares covering up our sin. You see, as humans, our tendency is to try to hide our sin. This is most evident when our children do something they know they shouldn’t, so they run and hide in the corner. It is exactly what Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden when they sinned against God and ate of the forbidden fruit. They sought to cover themselves with leaves because they were ashamed of what they had done. Yet, when we try to hide our sin and cover up our sinful behavior, we only cause ourselves more pain. In verses 3 and 4, David writes of the physiological effects of sin, recalling that his “bones wasted away” and his “strength dried up as by the heat of summer.” He also refers to the mental toll of keeping silent about his sin, describing his “groaning all day long” and the heaviness he felt at night. God desires us to be in union with Him, and He knows that our sin prevents that from happening, so He has designed our bodies to suffer both physically and emotionally when we attempt to keep our sin hidden. In order to find that sweet relief from the pain – just like a refreshing glass of ice water and a cool breeze on a hot summer day – we need to acknowledge and confess our sin to God, as David describes in verse 5. Once we have confessed and repented from our sin, God promises the sweet blessing of forgiveness. It is significant that verse 6 starts with “Therefore” or “For this cause” because the refuge we find in God is only possible once we have been restored to Him through forgiveness. Forgiveness is the prerequisite to finding that respite in God’s presence. Verses 6-11 can only come after Verses 1-5. When I was young, one of my favorite hiding places used to be inside an old boxwood shrub next to our house. It was hollow and large enough to hide myself and usually some other critters as well. When I wanted a quiet place, I would climb inside the boxwood, which covered me so that no one (except my parents)

justified by no merit whatsoever on our part, but only by the mercy of the Lord our God, which forestalls anything

that we may do. – St. Augustine

would know I was in there. That is the same idea found in verse 7 – God is our “hiding place,” our “shelter” from the world. Again, the idea of “covering” is used – except in this instance, it is a comforting and reassuring promise. Once we uncover our sin and ask forgiveness, He not only covers our sin, but He also covers us with His wings (Psalm 91:4). The final verses urge us to follow God’s instruction and “not be like an unintelligent horse or mule” (verse 9). I don’t know anyone who likes to be compared to a dumb animal, but that is exactly how we act when we choose not to follow God’s commands. The hymn “Come, Thou Fount” says it well: “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it / Prone to leave the God I love.” Just like the horse that needs a bridle, we are prone to wander away from God and often need correction from God to keep us on course. For those who follow God, verses 10 and 11 describe the abundant promises of God’s “steadfast love” and joy. Once we have confessed our sins to God, we know “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9), allowing us to experience true joy in His presence. Let’s Pray Merciful God, thank You for providing a way to experience intimacy with You through the redemptive work of Your Son, Jesus Christ. We praise Your compassion and graciousness and confidently draw near to Your throne of grace to confess our wandering hearts. We humbly ask You to reveal any sin in our lives that is preventing us from following You fully and pray for courage to repent of that sin. Thank You for Your promise that Your steadfast love never ceases and Your mercies start fresh every morning. Let’s Do It Why do you think our tendency is to try to cover up our sin? What are some effects, physical or emotional, that you’ve experienced when attempting to hide sinful behavior? What are some specific ways God has been a “hiding place” to you? Why do you think David used the example of the horse and mule to describe those who don’t obey God? For the Week Set a goal to read Psalm 32 each day this week. Memorize Psalm 30:1-3

