Covenant Grove Daily Devotionals

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds. Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord. Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him. Remember the wonders he has performed, his miracles, and the rulings he has given, you children of his servant Abraham, you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones. He is the Lord our God. His justice is seen throughout the land. He always stands by his covenant the commitment he made to a thousand generations. This is the covenant he made with Abraham and the oath he swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant: I will give you the land of Canaan as your special possession. He said this when they were few in number, a tiny group of strangers in Canaan. They wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. Yet he did not let anyone oppress them. He warned kings on their behalf: Do not touch my chosen people, and do not hurt my prophets. He called for a famine on the land of Canaan, cutting off its food supply. Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them Joseph, who was sold as a slave. They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Josephs character. Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door. Joseph was put in charge of all the kings household; he became ruler over all the kings possessions. He could instruct the kings aides as he pleased and teach the kings advisers. Then Israel arrived in Egypt; Jacob lived as a foreigner in the land of Ham. And the Lord multiplied the people of Israel until they became too mighty for their enemies. Then he turned the Egyptians against the Israelites, and they plotted against the Lords servants. But the Lord sent his servant Moses, along with Aaron, whom he had chosen. They performed miraculous signs among the Egyptians, and wonders in the land of Ham. The Lord blanketed Egypt in darkness, for they had defied his commands to let his people go. He turned their water into blood, poisoning all the fish. Then frogs overran the land and even invaded the kings bedrooms. When the Lord spoke, flies descended on the Egyptians, and gnats swarmed across Egypt. He sent them hail instead of rain, and lightning flashed over the land. He ruined their grapevines and fig trees and shattered all the trees. He spoke, and hordes of locusts came young locusts beyond number. They ate up everything green in the land, destroying all the crops in their fields. Then he killed the oldest son in each Egyptian home, the pride and joy of each family. The Lord brought his people out of Egypt, loaded with silver and gold; and not one among the tribes of Israel even stumbled. Egypt was glad when they were gone, for they feared them greatly. The Lord spread a cloud above them as a covering and gave them a great fire to light the darkness. They asked for meat, and he sent them quail; he satisfied their hunger with mannabread from heaven. He split open a rock, and water gushed out to form a river through the dry wasteland. For he remembered his sacred promise to his servant Abraham. So he brought his people out of Egypt with joy, his chosen ones with rejoicing. He gave his people the lands of pagan nations, and they harvested crops that others had planted. All this happened so they would follow his decrees and obey his instructions. Praise the Lord!

The story of our lives, if we look closely enough, points to the goodness of God. This doesnt mean that everything in our lives is good. Sin and evil are real, and they ruin the good things of God. Yet the Lord is our Savior, redeeming all things in His love if we will walk with Jesus through our pain. It is good to write down and reflect on history and your own story.

This psalm was likely authored by David (see 1 Chronicles 16:8-22), who sung it while the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the city of Jerusalem. He retold the story of Gods people, and he understood that his accomplishments were only footnotes to the mighty deeds of the Lord. This psalm emphasizes the importance of knowing our sacred stories: they teach the character of the Lord (v.7), they challenge us to follow His commands (v.45), and they call us to praise our Savior with joy (vv.1-4, 45).

Have you taken the time to write down (even in outline form) the story of your life? What lessons could you learn from this exercise? What are some of your favorite stories from the Bible or church history? What do they teach you about God?

