Daily Bread Pastor Mike Anderson

Psalm 70 (All Readings from the Message Translation Today!) David’s Prayer 1-3 God! Please hurry to my rescue! God, come quickly to my side! Those who are out to get me— let them fall all over themselves. Those who relish my downfall— send them down a blind alley. Give them a taste of their own medicine, those gossips off clucking their tongues. 4 Let those on the hunt for you sing and celebrate. Let all who love your saving way say over and over, "God is mighty!" 5 But I've lost it. I'm wasted. God—quickly, quickly! Quick to my side, quick to my rescue! God, don't lose a minute. Reflections: Again today we see David crying out to God for deliverance from his enemies and those who slight his name. Check on Psalm 40 for the similarities to this psalm. We see in the psalms the personal nature of David’s relationship with God, as he calls on God in prayer, praise and thanks. Though he is

Psalm 69:30-36 30 I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. 31 This will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hooves. 32 The poor will see and be glad — you who seek God, may your hearts live! 33 The Lord hears the needy and does not despise his captive people. 34 Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that move in them, 35 for God will save Zion ”Then people will settle there and possess it; 36 the children of his servants will inherit it, and those who love his name will dwell there. Reflections: Remember the psalmist began this psalm with complaints and was not in a good place. But he ends with a commitment to praise God in song, and give thanks to Him as well. He cites that as he does this others will see his true God and it will draw others to seek God as well. Worship is at the heart of how God renews His people and draws all people unto God’s self. As Jesus said, “If I

Psalm 69:22-29 22 May the table set before them become a snare; may it become retribution and a trap. 23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever. 24 Pour out your wrath on them; let your fierce anger overtake them. 25 May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents. 26 For they persecute those you wound and talk about the pain of those you hurt. 27 Charge them with crime upon crime; do not let them share in your salvation. 28 May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous. 29 But as for me, afflicted and in pain— may your salvation, God, protect me. Reflections: Although the immediate context is David seeking relief from the Lord from his oppressors, the wider context in the whole of Scripture is our Lord’s rejection by the Jews. The table referred to the altar upon which many sacrifices were offered, but in the end became less about true

Psalm 69:13-21 New International Version (NIV) 13 But I pray to you, Lord, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation. 14 Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters. 15 Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me. 16 Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me. 17 Do not hide your face from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble. 18 Come near and rescue me; deliver me because of my foes. 19 You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed; all my enemies are before you. 20 Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found none. 21 They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst. Reflections: We see that David is at

Psalm 68:28-3 5 28 Summon your power, God; show us your strength, our God, as you have done before. 29 Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings will bring you gifts. 30 Rebuke the beast among the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations. Humbled, may the beast bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war. 31 Envoys will come from Egypt; Cush will submit herself to God. 32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord, 33 to him who rides across the highest heavens, the ancient heavens, who thunders with mighty voice. 34 Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the heavens. 35 You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God! Reflections: The psalmist recounts the sovereignty of the Lord, as they defeated their enemies and eventually would build the temple in Jerusalem. The

Psalm 68:19-27 19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. 20 Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death. 21 Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins. 22 The Lord says, “I will bring them from Bashan; I will bring them from the depths of the sea, 23 that your feet may wade in the blood of your foes, while the tongues of your dogs have their share.” 24 Your procession, God, has come into view, the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary. 25 In front are the singers, after them the musicians; with them are the young women playing the timbrels. 26 Praise God in the great congregation; praise the Lord in the assembly of Israel. 27 There is the little tribe of Benjamin, leading them, there the great throng of Judah’s princes, and there the princes of Zebulun and of Naphtali. Reflections: This psalm is a

Psalm 68:7-18 7 When you, God, went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, 8 the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. 9 You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance. 10 Your people settled in it, and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor. 11 The Lord announces the word, and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng: 12 “Kings and armies flee in haste; the women at home divide the plunder. 13 Even while you sleep among the sheep pens, the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold.” 14 When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land, it was like snow fallen on Mount Zalmon. 15 Mount Bashan, majestic mountain, Mount Bashan, rugged mountain, 16 why gaze in envy, you rugged mountain, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the Lord himself wi

Psalm 68:1-6 For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song. 1 May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him. 2 May you blow them away like smoke— as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. 3 But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. 4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds ; rejoice before him—his name is the Lord. 5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. 6 God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. Reflections: This psalm by David begins by reciting a prayer Moses made each day before the Israelites set out for their sojourn in the wilderness (See Numbers 10:35). David repeats the prayer for his context, as the Israelites seek to conquer the Promised Land and go into the terr

Psalm 67 For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm. A song. 1 May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us— 2 so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. 3 May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you. 4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples with equity and guide the nations of the earth. 5 May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you. 6 The land yields its harvest; God, our God, blesses us. 7 May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him. Reflections : Here we see the psalmist’s desire, and also God’s, for the universal salvation of all the nations (which included the Gentiles). Notice he uses the word “us”. The same word Jesus taught us to pray “our Father, forgive us …”. This flies in the face of an individualism, and shows how God’s desire to bless us, is so that

Psalm 66:8-15 8 Praise our God, all peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard; 9 he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. 10 For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver. 11 You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. 12 You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance. 13 I will come to your temple with burnt offerings and fulfill my vows to you— 14 vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke when I was in trouble. 15 I will sacrifice fat animals to you and an offering of rams; I will offer bulls and goats. Reflections: The psalmist reflects the distress he has gone through, but also his commitment to praise God in the temple as part of the fulfillment of a vow. He also reflects that times of trial are times where refining happens much as the heating of precious metals takes out the impurities. In all of this, he reflects

Ascension Day Watchword for the Ascension - Christ says, "I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." John 12:32 Psalm 66:1-7 For the director of music. A song. A psalm. 1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth! 2 Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious. 3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you. 4 All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name.” 5 Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind! 6 He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot— come, let us rejoice in him. 7 He rules forever by his power, his eyes watch the nations— let not the rebellious rise up against him. Reflections: In spite of all the attacks by the enemy, the psalmist gives personal praise of being delivered. All this is set in the context of the maj

Psalm 65:9-13 9 You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. 10 You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops. 11 You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance. 12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness. 13 The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing. Reflection: The psalmist reflects on the abundance of the land God has provided for the Isrealites. It is teeming with all of God’s fruitfulness, there is nothing lacking. It an agricultural society, this was all a sign of God’s gracious provision for His people. A lot of us live in overpopulated, dense cities, and sometimes it is hard to imagine this shepherd-like scene. Take a moment to take i

Psalm 62 For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David. 1 Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. 2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. 3 How long will you assault me? Would all of you throw me down— this leaning wall, this tottering fence? 4 Surely they intend to topple me from my lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse. 5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. 6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. 7 My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. 8 Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. 9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a br