Psalm 33 God loves each of us as if there were only one of us. - Augustine

In our busy day by day activities, we think about our next grocery store run, how tall the grass has gotten in our yard, when we need to take our car to check that noise, and our upcoming doctor’s appointment. And why not? These are all things that we are supposed to take care of. All of us have a number of things that we should or need to oversee and take action to get results. So, is there anyone who oversees us and takes care of us? Did you stop this week after sunset and look up? Was the sky dark enough to see the Milky Way, which is 587,000,000,000,000,000 miles across? And the Milky Way is only one galaxy out of 100 billion galaxies in the universe. In verse 6, it says that “‘by the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host.” It seems striking that just by speaking, God created everything in and of the universe. Verse 9 says “for He spoke, and it was done.” This seems like unlimited power to do whatever God decides to do. A person should hope that a creator being which has this extreme amount of power would be just and fair and truthful and kind. Verses 4 and 5 say “for the word of the Lord is upright, and all His work is done in faithfulness; He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord.” When you think about these verses and our universe, are you awestruck by God, His power, His goodness, His care for all persons, and His affection for each person? Verses 15 and 16 say “the Lord looks from heaven, He sees all the sons of men; from His dwelling place He looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth.”So God has not missed what is happening in your life, even though you might think He is not aware of your situation or your struggles, or maybe you feel that He is too busy checking on some of the other eight billion people living on earth. God actually knows everything that is going on in your life, the life of your family, and every other person on earth, and He really cares about you. As believers in Jesus, God has a greater interest in you and your life than for others who do not believe. Verse 18 says “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope for His lovingkindness.” Take moments each day to express your joy, your trust, and your absolute confidence in God with thanks, knowing that He is for you and not against you. Verse 22 states “let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in You.” Celebrate that you are the apple of His eye and that His affection for you is more vast than the universe. Let’s Pray Creator of the universe, I can hardly believe that you are watching me from heaven, filled with love, always attentive to my needs. You love me more - and infinitely more wisely - than I love myself. Help me to rejoice and rest in that enough not to worry. Let’s Do It What does it mean to sing a “new song” to the Lord? How does the depiction of God’s creation in verses 4-9 inspire awe and reverence? How does the message of God’s unfailing love and providence comfort you in your current life situation? Find some beautiful new music to listen to while going about your day. For the Week Set a goal each day to read Psalm 33 Memorize Psalm 30:1-5

Psalm 34

Some of the psalms are written with such raw vulnerability that we can be comforted in seasons when we feel vulnerable, when our prayer life falls flat, when our songs unto the Lord seem weak. Yet, other psalms are almost a call to push the refresh button on our prayers and songs unto the Lord. And when we crave such refreshing from God, but don’t know where or how to start, what a mercy that we can use the Psalms and other scripture like the Lord’s Prayer to help us model our own prayers and praises. Let us use Psalm 34 to spur on our souls–and senses–to “taste and see that the Lord is good!” It’s easy to sense the musicality and poetry of Psalm 34 as modern translations divide it into 6 stanzas–each stanza seeming to have its own beautiful theme. Permit me to share the themes that refreshed my song! Perhaps even meditate on one theme each day this week. I. Praise to the Lord and a Call to Worship! Right from the start, you may think, “Nope, I can’t honestly say that I am blessing the Lord at all times or that His praise is always on my lips.” This is where we remember the mercy of praying the scriptures and asking the spirit to make Psalm 34: 1-2 true of us, true of our hearts, our words, our boasts. I know my own wandering heart may fall into sin, often, but I do long to bless the Lord at ALL times and have His praise ALWAYS on my lips rather than worthless chatter. If your heart echoes that longing, let verse three act as a Call to Worship to us! David calls us to join in proclaiming the Lord’s greatness, together. Reflect: What works has the Lord done in my life and through Christ that I want to boast about? Reflect on God’s greatness and exalt Him. Invite others to do it with you as David did, perhaps with people in your home, or friends, or even strangers. II. Personal Testimony of Rescue A defining attribute of a believer is the joy and confidence of being rescued from our sin! Perhaps part of your story is also being rescued from addiction, depression, judgement of others, fear, infertility, negativity, loneliness… Whatever our story, we each have a personal story of God’s rescue because there is not salvation for those who didn’t first need saving, those who didn’t first find themselves in need of rescue. Reflect: David speaks of “radiant joy” for those who look to God and reflect on their rescue. Take a moment just to thank God for His rescue from sin and for your security in His salvation. Ask God to fill you with joy over the work He’s done to save you “return to me the joy of my salvation.” What else has God delivered you from? Thank and praise him! Pray for the affiliations that you are waiting on God to heal with confidence in His power over each one and the guarantee that we will be without affiliations in glory!

Let Christ’s righteousness and grace, not yours, be your refuge. - Martin Luther

1 I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. 2 I will boast in the Lord; the humble will hear and be glad. 3 Proclaim the Lord’s

greatness with me; let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and rescued me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant with joy; their faces will never be ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him from all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and rescues them.

