Psalm 6

There are times when as a parent you know your child should be corrected or disciplined. But you also recognize that there are times when there has been so much correction that the child’s tolerance to understand it has reached a threshold that deems the discipline ineffective. Sometimes a hug or a kiss, or a random activity of interaction, will better serve to reinforce the authority and responsibility we have as parents. This is true at times even when disobedience is monumental.

You and I have been there with God ourselves. We knew we could have handled situations differently. We have the knowledge of a particular outcome, and the luxury of hindsight to provide our own canopies of shame. This is the mood I sense in Psalm 6:1-10.

See if you identify with these words: “O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger or discipline me in Your wrath. Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long? Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of Your unfailing love. No one remembers You when he is dead. Who praises You from the grave? I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes. Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping. The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer. All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace.”

By now you know the drill. Make it personal: “O LORD, do not rebuke Greg Manuel in Your anger or discipline Greg Manuel in Your wrath. Be merciful to Greg Manuel, LORD, for Greg Manuel is faint; O LORD, heal Greg Manuel, for my bones are in agony. Greg Manuel’s soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long? Turn, O LORD, and deliver Greg Manuel; save Greg Manuel because of Your unfailing love. No one remembers You when he is dead. Who praises You from the grave? Greg Manuel is worn out from groaning; all night long Greg Manuel floods his bed with weeping and drenches his couch with tears. Greg Manuel’s eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes. Away from Greg Manuel, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping. The LORD has heard Greg Manuel’s cry for mercy; the LORD accepts Greg Manuel’s prayer. All Greg Manuel’s enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace.”

Blessings and peace be upon you today!

Psalm 5

There are times when loudness will not convey your heart. Shouting is most often associated with aggression. I believe there are times when our worship must be aggressive. Situations of desperation or declaration demand at times the forceful, assertive, even insistent involvement of our physical being to engage worship at a level that is purposed to our moment. But sometimes, to reach the hidden chambers of our guarded issues, we need to speak softly to the place of our greatest confidence.

Psalm 5:1-12, is a worship selection that David wrought exclusively for flutes. The music of flutes is by nature soft and soothing. This Psalm was meant to be sung in the quiet voice of an intimate friend speaking softly to his most trusted source of strength.

Read these words from Psalm 5, with that in mind: “Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray. In the morning, O LORD, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation. You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with You the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in Your presence; You hate all who do wrong. You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors. But I, by Your great mercy, will come into Your house; in reverence will I bow down toward Your holy temple. Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies—make straight Your way before me. Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit. Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against You. But let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them that those who love Your name may rejoice in You. For surely, O LORD, You bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield.

Now say them softly in the most personal manner by inserting your name: “Give ear to Greg Manuel’s words, O LORD, consider Greg Manuel’s sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You Greg Manuel prays. In the morning, O LORD, You hear my voice; in the morning Greg Manuel lays my requests before You and wait in expectation. You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with You the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in Your presence; You hate all who do wrong. You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors. But Greg Manuel, by Your great mercy, will come into Your house; in reverence will Greg Manuel bow down toward Your holy temple. Lead Greg Manuel, O LORD, in Your righteousness because of my enemies—make straight Your way before Greg Manuel. Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit. Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against You. But let Greg Manuel who takes refuge in You be glad; let Greg Manuel ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over Greg Manuel that those who love Your name may rejoice in You. For surely, O LORD, You bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield.

Blessings & peace be upon you today!

Psalm 4

Deliverance is the result of application. Deliverance is not a dispensed portion from a vending mechanism that drops a momentary reward for the correct combination of inserted objects. Deliverance is the appropriation of the Cross of Christ and is already complete in its fullness. When you apply the Cross, deliverance is the result. One of the most amazing ways we can apply deliverance is through our worship.

Psalm 4:1-8 is a song of deliverance to come through worship. Listen to this heart’s cry: “Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer. How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Selah. Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD will hear when I call to Him. In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Selah. Offer right sacrifices and trust in the LORD. Many are asking, ‘Who can show us any good?’ Let the light of Your face shine upon us, O LORD. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”

Here is the way I pray this Psalm out loud for personal deliverance: “Answer Greg Manuel when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give Greg Manuel relief from his distress; be merciful to Greg Manuel and hear his prayer. How long, O men, will you turn Greg Manuel’s glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Selah. Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD will hear when Greg Manuel calls to Him. In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Selah. Offer right sacrifices and trust in the LORD. Many are asking, ‘Who can show us any good?’ Let the light of Your face shine upon Greg Manuel, O LORD. You have filled Greg Manuel’s heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. Greg Manuel will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make Greg Manuel dwell in safety.

Blessings and peace be upon you today!

Psalm 3

I want you to look at the third Psalm today with me and find strength for the times of your life when those close to you betray you. False accusations, lies, and hurtful actions by strangers bear a safety zone of distance that becomes an insulator from the pain. But the malicious measures of people who have shared the intimacies of your heart inflict a poison that debilitates your emotions in a unique brand of paralysis.

In Psalm 3:1-8, David’s pouring out of his heart when those close to him, his own family members, are trying to destroy him. Listen to his words: “O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, God will not deliver him." Selah. But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from His holy hill. Selah. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side. Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.”

Something that helps me so much is when I make the Psalms personal to me. Insert your own name as I have done and pray this aloud: “O LORD, how many are Greg Manuel’s foes! How many rise up against Greg Manuel! Many are saying of Greg Manuel, God will not deliver him." Selah. But you are a shield around Greg Manuel, O LORD; you bestow glory on Greg Manuel and lift up my head. To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers Greg Manuel from His holy hill. Selah. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains Greg Manuel. I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against Greg Manuel on every side. Arise, O LORD! Deliver Greg Manuel, O my God! Strike all Greg Manuel’s enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. From the LORD comes deliverance for Greg Manuel. May your blessing be on your people.”

Blessings and peace be upon you today!

Psalm 2

Let’s continue today in the Psalms. Read with me Psalm 2:1-12, “Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying ‘Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure: ‘Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.’ I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten you. Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.”

Now let’s make it personal. I will put my name in for my personal application and you insert yours in the same places, “Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying ‘Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.’ He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure: ‘Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.’ I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Greg Manuel, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten you. Ask of Me, and I will give you, Greg Manuel, the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, And rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed is Greg Manuel who has put his trust in Him.”

Make this Psalm your personal affirmation today.

Psalm 1

The Bible give us clear direction and instruction for our lives. I love to read Psalm 1:1-6,

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”

Now let’s make it personal. I will put my name in for my personal application and you insert yours in the same places, “Greg Manuel is a blessed man because he does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But Greg Manuel’s delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. Greg Manuel is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever Greg Manuel does prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”

Make this your personal affirmation today.