Welcome to week two of the Psalms for the Summer series! I’m glad you’re here to read the Psalms with me. Through the month of July, I’ll be sharing one Psalm a day, 1-31, with encouragement for you to process the Psalm in your own creative way. I share my words and art not to tell you what to think or for you to pray my words, but to encourage you to grow in your own relationship with God.
If you haven’t already you may want to read these posts first:
- Reading the Psalms is Better than Scrolling Social Media
- Nine Ways to Engage with a Psalm
- Psalms for the Summer Week One (Psalms One-Seven)
Each Friday, I’ll share the Psalms for the week ahead. If you’d like to follow one day at a time, you can follow me on Instagram.
You can read the full text of each Psalm below in the CSB version, copied from Bible Gateway.
God’s Glory, Human Dignity
For the choir director: on the Gittith. A psalm of David.
1 Lord, our Lord,
how magnificent is your name throughout the earth!
You have covered the heavens with your majesty.
2 From the mouths of infants and nursing babies,
you have established a stronghold
on account of your adversaries
in order to silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I observe your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you set in place,
4 what is a human being that you remember him,
a son of man that you look after him?
5 You made him little less than God
and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:
7 all the sheep and oxen,
as well as the animals in the wild,
8 the birds of the sky,
and the fish of the sea
that pass through the currents of the seas.
9 Lord, our Lord,
how magnificent is your name throughout the earth!
Psalm Eight Notes
David starts and ends this Psalm with praise of God’s magnificent name! May we also begin and end our words with praise to God!
In verse two, we read that God uses “infants and nursing babies” to “silence the enemy and the avenger.” I’d love to contrast these. Infant and babies are gentle, innocent, weak, and rely on someone else to take care of them. The avenger is greedy, prideful, powerful, and only relies on self. Which one do I want to be associated with? It’s not a popular answer to say, “I want to be weak and rely on others” but isn’t that what God wants? Us to recognize our weakness and dependence on Him?
Questions Based on Psalm Eight
Here are some questions I asked myself after reading Psalm Eight:
- God uses “infants and nursing babies” to oppose “the enemy and the avenger.” One of these groups relies on self while the other relies on others. How much am I relying on God vs how much am I relying on myself?
- The writer acknowledges human authority while also accepting that it’s only from God. How do I accept God-given dominion over God’s earth and creation while remaining humble?
- It is mankind’s job to rule and take care of what God has given us. Am I wasteful with what I’ve been given? Do I use resources wisely?
- In the desert, they were only to take only what they needed for a day, and any excess would rot and stink. Am I filling my life with rotting excess?
And here is a prayer based on Psalm Eight.
I’d love to see anything you write or create while reading the Psalms. Feel free to comment below with your thoughts or a link to your post!
Celebration of God’s Justice
For the choir director: according to Muth-labben. A psalm of David.
1 I will thank the Lord with all my heart;
I will declare all your wondrous works.
2 I will rejoice and boast about you;
I will sing about your name, Most High.
3 When my enemies retreat,
they stumble and perish before you.
4 For you have upheld my just cause;
you are seated on your throne as a righteous judge.
5 You have rebuked the nations:
You have destroyed the wicked;
you have erased their name forever and ever.
6 The enemy has come to eternal ruin;
you have uprooted the cities,
and the very memory of them has perished.
7 But the Lord sits enthroned forever;
he has established his throne for judgment.
8 And he judges the world with righteousness;
he executes judgment on the nations with fairness.
9 The Lord is a refuge for the persecuted,
a refuge in times of trouble.
10 Those who know your name trust in you
because you have not abandoned
those who seek you, Lord.
11 Sing to the Lord, who dwells in Zion;
proclaim his deeds among the nations.
12 For the one who seeks an accounting
for bloodshed remembers them;
he does not forget the cry of the oppressed.
13 Be gracious to me, Lord;
consider my affliction at the hands of those who hate me.
Lift me up from the gates of death,
14 so that I may declare all your praises.
I will rejoice in your salvation
within the gates of Daughter Zion.
15 The nations have fallen into the pit they made;
their foot is caught in the net they have concealed.
16 The Lord has made himself known;
he has executed justice,
snaring the wicked
by the work of their hands.Higgaion. Selah
17 The wicked will return to Sheol—
all the nations that forget God.
18 For the needy will not always be forgotten;
the hope of the oppressed will not perish forever.
19 Rise up, Lord! Do not let mere humans prevail;
let the nations be judged in your presence.