I II. The Creative Goodness of God We might not all agree on what is “good.” I love mushrooms sauteed in butter and two of our kids cannot abide them. Our senses don’t always agree on what is “good.” Yet, there is no question that with all the things in the universe that God has created for His glory and our enjoyment, He is indisputably good! We should learn to know this, experience it, trust it, yes! However, we are also told to engage our senses and survey our lives and conclude that we lack “no good thing.” In other words, survey all that is good and all that is given in your life and know how abundantly better and steadfast is God’s goodness. Reflect: What do I find good in this life? What foods, what comforts, what experiences strike me as “good.” Thank the Lord for His creative goodness on earth. Not one sense we experience or good gift is random, but from His hand. Perhaps make a meal with friends and family that includes your favorite foods and thank the Lord specifically for the gift of good things. Take time to go further in your prayers to acknowledge how fleeting and unsatisfying even our favorite things on the earth are when compared with His goodness. Ask God to help you to be more satisfied in His refuge, in His goodness, than anything else you love and crave. Ask God to help verse 10 be true for your soul. III. The Creative Goodness of God We might not all agree on what is “good.” I love mushrooms sauteed in butter and two of our kids cannot abide them. Our senses don’t always agree on what is “good.” Yet, there is no question that with all the things in the universe that God has created for His glory and our enjoyment, He is indisputably good! We should learn to know this, experience it, trust it, yes! However, we are also told to engage our senses and survey our lives and conclude that we lack “no good thing.” In other words, survey all that is good and all that is given in your life and know how abundantly better and steadfast is God’s goodness. Reflect: What do I find good in this life? What foods, what comforts, what experiences strike me as “good.” Thank the Lord for His creative goodness on earth. Not one sense we experience or good gift is random, but from His hand. Perhaps make a meal with friends and family that includes your favorite foods and thank the Lord specifically for the gift of good things. Take time to go further in your prayers to acknowledge how fleeting and unsatisfying even our favorite things on the earth are when compared with His goodness. Ask God to help you to be more satisfied in His refuge, in His goodness, than anything else you love and crave. Ask God to help verse 10 be true for your soul. V. The Lord’s Character: Who Is The Lord? This part of the psalm declares truths about God’s character. I love in a great book when the author stops in a critical moment of the plot to reveal something about the inner thoughts and nature of the main character–reminding of the reason you love this character and getting an inner look at their heart. God is revealing something about His character here to David, and we get to stop and just reflect on what God is telling us about His heart here. It’s such a critical discipline to remind ourselves about who God is. He tells us who He is in His word. Thus, we can “catechize” our hearts with His word. Or more simply put, we can ask the question: “Who is the Lord? What is He like” and let God’s own word answer. But why should we do this? Simply put, we don’t always “feel” the truths about God. Sometimes in the storms of life, we don’t “feel” that God is hearing us or near to us. Repeating and proclaiming the truth of God’s character is how we survive the “don’t feel it seasons” so that the truth that God’s eye “IS on the righteous,” that the Lord “HEARS AND RESCUES,” that “the Lord IS near the brokenhearted” will overcome our “feelings”. Reflect: Name some of God’s characteristics from God’s word and this psalm. Who does God say He is? What character of God do you most need to remember and repeat in this season?

8 Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him! 9 You who are his holy ones, fear the Lord, for those who fear him lack nothing. 10 Young lions lack food and go hungry, but those who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing.

11 Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 12 Who is someone who desires life, loving a long life to enjoy what is good? 13 Keep your tongue from evil

and your lips from deceitful speech.

14 Turn away from evil and do what is good; seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry for help. 16 The face of the Lord is set against those who do what is evil, to remove all memory of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. 18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he saves those crushed in spirit.

