Psalm 24:1-6 – My Paraphrase

Psalm 24:1-6

The earth is the LORD’s and it’s fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.

Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who will stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are clean and whose heart is pure,
who does not lift up his soul falsehood,
nor sworn deceitfully.
He will receive a blessing from the LORD,
and justice from God his savior.
Such is the generation that seeks him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.

Psalm 143:1-11 My Paraphrase

Hear my prayer, O Lord;
Listen to my pleas for mercy,
and in your faithfulness and righteousness, answer me.
Do not come to judge your servant,
for there is not a person alive who is righteous before you.
My enemies are pursuing me,
crushing my soul to the ground,
leaving me to dwell in darkness like those who are long dead.
Therefore my spirit faints within me,
and my heart within me is appalled.

I remember the days of old,
I meditate on all your deeds,
and I consider the works of your hands.
I stretch out my hands to you;
for my soul thirsts for you like a dry and thristy land.

Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me,
or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,
for in you I hope.
Show me the way I should walk,
for to you I lift up my soul.
Save me, O Lord, from my enemies;
for I have fled to you for refuge.
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God,
and let your good spirit lead me on a level path.
For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life;
and in your righteousness deliver me from my distress..

Devotion on Psalm 42:1-2

faith and devotionPsalm 42:1-2

1As a deer longs for flowing streams,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
2My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and behold
the face of God?

I would bet that most of really wish we felt the way that the psalmist who penned these words felt, but there are times we have to admit that most of the time our longings and thirsts are not for the Holy One.  No, we long for money, prestige, power, respect, love, recognition . . . and I could go on and on here.  The list is almost limitless.  Yet even so, can we honestly say the list includes God?  Not very often.

So let our prayer be this:  God, make me long for your presence in my life.  Make me thirsty for your Spirit and life in me.

Of course with a prayer like this, you just might want to cross your fingers or say under your breath, “Just kidding, Lord.”  After all, what if God took us seriously if and when we prayed these words?  That, my friends, is a scary thought and worth pondering before we commit ourselves to any prayer, let alone the one above.