20 Put terror in them, Lord;
let the nations know they are only humans.Selah
Psalm Nine Notes
God judges the world with righteousness, not his own selfish gain. And that is why we should boast in Him and not of ourselves (v. 2).
And it is not fixating on revenge that helps us through the dark times. It’s hope. Because God will take care of the wicked and it’s not my job to persecute or let another person’s wickedness turn my heart to wickedness. But my hope in God and his justice is what lets the human heart rejoice even in tough times.
A Prayer Based on Psalm Nine
Now, here is our prayer: Thank you, Lord, for being a just God. There is no evil in you or back stabbing ways. To know your face is to know truth, and you don’t go back on your word. Your works are greater than any I could ever accomplish. You are there for those who call on you. Because of your grace, mercy, and love you are there when we seek you. Keep me safe so that I may share your wonders with those around me. I will stay away from wickedness so that my heart is not tempted to return evil for evil. You are the one who turns the wicked onto their own heads. In times of trouble, you are my hope and my salvation. Shine your light on the needy and allow darkness to overtake the oppressor. Lord, do not let me be the oppressor. Amen.
Psalm Nine Verses for Meditation
Next, I chose to meditate on verses nine and ten because they remind me of one my favorite New Testament verses, James 4:8 (Draw near to God and He will draw near to you). God is there if only we would seek and draw near to Him.
Need for God’s Justice
1 Lord, why do you stand so far away?
Why do you hide in times of trouble?
2 In arrogance the wicked relentlessly pursue their victims;
let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.
3 For the wicked one boasts about his own cravings;
the one who is greedy curses and despises the Lord.
4 In all his scheming,
the wicked person arrogantly thinks,
“There’s no accountability,
since there’s no God.”
5 His ways are always secure;
your lofty judgments have no effect on him;
he scoffs at all his adversaries.
6 He says to himself, “I will never be moved—
from generation to generation I will be without calamity.”
7 Cursing, deceit, and violence fill his mouth;
trouble and malice are under his tongue.
8 He waits in ambush near settlements;
he kills the innocent in secret places.
His eyes are on the lookout for the helpless;
9 he lurks in secret like a lion in a thicket.
He lurks in order to seize a victim;
he seizes a victim and drags him in his net.
10 So he is oppressed and beaten down;
helpless people fall because of the wicked one’s strength.
11 He says to himself, “God has forgotten;
he hides his face and will never see.”
12 Rise up, Lord God! Lift up your hand.
Do not forget the oppressed.
13 Why has the wicked person despised God?
He says to himself, “You will not demand an account.”
14 But you yourself have seen trouble and grief,
observing it in order to take the matter into your hands.
The helpless one entrusts himself to you;
you are a helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked, evil person,
until you look for his wickedness,
but it can’t be found.
16 The Lord is King forever and ever;
the nations will perish from his land.
17 Lord, you have heard the desire of the humble;
you will strengthen their hearts.
You will listen carefully,
18 doing justice for the fatherless and the oppressed
so that mere humans from the earth may terrify them no more.
Psalm Ten Notes
Sometimes we see our oppressors more than we see God—”Lord, why do you stand so far away?” But God will not forget the oppressed, or the oppressor. He punishes, and he saves; He humbles, and He exalts. He deals with the wicked in His own time, and not ours. Therefore, let us not fear people, only God.
“Keep me loving what you love and hating what you hate.”
–Timothy and Kathy Keller, The Songs of Jesus
Next, here is my prayer from Psalm Ten.
Refuge in the Lord
For the choir director. Of David.
1 I have taken refuge in the Lord.
How can you say to me,
“Escape to the mountains like a bird!
2 For look, the wicked string bows;
they put their arrows on bowstrings
to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.
3 When the foundations are destroyed,
what can the righteous do?”
4 The Lord is in his holy temple;
the Lord—his throne is in heaven.
His eyes watch;
his gaze examines everyone.
5 The Lord examines the righteous,
but he hates the wicked
and those who love violence.
6 Let him rain burning coals and sulfur on the wicked;
let a scorching wind be the portion in their cup.
7 For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds.
The upright will see his face.
Psalm 11 Notes
Friend, our refuge is not the mountains or any other earthy territory—our refuge is in the Lord. Furthermore, the Lord’s gaze watches over everyone, but only the upright will see His face. I chose verse seven to read in different translations. You can read verse seven in both the King James Version and The Message in the images below.