VI. A Trustworthy Refuge Perhaps you’ve already noticed this theme of refuge. Because of the time and place we live, not many of us can say we have fled for our lives in search of physical refuge. But, imagine you were in need of refuge, what would you be seeking? I would seek a strong fortress, a resting place, safe from the things that were afflicting me. The end of this psalm does not promise the righteous an affliction free life, it offers a trustworthy refuge. The refuge we are promised offers rescue, protection, a defense from evil, a redeemed life, and an escape from our deserved punishment. That is the refuge I want! Take a moment to just see the gospel news gleaming out from verse 22! The Lord redeems us. All who take refuge in Him will not be punished. We may not be on the run for our lives, but sin’s demands are death and Jesus redeems us. Because Jesus took the punishment for our sin, we can take refuge in His sacrifice. We will not be punished, because He was. We have eternal refuge because He gave up His. Reflect: In case the beginning of this psalm was a challenge to consider how to have praise and blessing on our mouths at all times, the ending of this psalm will give us reason. We have a trustworthy refuge. It can’t be shaken, destroyed, or compromised in any way. Ponder other forms of refuge and comforts you look to in affliction. Are any of them lasting or trustworthy? Thank God that because of Jesus, verse 22 is our boast: “None of those who take refuge in Him will be punished.”

19 One who is righteous has many adversities, but the Lord rescues him from them all. 20 He protects all his bones; not one of them is broken. 21 Evil brings death to the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished. 22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants, and all who take refuge in him will not be punished.

Let’s Pray Lord, Your eyes are on me, and your ears hear my cries for help. You are good and my constant refuge. Teach me how to look to you and seek you until I know the radiance of your joy.

For the Week Set a goal each day to read Psalm 34 Memorize Psalm 30:1-6

Psalm 35 If you take care of yourself and walk with integrity, you may be confident that God will deal with

What do you do when you turn the other cheek and instead of being met with resolution, the attacks continue? What do you do when despite being kind and compassionate you are met again and again with hate or rejection? We can be so tempted to deal in the same currency and begin an exchange of hurtful words, deceit, backstabbing, and in the worst case, physical violence. I feel like you can hear this temptation in David’s voice in Psalm 35. He is crying out to the Lord, “I am doing what is right, why am I being treated this way? Lord, make these people pay”… David, with his heart for God, appeals to God in his desperate moments, seeking some kind of justice. It is classically human to desire justice. We are made in the Creator’s image, so we come by our desire for justice honestly, from the only One capable of righteously judging humanity. However, in our human brokenness, this drive often turns violently wrong and develops into a self serving revenge. David takes us close to that line in his cries in verse 4 with “May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame” but holds back while appealing to the Lord to act on his behalf, recognizing it is God’s place to exact justice, not ours. The Psalms are so beautifully human that even though written thousands of years ago, we can still identify with David’s shock and hurt towards a party that is attacking him despite his goodness towards them. The truth is we have all been hurt and we have all wanted to see someone pay for the hurt they have caused. The important part is David goes to God for the payment. He trusts in God’s judgement and retribution. When we have this trust and reliance, it makes the Gospel teachings of Christ easier to follow. David had that faith and did not hold back in his appeal to God. It is important to know that we can feel hurt, we can feel anger, we can want justice and then, we can give it to God and trust that He will hear us. He will uphold the righteousness we seek, and we can confidently keep turning the other cheek in His name. Let’s Pray Lord, I know there are times that people say and do things to me that I don’t deserve. But you know that my heart is filled with thoughts of selfishness, greed, and unkindness that are blameworthy. So keep me from becoming bitter or proud in response to injustices done to me. Let’s Do It What does David’s plea in Psalm 35 reveal about his relationship with God? How does David’s promise to praise God publicly in verses 18 and 28 inspire you in your personal worship? In what ways can Psalm 35 serve as a model for prayers during times of personal distress?

those who sin against you. Above all, don’t give birth to sin yourself; rather, pray for those who persecute you. God will one day turn your persecution into praise. - Warren Wiersbe

For the Week Set a goal to read Psalm 35 each day this week Memorize Psalm 30:1-7

Psalm 36

“Can we go now?” asked Noah. With a slight frown, Mom nodded her head. As the kids scattered in different directions, Dad rolled his eyes and muttered, “Well, that went great.” Mom and Dad had been trying to engage Elizabeth and Noah into a rhythm of daily morning devotions during the summer. It had proven challenging.

The issue is now clear. It is between light and darkness and everyone must choose his

side. - G.K. Chesterton

“I think we need a different plan of attack,” Mom said, already reaching for her notebook, pen, and Bible.

