Daily Reflections

from the Book of Psalms

December 27, God with Us

David swore an oath that he would build a house for God’s presence, and that house, the Temple, has been the focus of Israel for the last 3,000 years! Yet David’s preoccupation with a building is not God’s highest priority, for God is more interested in...

December 26, Earned Joy

The Christmas story is full of joy. Joseph and Mary were joyful that they had a son. The shepherds were joyful that the angels had announced the birth to them. The angels were joyful that God’s purpose was being fulfilled through the events in Bethlehem.

December 25, God’s Favor

The words of the psalmist in these verses are vaguely reminiscent of the words the angels said to the shepherds on the night Jesus was born: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14).

December 24, Family Joy

This is the time of year to celebrate and rejoice, for all heaven and nature sang to announce the birth of Christ. Rejoicing was a common element in almost all the Old Testament feasts and holy days. For example, here are the Lord’s directions...

December 23, Seated on High

The Lord is exalted high above all things, which means He oversees them, and His people are also seated with Him in that lofty position. Jesus summed up their situation and status well when He said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were...

December 22, Getting and Giving Mercy

There are times when you mess up, and then reap the consequences of your actions financially, relationally, professionally, or spiritually. Those consequences can be serious, but the Lord is merciful and will listen to your cries for...

December 21, Your Thoughts

The psalmist prayed that his meditation would be pleasing to the Lord. That meant that the psalmist was not only careful to give God verbal praise, but he was also mindful of his thoughts, making sure that those were pleasing to the Lord as well.

December 20, Part of the Group

You are a “sheep,” a follower of the Lord, no matter how mature you are or how many years you have walked with Him. Notice also that the psalmist was talking about multiple sheep, which constitute a flock. This means you are part of a larger group, which...

December 19, Properly Placed Trust

The psalmist was in trouble and danger, and he asked a rhetorical question for which there was only one answer: The Lord was his only help. The writer raised a good point that was that no one can take the place of the Lord or be as faithful or loyal as He is.

December 18, Life is Short

The psalmist was pouring his heart out to the Lord, burdened by the pressures of life and God’s seeming withdrawal of His presence from the writer’s situation. The psalmist was reminding the Lord, and perhaps himself, that his life was short, and God must...

December 17, The Church

Most people apply the psalms to personal problems and read them for personal benefit, and there is nothing wrong with that. Yet some of the psalms were corporate in nature, and Psalm 80 is one of them. The psalmist was not...

December 16, Depriving Others

You have a testimony, probably many testimonies, of what the Lord has done for you, your family, your business, or your ministry. You are obligated to tell others your story for two reasons. The first is so God will receive glory from...

December 15, Proof

The psalmist was declaring his absolute allegiance and devotion to the God of heaven, stating that he had no other heavenly interests apart from the Lord. The way you can prove your own devotion is not only to proclaim it, but also to prove it by...

December 14, Blessed in Need

David acknowledged his poverty before God, and that meant he was in constant need of God’s help, as we have seen throughout this study. There are many who reject the Lord and church attendance because they claim it is merely a...

Your Life Matters

$14.99

BUY NOW

For centuries, people have turned to the Book of Psalms to help make sense and to find comfort in times of trouble. They have also gone there to find words to express the praise in their hearts for the magnificence and glory of God. In Your Life Matters: Daily Reflections from the Book of Psalms, John Stanko adds his own insight into the Psalms and how they relate to your life matters such as suffering, prayer, the poor, mercy, grace and leadership. For every day of the year, John assigns a reading from Psalms, picks a verse or passage, makes some devotional comments, asks some pointed questions and adds a cross reference to another portion of the Bible. Your Life Matters is practical, inspirational, and helpful, and is certain to become your daily favorite to help you reflect on your life and God’s role in it.