Daily Reflections

from the Book of Psalms

November 15, Your Testimony

In today’s three verses, the psalmist made a strong commitment to produce a constant stream of testimonies to draw attention to what the Lord had done in his life. This required that he was aware of all that God was doing in his life and not...

November 14, Old Testament Focus

David wrote this psalm about his own situation, but as you can see, the description also fits the Lord Jesus and His ministry on earth. In fact, much of the Old Testament is a prelude to the coming of the Messiah, describing His character, nature, mission, and...

November 13, Joy Required

God expects His people to be joyful. This verse tells you that at the start and the end of each day, God looks for songs of joy from you. Regardless of whether or not your work is going well or your relationships are painful, God is worthy of joyful praise for...

November 12, Mercy Dispenser

You can never underestimate your need for mercy. You are not saved by mercy and then required to keep your salvation through meticulous Law-keeping. Your life requires mercy just like it does oxygen, water, and food, for without mercy...

November 11, Honest Prayers

Some are surprised at the tone and content of David’s prayers in the psalms, for he did not mince words. He sometimes called on God to take out his enemies in no uncertain terms. David’s enemies, however, were not just criticizing David; they were trying to...

November 10, God’s Silence

It is common for people to consider their opinions and doctrines to be the exact replica of what God thinks and the Bible presents. The problem is that they have have reached a dangerous conclusion, for God’s silence may be simply a...

November 9, Wishful Thinking

It is easy to read into a verse what you think, hope, or even want it to mean. In today’s passage, the psalmist wrote that his enemy did not defeat him because God was with him. You can interpret that to mean that your enemies will not only...

November 8, Mind Your Business

The context of this verse is anger that comes from observing the wicked and seeing how they seemingly prosper and enjoy a carefree life. The psalmist advises the person who is fretting over someone else’s good fortune, especially someone who...

November 7, Horses and Bigger Barns

It is not known who wrote Psalm 33, but let’s assume it was David. David was a king and warrior who probably knew how to use a horse in battle, and had a large army at his command. Yet he came to this conclusion: none of that mattered in battle if...

November 6, Family Matters

When Jesus came, He often had a polarizing effect, for some in a family believed in Him while others did not. That often set the family members at odds with one another, and Jesus did not apologize for that ramification of putting faith in Him. In fact...

November 5, Loneliness

It is not a problem for many to be alone, but when they feel lonely, it can be a debilitating, depressing state of affairs. The interesting thing is that you can feel lonely even when you are in the midst of people, and this can stem from a variety of reasons.

November 4, You Can

David didn’t just talk about advancing in battle or scaling a wall. He did not brag about his potential in the Lord, but instead, he did what he talked about doing. When you say that you can do something, it doesn’t mean you will do it.

November 3, Poor Causes

Psalm 15 provides a list of those who meet the criteria of the questions posed in verse one. In today’s verse, you see that those who use their money not for personal gain but to help others, especially the powerless, are counted among God’s special people.

November 2, Where’s God?

We return to the common psalms theme: trouble and God’s role in it. Obviously, the psalmist had expectations that were not being met, for he thought the Lord would intervene to either prevent or relieve his troubles. It seems the Lord...

Your Life Matters

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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.