Let all that I am praise the Lord. O Lord my God, how great you are! You are robed with honor and majesty. You are dressed in a robe of light. You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens; you lay out the rafters of your home in the rain clouds. You make the clouds your chariot; you ride upon the wings of the wind. The winds are your messengers; flames of fire are your servants. You placed the world on its foundation so it would never be moved. You clothed the earth with floods of water, water that covered even the mountains. At your command, the water fled; at the sound of your thunder, it hurried away. Mountains rose and valleys sank to the levels you decreed. Then you set a firm boundary for the seas, so they would never again cover the earth. You make springs pour water into the ravines, so streams gush down from the mountains. They provide water for all the animals, and the wild donkeys quench their thirst. The birds nest beside the streams and sing among the branches of the trees. You send rain on the mountains from your heavenly home, and you fill the earth with the fruit of your labor. You cause grass to grow for the livestock and plants for people to use. You allow them to produce food from the earth wine to make them glad, olive oil to soothe their skin, and bread to give them strength. The trees of the Lord are well cared for the cedars of Lebanon that he planted. There the birds make their nests, and the storks make their homes in the cypresses. High in the mountains live the wild goats, and the rocks form a refuge for the hyraxes. You made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to set. You send the darkness, and it becomes night, when all the forest animals prowl about. Then the young lions roar for their prey, stalking the food provided by God. At dawn they slink back into their dens to rest. Then people go off to their work, where they labor until evening. O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. Here is the ocean, vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small. See the ships sailing along, and Leviathan, which you made to play in the sea. They all depend on you to give them food as they need it. When you supply it, they gather it. You open your hand to feed them, and they are richly satisfied. But if you turn away from them, they panic. When you take away their breath, they die and turn again to dust. When you give them your breath, life is created, and you renew the face of the earth. May the glory of the Lord continue forever! The Lord takes pleasure in all he has made! The earth trembles at his glance; the mountains smoke at his touch. I will sing to the Lord as long as I live. I will praise my God to my last breath! May all my thoughts be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. Let all sinners vanish from the face of the earth; let the wicked disappear forever. Let all that I am praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!‭‭Psalms‬ ‭104‬:‭1‬-‭35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Creation is more than science; it is poetry. Science is the study of Gods handiwork; it is not the enemy of faith but a pathway to know our Creator more. This psalm sees the wonder of creation pointing to the greatness of our God. Creation invites us out of our world of worry and rush; we are invited to meditate on the Lord and rejoice (v.34). Nature calls us to observe and learn. There are so many lessons if we can slow down to see them.

God not only made creation; He is still involved in it. God created incredible natural systems, but nature is not just mechanical: God is involved, and He is faithful. We can see His work in creation, and this includes our lives. Seeing all He has done can sprout a song of praise inside of us. We are part of creation, created to bring glory to our mighty Maker (v.33).

How does creation help you praise the Creator? Why is it important to remember that creation is poetry and beauty?

Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagles! The Lord gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly. He revealed his character to Moses and his deeds to the people of Israel. The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone as though we had never been here. But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the childrens children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments! The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything. Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will! Praise the Lord, everything he has created, everything in all his kingdom. Let all that I am praise the Lord.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭103‬:‭1‬-‭22‬ ‭NLT

The psalms stretch our awareness of Gods goodness and greatness. David praised God for forgiving his sins (vv.3, 12), saving him from death (v.4), and filling his life with good things (v.5). He praised the character of God, revealedin His word: the Lord is compassionate and merciful (v.8), slow to anger and full of love, a Father to weak children who loves them eternally (vv.13-18). The Lord has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west (v.12). What a promise to remember! Praise the Lord!

Let EVERYTHING that we are praise the Lord. Not just our Sunday morning best but also our Monday morning worst. Let everything praise God. Not just our prayer before dinner but also our work, and walk, and relationships. In the prayers with a broken heart, the prayers of joy, the prayers of confusionlet everything praise the Lord. When we are alone or with others, in our highs and lows, may every breath praise God. In our thoughts, emotions, intentions, and our very willlet the Name of the Lord be praised! Let everything we are praise the Lord!

Do an inspection (with Gods grace): is there a part of your life that is not praising the Lord? With His help, how can you surrender this part of your life to the Lord?