The next morning, Dad read aloud Psalm 36. “Noah, you will be responsible for verses 1-4, and Elizabeth, you have verses 5-9. You have thirty minutes to design a poster that illustrates your assigned verses.” Thirty minutes later, all four family members stood staring at the two posters taped side by side on the wall. The first poster, representing verses 1-4, was dark, with slashes of black and red, the images sharp and chaotic. The second poster, demonstrating verses 5-9, was beautiful, with pictures of mountains and oceans, a hen protecting her chicks, a fountain, and light, lots and lots of light. It was hard to deny how effective the psalmist had been in contrasting the nature of the wicked versus the nature of God. The psalmist, David, creates a snapshot of the fallen human heart and how sin expresses itself in words and deeds. The wicked have no fear of God (vs 1) and can not see their own sin (vs 2). They use deceitful words (vs 3), plot evil, and do not reject what is wrong (vs 4). The sinner has a lack of understanding of who God is, and sin flatters the sinner into thinking he really isn’t all that bad. That same sin deceives the sinner into actually planning and pursuing it. David then abruptly shifts to focus on God and his immense, impressive, and intimate love. David shared the biggest things that he would have been aware of from his own observations: the heavens, the skies, the mountains, the deep seas, the river, and the light, but he also showed the smallest gesture of intimacy as the mother bird covers her chicks with her wings. The greatness of God revealed to us - His love, faithfulness (v. 5), righteousness, justice, preservation (v. 6), refuge (v. 7), abundance, delight (v. 8), and life (v. 9). Our loving God will deliver us from the wicked. We need not fear people because we know God loves us and will judge all evil (v. 10 12). Contrast matters. Contrast gives things meaning. A bright light only looks bright because of the shadow around it. Joy feels stronger when it comes after sadness. Contrast helps people pay attention. Without it, everything blends together. Nothing stands out. God’s character, who He is from beginning to end, from first to last, stands out against the darkness of the wicked, because “for with you is the fountain of life: in your light we see light (v9). As G.K. Chesterton said, everyone must make his or her choice. Which side will you serve? Choose light, choose life.

Let’s Pray Father God, help me to recognize your love, faithfulness, righteousness, and justice in the world around me. Cover me with your wings, and guide me to always choose the light over the darkness. Let’s Do It

According to Psalm 36:1-4, what are some things wicked people do?

How is God described in Psalm 36:5-9?

Take a walk outside with your family. Like the psalmist David, find things in nature to describe the love and goodness of God. Spend some time illustrating Psalm 36 on a sheet of paper or in your journal. Maybe go back and draw something from some of the other Psalms we have been reading this summer. For the Week Set a goal of reading Psalm 36 each day this week. Memorize Psalm 30:1-8

Psalm 37 We may “stumble” - may sin or fail or

How long, Lord, must I call for help and you do not listen or cry out to you about violence and you do not save? Why do you force me to look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Oppression and violence are right in front of me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates (Habakkuk 1:2-3). The cry of the prophet could easily be the cry of our own hearts. With approximately 50 million people enslaved, around 73 million abortions each year, religious and ethnic persecution, and hostility between nations, our world can seem like a place where the guilty evade justice, the wicked prosper, and the fraudulent gain wealth and influence. In Psalm 37, David acknowledges that such persons may appear “well-rooted, like a flourishing native tree” (v. 35). Then and now, the tempting response is frustration, envy, and anger (v. 1, 8). Yet David calls us to “not be agitated by evildoers [or] envy those who do wrong” (v. 1). He encourages us to “refrain from anger and give up your rage” (v. 8). In contrast, we are to “be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for him” (v. 7). This is not an idle response that ignores injustice. Because we trust in the Lord to act, we do what is good, we are gracious and giving, we speak wisdom and justice (v. 3, 5, 21, 30). In many ways, Psalm 37 is presenting a more detailed description of the two paths which open the Psalter. Psalm 1:6 informs us that “the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.” David reiterates the destruction awaiting those who carry out evil plans, scheme against the righteous, seek to bring down the poor and needy, borrow without repaying, and intend to kill the righteous (v 7, 12, 14, 21, 32). For the time they may seem to prosper, but “they wither quickly like grass and wilt like tender green plants” (v 35, 1). In fact, “the Lord laughs at [them] because he sees that [their] day is coming” (v 13, also Psalm 2:4). In that day, they will face destruction, receive their own treatment, be broken and eliminated (v. 9, 15, 17, 38). By contrast, the righteous are assured a secure, eternal inheritance (v. 3, 18). At least half a dozen times, reference is made to the righteous inheriting the land, permanently settling in safety (v. 3, 9, 11, 22, 27, 29, 34). Through God’s covenant with Abraham, the promised land of Canaan was given to Israel as an inheritance. There they could dwell securely and experience abundance, as long as they continued to walk in the Lord’s way (Deuteronomy 30:11 20, 33:27-29). The abundance and security of Canaan serves as a signpost for the ultimate inheritance of the righteous, those who find their salvation in the Lord (v. 39). By resisting the way of the wicked, trusting the Lord and delighting in the Lord, we are guaranteed our heart’s desires (v. 4). If our delight is truly in the Lord, what could be more desirous than Revelation 21:1-8, more a fulfillment of Psalm 37?