A Prayer Inspired by Psalm 11
And now, a prayer based on Psalm 11: Dear Lord, Let me take refuge in you. Be my hiding place when the wicked attack. Keep my heart turned towards you even when it’s hit with arrows of hatred and mockery. Watch me from your temple and shield me from the burning elements that can destroy. Direct me on your path so that I may see your face. Amen.
I created a Reel on Instagram based on Psalm 11:7–> see it here.
Oppression by the Wicked
For the choir director: according to Sheminith. A psalm of David.
1 Help, Lord, for no faithful one remains;
the loyal have disappeared from the human race.
2 They lie to one another;
they speak with flattering lips and deceptive hearts.
3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips
and the tongue that speaks boastfully.
4 They say, “Through our tongues we have power;
our lips are our own—who can be our master?”
5 “Because of the devastation of the needy
and the groaning of the poor,
I will now rise up,” says the Lord.
“I will provide safety for the one who longs for it.”
6 The words of the Lord are pure words,
like silver refined in an earthen furnace,
purified seven times.
7 You, Lord, will guard us;
you will protect us from this generation forever.
8 The wicked prowl all around,
and what is worthless is exalted by the human race.
Psalm 12 Notes
The words of the unfaithful are disloyal, false, flattering, deceptive, boastful, and prideful. But God’s words—they are pure. God’s words are not deceptive as they always reflect his character.
And God does not give to the prideful, the ones who thinks she doesn’t need a master. But God helps those who are groaning in longing, the ones who are begging and hoping for help.
The last verse would be a great choice for meditation to remind us not to exalt what God deems worthless.
A Plea for Deliverance
For the choir director. A psalm of David.
1 How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long will I store up anxious concerns within me,
agony in my mind every day?
How long will my enemy dominate me?
3 Consider me and answer, Lord my God.
Restore brightness to my eyes;
otherwise, I will sleep in death.
4 My enemy will say, “I have triumphed over him,”
and my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I have trusted in your faithful love;
my heart will rejoice in your deliverance.
6 I will sing to the Lord
because he has treated me generously.
Psalm 13 Notes
The writer here says “how long” four times in the first two verses. He is struggling to keep afloat and he’s asking God, “Why is this happening?” Nevertheless, this short Psalm ends with “but”—In spite of how David feels, he is choosing to trust God.
Next, He says “my heart will rejoice” and “I will sing” as a sign of hope. In six short verses, David goes from lament to hope. Lament gives way to hope. When we push away lament, we push away hope. When we numb away pain, we also numb away any opportunity to hope.
One of my favorite verses about hope is Romans 8:25—”Now if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with patience.” Hope gives us patience; hope helps us persevere. And our hope is in Jesus, who has overcome all the troubles we face here, and one day we’ll be sitting at his side.
Psalm 13 Journaling and a Prayer
Next, here are some questions for you to consider or journal:
- What am I grieving?
- What am I hoping for?
Have you ever been afraid to hope? Afraid to be let down? Here is a prayer for you: Lord, give me next steps in these situations. I’m at a loss and I feel overwhelmed. Don’t let my anxieties overtake me, Lord. Give me hope. Amen.
In the images below, you can see my notes and a digital collage I made in Canva. I also created a Reel on Instagram that you can view here. This Psalm definitely resonated with me and feelings I was having about what’s going on in the world.
If you’d like to share any of these images, you can find them on Instagram.
A Portrait of Sinners
For the choir director. Of David.
1 The fool says in his heart, “There’s no God.”
They are corrupt; they do vile deeds.
There is no one who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the human race
to see if there is one who is wise,
one who seeks God.
3 All have turned away;
all alike have become corrupt.
There is no one who does good,
not even one.
4 Will evildoers never understand?
They consume my people as they consume bread;
they do not call on the Lord.
5 Then they will be filled with dread,
for God is with those who are righteous.
6 You sinners frustrate the plans of the oppressed,
but the Lord is his refuge.
7 Oh, that Israel’s deliverance would come from Zion!
When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,
let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
Psalm 14 Notes
From this Psalm, can you make a list of characteristics of the ungodly? Here’s mine: foolish, claims there is no God, corrupt, does vile deeds, evil doer, consumes people, does not call on the Lord, frustrates the needy and the oppressed (instead of helping them).
Chapter 15 is titled “A Description of the Godly.” After reading chapter 15, you can compare your lists, the Godly vs the Ungodly. Chapter 15 is in my next post on week three.
Share Your Thoughts with Me!
I hope weeks one and two have gone well for you and that the words of Scripture are a life line for you in a world of wind and waves. I’d love to hear your thoughts on any of these Psalms. Share in the comments or tag me on social media!
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