Lord, hear my prayer! Listen to my plea! Dont turn away from me in my time of distress. Bend down to listen, and answer me quickly when I call to you. For my days disappear like smoke, and my bones burn like red-hot coals. My heart is sick, withered like grass, and I have lost my appetite. Because of my groaning, I am reduced to skin and bones. I am like an owl in the desert, like a little owl in a far-off wilderness. I lie awake, lonely as a solitary bird on the roof. My enemies taunt me day after day. They mock and curse me. I eat ashes for food. My tears run down into my drink because of your anger and wrath. For you have picked me up and thrown me out. My life passes as swiftly as the evening shadows. I am withering away like grass. But you, O Lord, will sit on your throne forever. Your fame will endure to every generation. You will arise and have mercy on Jerusalem and now is the time to pity her, now is the time you promised to help. For your people love every stone in her walls and cherish even the dust in her streets. Then the nations will tremble before the Lord. The kings of the earth will tremble before his glory. For the Lord will rebuild Jerusalem. He will appear in his glory. He will listen to the prayers of the destitute. He will not reject their pleas. Let this be recorded for future generations, so that a people not yet born will praise the Lord. Tell them the Lord looked down from his heavenly sanctuary. He looked down to earth from heaven to hear the groans of the prisoners, to release those condemned to die. And so the Lords fame will be celebrated in Zion, his praises in Jerusalem, when multitudes gather together and kingdoms come to worship the Lord. He broke my strength in midlife, cutting short my days. But I cried to him, O my God, who lives forever, dont take my life while I am so young! Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. They will perish, but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment and discard them. But you are always the same; you will live forever. The children of your people will live in security. Their childrens children will thrive in your presence.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭102‬:‭1‬-‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This psalm was written by someone afflicted and weakened by trouble. Things are really bad: the author is drinking tears and eating ashes (v.9, a sign of mourning). The author remembers Jerusalem, which has been destroyed (v.16). Though mourning, the psalmist remembers that God hears and listens, even when He seems far away. The author wants his own suffering to be written down so his great grandchildren (and all generations) will know about his pain and how God saved him in the midst of this horrible suffering. What a difference it would make if we wrote down our prayers in the midst of our suffering, focusing on the faithfulness of God. These would be chapters to share with others, including our kids and grandkids, year after year.

Our lives are full of stories. Often, we are either the hero or victim of our stories. This psalm is different; it is about personal suffering, yet it focuses on faith in the Lord. The psalmist wanted his pain written down, as well as his faith, so future generations knew what to do when their season of struggle came. When our hard times come, or when they are in the lives of those we love, we can validate both pain and trust in the Lord. We can truly listen to their stories while pointing through their pain to the presence and power of God.

What are the stories of how God saved you from hard times, struggles, or suffering? How could you write them down and tell others? When could you do this?

I will sing of your love and justice, Lord. I will praise you with songs. I will be careful to live a blameless life when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home. I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them. I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil. I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors. I will not endure conceit and pride. I will search for faithful people to be my companions. Only those who are above reproach will be allowed to serve me. I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house, and liars will not stay in my presence. My daily task will be to ferret out the wicked and free the city of the Lord from their grip.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭101‬:‭1‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Doing what is right does not guarantee we will always feel Gods presence. In this psalm, David carefully describes the ways he has kept his life pure: he praises God (v.1), has the right motivations (v.2), does not look at what is sinful (v.3), keeps distance from those who do wrong (v.4), works for justice (vv.5, 8), seeks out faithful people (v.6), and removes liars from his employment (v.7). David has done all these good things, yet God feels far from him (v.2). This is part of the human experience.

Relationships will not always feel good; this includes our relationship with God. Were we only following Jesus because it feels good? We will not know the answer to this question until the Lord withdraws the feeling of His presence. He will never abandon us (Matt 28:20), but we will FEEL that He has. It is only then that we discover how dependent we were on the emotions. Our emotions are not bad; they are from God and they are important, but they do not determine the truth of Gods presence. Friendships, marriage, parenting, work, and moreif these relationships are to last, they must endure when the feelings are not happy. So it is with the Lord. He will take us through the wall, through the dark night of the soul. We will not be the same on the other side, but we will have a much deeper understanding of God, ourselves, and the world.

Have you gone through the wall? What was it like? What did you learn? For you personally, how can you remain faithful to Jesus even when He seems far away?

Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭100‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This short psalm was written to teach Gods people how to give the Lord praise and thanksgiving. Verses 1-2 and verse 4 are commands: calling the people of God to shout (not just sing) with joy, gladness, thanksgiving, and praise. These are commands because we need His command to overcome our fears. It can be scary to shout! But children are not afraid to shout; they want to be heard! Verse 3 reminds us who we are: we are His people, He is our Creator, and we are the sheep He loves. When we remember who we are and Who we belong to, we can sing boldlyshouting for joy! Verse 5 reminds us who God is: He is good, and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations. We give thanksgiving by remembering who God is, who we are, and obeying His command to praise with joy!

This short psalm can be a big challenge. Do you sing for joy? Do you shout? Those are biblical commands. Can you enter His house focused on the resurrection of Jesus, full of joy and gladness? God knows our pain; He embraced our pain and suffered for us. Yet this psalm still calls on us to remember all God has done and to be thankful and joyful. Gratitude changes our attitude, and that changes everything about our lives.

How do you need to grow in your worship? Which area needs the most work: realizing who you are, recognizing who God is, or obeying the commands to worship?

The Lord is king! Let the nations tremble! He sits on his throne between the cherubim. Let the whole earth quake! The Lord sits in majesty in Jerusalem, exalted above all the nations. Let them praise your great and awesome name. Your name is holy! Mighty King, lover of justice, you have established fairness. You have acted with justice and righteousness throughout Israel. Exalt the Lord our God! Bow low before his feet, for he is holy! Moses and Aaron were among his priests; Samuel also called on his name. They cried to the Lord for help, and he answered them. He spoke to Israel from the pillar of cloud, and they followed the laws and decrees he gave them. O Lord our God, you answered them. You were a forgiving God to them, but you punished them when they went wrong. Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain in Jerusalem, for the Lord our God is holy!‭‭Psalms‬ ‭99‬:‭1‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We exalt God. The word exalt means to put something in the highest place in your life. We all exalt something, but if we are honest, that is usually not God. We regularly give more energy, attention, and time to things other than Jesus. Those may be good things, but they do not belong in the place of priority, and putting them there leads to disastrous consequences. Exalting the Lord means more than believing Him or even honoring Him; it means He is first and the highest pursuit of our lives. Put Jesus first and hold nothing back. Twice this psalm commands us to exalt the Lord (vv.5, 9).

No matter who is president or what is happening in the world, God is the KING. This does not mean that bad things dont happen. God is King, but He has an Enemy, and there is a war going on. He is also opposed by many people who do not want to do His will or live in His Kingdom. They want to set up their own little worlds to rule, personal empires where they are kings. Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven is the cry of those who defy the love of God. The world is broken, yet God is still King. The Lord is not the enemy but our loving Savior who calls every rebel heart to come home to the Fathers love. You can choose to live in His Kingdom, as imperfect and broken as you are. You dont need to be perfect; just sit at the table as His dearly loved child. Live as a citizen of the Kingdom, working each day for His Kingdom to come more and more on earth.

What would it mean for you to exalt the Lord? How can God be King when there are so many bad things that happen on earth?

Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done wonderful deeds. His right hand has won a mighty victory; his holy arm has shown his saving power! The Lord has announced his victory and has revealed his righteousness to every nation! He has remembered his promise to love and be faithful to Israel. The ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God. Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in praise and sing for joy! Sing your praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song, with trumpets and the sound of the rams horn. Make a joyful symphony before the Lord, the King! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the earth and all living things join in. Let the rivers clap their hands in glee! Let the hills sing out their songs of joy before the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with fairness.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭98‬:‭1‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Lord has done marvelous things (v.1), made His salvation available for the whole world (v.2), and shown loving-kindness to each humaneven in rebellion (v.3). The Bible calls for the whole earth to sing for joyeven if you dont like singing! Every instrument is called to join the song as all creation lifts up the chorus to our King. Worship can be done spontaneously at any time, the more the better. We can also prepare our hearts for worship by taking time to reflect on who God is and what He has done. When we prepare for worship, our hearts can be fully focused on the greatness of our God. Worship isnt about us, but the Lord. Worship is not once a week, but every day. Worship is more than the songs; it is a heart living in relationship with Jesus, mindful of His Spirit and offering everything (work, time, money, relationships, attitude) for His glory.