suffer calamity - but God won’t let us go into free fall. He will use these troubles, if we trust him, to turn us into something great and beautiful. Timothy Keller

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life. The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars – their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. Let’s Pray O Lord, the future is beyond my imagining. Yet even my small efforts to do so give me a lightheartedness and hope I can get no other way. “Till then I would thy love proclaim with every fleeting breath; and may the music of thy name refresh my soul in death. Let’s Do This What does “inherit the land” mean to you? What actions can you take to “trust in the Lord and do good,” as Psalm 37 instructs? For the Week Set a goal to read Psalm 37 each day this week Memorize Psalm 30:1-9

Psalm 38

“Lighten up!” When spoken years ago, this phrase meant “Don’t be so serious! Relax! Chill out!” Maybe people still say it today to diffuse a tense, agitated person. But this phrase has taken on a whole new meaning today in our weight obsessed world. You can’t scroll Facebook or watch TV and not be bombarded by the commercial messages that we all need to “lighten up” and drop our extra pounds by eating special foods, taking miracle pills, walking ourselves fit, and doing chair yoga routines to get those pounds off. If we spend enough money by sending away for “how to” videos, pills, and potions, we’re promised that we can indeed “lighten up!,” shed those pounds, and get healthy. We can lose weight, become handsome and beautiful, and live happily ever after in toned bodies. News Flash! While it is good that we practice healthy eating and exercise habits, we all have a “weight problem” that no pills, potions, or exercise routines can ever touch. This is the weight problem that King David wrote of in Psalm 38. “There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.” (v. 3-4) David is weighed down, burdened by his sin. The guilt and weight of his sin is so heavy that he says, “My heart throbs, my strength fails me, and the light of my eyes - it also has gone from me.” (v. 10) That’s heavy, so heavy, that David admits in verse 4, it’s “too heavy for me.” What an awful predicament to be in! It reminds me of the words of the Bill Gaither song, “Shackled by a heavy burden, ‘neath a load of guilt and shame.” Sin is the heaviest weight we will ever carry, and the truth is, on our own, we can never diet or exercise its shackles off. It is too heavy for us! But Wait!!! (You’ve heard those words in many TV infomercials!) King David uses these wonderful, hope-giving words too. “BUT for You, O Lord, do I WAIT; it is You , O God, Who will answer…Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation.” (v. 15, 22) Jesus took our “weight problem” to the cross when He took our heavy sins upon Himself and died for them, for us. By His merciful grace, when we accept Him, we are forever forgiven, “lightened up”, declared not guilty, never to have to carry them around again. Are you carrying around the burdensome weight of unconfessed sin that is too heavy for you? The Good News is that Jesus is standing ready to take it off of your shoulders today! His is the greatest “weight loss” program ever offered to every man, woman, boy, and girl!