Sing a new song to the Lord. If we want to be able to sing with greater passion, we dont need to work ourselves into an emotional frenzy. We just need to REMEMBER what He has done for us. Memory is a gift that leads to gratitude and praise. We can remember how God has always been faithful in our lives. We can look back and see His love and kindness, giving us so much more than we deserve. We need to remember the cross, His sacrifice, and the resurrection that gives us new life. We can remember how He has saved us again and again from so much sin, selfishness, and stubbornness. From the memory comes a new song we cant help but singing.

How can you better prepare for worship? What is your plan to remember all the Lord has done for you?

The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice! Let the farthest coastlands be glad. Dark clouds surround him. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire spreads ahead of him and burns up all his foes. His lightning flashes out across the world. The earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. The heavens proclaim his righteousness; every nation sees his glory. Those who worship idols are disgraced all who brag about their worthless gods for every god must bow to him. Jerusalem has heard and rejoiced, and all the towns of Judah are glad because of your justice, O Lord! For you, O Lord, are supreme over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. You who love the Lord, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked. Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right. May all who are godly rejoice in the Lord and praise his holy name!‭‭Psalms‬ ‭97‬:‭1‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Lord is King; He is powerful and just. The world is not just; it is broken, hurtful, and constantly going against Gods will. We are part of that world, too; we are part of the problem, going against Gods will and hurting people with our selfish choices. We are also part of Gods people, trying to be changed by Christ. O the joy for those who are godly (God lives in them)they follow God and see His joy, even in this broken world. This is a great reminder that every day we need to spend time evaluating our lives, confess where we have missed the mark, and surrender to His will and way for our lives.

God is awesome; He is literally awe inducing. The psalm describes the Lord in awesome terms: fire, lightning, and clouds. Natures power reminds us how small we are (and how much more powerful our Father is). Mountains may be huge and imposing, but they melt like wax before the Lord of all the earth (v.5). We do not need to be afraid of the Lords power because He is completely good. We can stand in awe of God and give Him praise.

In which area of your life do you need Gods help to change? What does it mean for you to be in awe of God?

Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! Sing to the Lord; praise his name. Each day proclaim the good news that he saves. Publish his glorious deeds among the nations. Tell everyone about the amazing things he does. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods. The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the Lord made the heavens! Honor and majesty surround him; strength and beauty fill his sanctuary. O nations of the world, recognize the Lord; recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong. Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his courts. Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor. Let all the earth tremble before him. Tell all the nations, The Lord reigns! The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. He will judge all peoples fairly. Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he is coming! He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with justice, and the nations with his truth.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭96‬:‭1‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There is only one God. Sometimes the Bible will refer to the other gods as if they are real (vv.4-5), but this is just a way of saying how great the Lord, the true God, is. This psalm, likely by King David (cf. 1 Chr 16:23-36), was written to show that the Lord is the one true God, the Lord of the whole earth, the King of all nations. This is the God we serve; this is the God who loves us; this is the God who came to earth and died for us. Every religion on earth has taught that the gods require sacrifice; our true God came to earth and sacrificed for us. We live our lives in gratitude for all He has done for us.

Sometimes when we are sharing our faith, we miss the point. The goal is not just to get people to church, but help people see God (and live in community with His people). This psalm is proclaiming the greatness of Godtelling the whole world about the good things that the Lord has done. It helps to live each day in light of Gods goodness. Even in the storms, there are always things for which we can be thankful. And when other people are struggling, we can share the love of God with them.

What are you thankful for today? How can you praise God all day for those things? How can you help others see the goodness of God?