Approach, my soul, the mercy seat, where Jesus answers prayer; there humbly fall before His feet, for none can perish there. Bowed down beneath a load of sin, by Satan sorely pressed, by war without and fears within, I come to Thee for rest. - John Newton

Let’s Pray Lord, today we give You thanks for bearing the weight and judgment of our sins, so we don’t have to. For your wonderful grace, for your forgiveness that lightens our sin-load, that removes it from us as far as the east is from the west, we thank you! Let’s Do This How does David express his physical and emotional suffering in Psalm 38? Can you relate to these feelings in your own life? What role does acknowledgment of sin play in our personal growth and spiritual maturity? Go outside in God’s beautiful creation today, and take a walk. Thank Him for lightening your load. For the Week

Set a goal to read Psalm 38 each day this week Memorize Psalm 30:1-10

Psalm 39 That is life, in

Do you ever feel angry or frustrated with God? In the beginning of this Psalm, David agonizes over his circumstances, but vows to stay silent before God. In fact, he knows that if he was to be outspoken, he could say something that comes across as disloyal to God, therefore he commits to silence. In today’s culture, we often feel the need to voice our feelings and emotions, yet often what we really need is self control and self-reflection. When we live undisciplined, unfiltered lives with respect to our emotions, we often fall into sin, saying things that hurt our reputation, the reputation of others, or worse – paint an inaccurate perception of God. When David finally spoke, he spoke with wisdom. David asked God to remind him of the fragility of human life. Like the book of Ecclesiastes, David reflects on the vapor that is life, comparing his days to one of the smallest units of measurement in ancient Israel (a handbreadth = a couple of inches). We all know that relative to creation, relative to God, and relative to eternity, life is short. But truthfully, a great amount can be done in our short time, with the right focus (Jesus, after all, only lived 33 years). When I read verse 6, I see David describing many parts of my life – rushing about in vain, chasing after wealth that comes to nothing in eternity. I must remind myself that a life lived not in vain, is a life lived for the Lord. I must live with an eternal perspective, seeking Jesus, His guidance, and His grace, each and every day. Otherwise, I get off track, I get distracted, and I lose intentionality for eternity. David closes this Psalm by recognizing God as sovereign and our deliverer. David appeals to God for relief from his circumstances, knowing that it is entirely in His hands. Paul writes in Romans 7:24-25: “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” There is nothing we can do in our power to escape the brokenness of this life – that comes through Christ alone. As you go through the week, reflect on the sovereignty of God over the universe and our own personal lives. He is in full control, with a perfect plan for our life to bring glory to Himself. Do you trust Him enough to follow in complete obedience?

which desire and expectation are centered in God. Such life is of an entirely different quality from that in which desire and expectation are centered in self, in circumstances, or in men. - George Campbell Morgan

Let’s Pray Dear Lord, thank you that despite any trials or tribulations this life brings, we know that you are in full control. Help us to trust you completely and give you praise all the days of our lives. Help us to remember the fragility of life, making the most of each day, and living with intentionality for eternity. Let us not rely on ourselves or others for sustenance, but on You as our Savior and Deliverer. Let’s do it What are some times in your life you have questioned (or been frustrated with) God? Write them down on one side of a note card – then reflect on how God was active and present in those moments and write this down on the other side. Read them often to be reminded of God’s love and sovereignty. What are some ways we don’t live with eternity in mind (i.e. with intentionality for eternity)? Pray that God will help us to focus each day to live for Him; to seek Him out personally, to evangelize and tell others about Him, and to live sacrificially. How has God acted as a deliverer in your life? Talk about specific examples, physically, mentally, or spiritually, in which he has delivered you from brokenness. For the Week Set a goal to read Psalm 39 every day this week Pray every day for humility, to be reminded of life’s fragility, and to recognize God as our deliverer from sin Aim to do at least one thing each day that demonstrates intentionality for eternity Memorize Psalm 30:1-12

Thank You We appreciate those, young and old, who have contributed towards this multidisciplinary collaboration of dozens of voices in order to create a resource for our church body. May the Lord bless these efforts for the flourishing of our whole body.

Wr i t er s : Riley St. Pierre Katie Mills

Matthew & Vashti Grim Daniel and Morgan Grim David & Rhonda Turpin Glen & Jane Herman Sharon Cooney

David Parmer Steven Bogese Jenna Gill

Ar t : Lindsey Spencer Carla Moran Emmerson Brantingham

Mya Cockram Ava Cockram Laura Turpin McKenzie Horn Georgia Desper Kailtyn Chantal Pam Slaughter