Covenant Grove Daily Devotionals

Justicedo you rulers know the meaning of the word? Do you judge the people fairly? No! You plot injustice in your hearts. You spread violence throughout the land. These wicked people are born sinners; even from birth they have lied and gone their own way. They spit venom like deadly snakes; they are like cobras that refuse to listen, ignoring the tunes of the snake charmers, no matter how skillfully they play. Break off their fangs, O God! Smash the jaws of these lions, O Lord! May they disappear like water into thirsty ground. Make their weapons useless in their hands. May they be like snails that dissolve into slime, like a stillborn child who will never see the sun. God will sweep them away, both young and old, faster than a pot heats over burning thorns. The godly will rejoice when they see injustice avenged. They will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked. Then at last everyone will say, There truly is a reward for those who live for God; surely there is a God who judges justly here on earth.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭58‬:‭1‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It is so easy to take justice for granteduntil it is gone. We dont know if David wrote this psalm when he was king or on the run, but people were using their power to pervert justice. David prayed to the Lord to restore justice: this requires personal choices, correct judgment, and systems that are fair for all. Corrupt people think only of what benefits them, coming up with endless excuses for their selfish actions. The godly are willing to sacrifice for what is right so that the whole world may benefit.

It is important to pursue Gods righteousness in our lives and Gods justice in the world. People tend to emphasize one over the other, but they are both vitally important. How can you allow Jesus to lessen sin and selfishness inside of you? What can you do today to make the world fairer for others?

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by. I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me. He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. Interlude My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness. I am surrounded by fierce lions who greedily devour human prey whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows, and whose tongues cut like swords. Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens! May your glory shine over all the earth. My enemies have set a trap for me. I am weary from distress. They have dug a deep pit in my path, but they themselves have fallen into it. Interlude My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises! Wake up, my heart! Wake up, O lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song. I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations. For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭57‬:‭1‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This psalm describes Davids feelings when he was hiding in a cave from King Saul (1 Samuel 22-24). Saul was jealous of David, his son-in-law and loyal military captain. Saul tried to kill David and was pursuing him. David hid in a cave and even had a chance to kill Saul, but he didnt. He would not fulfill the false claim of disloyalty, even when Saul was maniacally chasing him. David wrote in this psalm that though his enemies tried to trap him, they would fall into their own trap. David would trust in the Lord. This made him different than his peers; he wasnt perfect, but he served God with his whole heart.What is it that pulls you away from God? For some people it is busyness, pleasing others, or lack of boundaries. For others it is hardships, struggles, or sorrows. Still for others it is fear, worry, or anxiety. What can you do today to strengthen your trust in the Lord?

O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long. I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me. But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? They are always twisting what I say; they spend their days plotting to harm me. They come together to spy on me watching my every step, eager to kill me. Dont let them get away with their wickedness; in your anger, O God, bring them down. You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side! I praise God for what he has promised; yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? I will fulfill my vows to you, O God, and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help. For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭56‬:‭1‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

David went through some serious struggles. This psalm was about the time the Philistinesthe mortal enemies of Israelhad captured him. David cried out to the Lord. Though he was afraid, he trusted the Lord (v.3). He knew his enemies could kill him, but he boldly proclaimed, What can mortals do to me? (v.4) Enemies can hurt us, but we hurt ourselves much more when we stop trusting God, give in to fear, and turn away from Gods love. The Lord knows every struggle we have ever gone through; He even collects our tears (v.8). In his struggle, David looked to the Lord and found comfort. Though he was in a bad spot and surrounded by enemies, David promised to fulfill the vows he made to his Redeemer (v.12).When the hard times come, people react in one of two ways. They either turn away from God, questioning howif He is so lovingHe could allow the pain. Others run to the Redeemer, knowing His love is the anchor in the storm. How do you respond when the struggles come?

Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help! Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles. My enemies shout at me, making loud and wicked threats. They bring trouble on me and angrily hunt me down. My heart pounds in my chest. The terror of death assaults me. Fear and trembling overwhelm me, and I cant stop shaking. Oh, that I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest! I would fly far away to the quiet of the wilderness. Interlude How quickly I would escape far from this wild storm of hatred. Confuse them, Lord, and frustrate their plans, for I see violence and conflict in the city. Its walls are patrolled day and night against invaders, but the real danger is wickedness within the city. Everything is falling apart; threats and cheating are rampant in the streets. It is not an enemy who taunts me I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me I could have hidden from them. Instead, it is youmy equal, my companion and close friend. What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God. Let death stalk my enemies; let the grave swallow them alive, for evil makes its home within them. But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me. Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice. He ransoms me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me, though many still oppose me. God, who has ruled forever, will hear me and humble them. Interlude For my enemies refuse to change their ways; they do not fear God. As for my companion, he betrayed his friends; he broke his promises. His words are as smooth as butter, but in his heart is war. His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers! Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. But you, O God, will send the wicked down to the pit of destruction. Murderers and liars will die young, but I am trusting you to save me.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭55‬:‭1‬-‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There is nothing that hurts like betrayal. Nothing stings like being let down by someone you trusted. David said the battle was not outside the walls but insideit was his close friend that betrayed him. But he still called on God for strength. Most people know that the Lord is always there, but so often we dont tap into the incredible strength of Gods love. Live out verse 17: cry out to the Lord morning, noon, and night, knowing He hears your voice and will answer your prayer.

Anxiety, fear, danger, betrayalthese are not modern problems but universal struggles. This psalm is 3000 years old, yet we still feel these same problems. These words of wisdom are written down so we can learn a better way. Give your burdens to the Lord and He will take care of you. (v.22)What are your burdens right now? How can you give them to the Lord?

Come with great power, O God, and rescue me! Defend me with your might. Listen to my prayer, O God. Pay attention to my plea. For strangers are attacking me; violent people are trying to kill me. They care nothing for God. Interlude But God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive! May the evil plans of my enemies be turned against them. Do as you promised and put an end to them. I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you; I will praise your name, O Lord, for it is good. For you have rescued me from my troubles and helped me to triumph over my enemies.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭54‬:‭1‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Who do you first turn to when times are hard? Davidwhen his life was in dangerturned first to the Lord. He asked God to defend him, hear his prayer, and rescue him from his enemies. Too often we look to God as a last resort rather than our first defense. The Almighty is our strong tower; He is waiting for us to run into His safe arms. Make a commitment today to look to the Lord first when hard times come.

How do you respond when God rescues you? Some people say nothing, taking the Father for granted. Others say thank You to the Lord and go on their way. This psalm (v.6) shows a better way: praise the Lord and sacrifice for His glory. This is not a transaction or deal with God (if You rescue me, I will give You something). This is a heart of gratitude towards the Savior who rescued you.

Is your heart overflowing with gratitude towards Jesusand is it obvious in your attitude and actions?

Only fools say in their hearts, There is no God. They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good! God looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one! Will those who do evil never learn? They eat up my people like bread and wouldnt think of praying to God. Terror will grip them, terror like they have never known before. God will scatter the bones of your enemies. You will put them to shame, for God has rejected them. Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel? When God restores his people, Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭53‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Do you think people are basically good or naturally tilted towards selfishness? This psalm describes God looking over the whole human race and finding only corruption. Even when we do good, it is mixed with selfish motives. We feel good about our morality by comparing ourselves to worse people. It is not only that our actions are twisted; our very nature needs to be redeemed. This is hinted at in verse 6: it is Jesus who died on Mount Zion to rescue His people. He not only forgave our sins; He lives in us to transform our nature. Do you compare yourself more to others or to Jesus? What difference does that make?

The fools say there is no God. They always will. Dont spend all your time arguing with them; let your life of love for God be the counterargument. Stop comparing yourself to others and strive to become like Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our faith. Live like Jesusthat is the greatest testimony to God the world needs.What is your next step today?

Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior? Dont you realize Gods justice continues forever? All day long you plot destruction. Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor; youre an expert at telling lies. You love evil more than good and lies more than truth. Interlude You love to destroy others with your words, you liar! But God will strike you down once and for all. He will pull you from your home and uproot you from the land of the living. Interlude The righteous will see it and be amazed. They will laugh and say, Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness. But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in Gods unfailing love. I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will trust in your good name in the presence of your faithful people.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭52‬:‭1‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

There will be some horrible moments in life. David wrote out his prayerful frustration after he experienced a horrible moment. You can read more of this story in 1 Samuel 21-22. David was fleeing for his life from King Saul, and he was seen by Doegwho is described as the chief of Sauls shepherds. Doeg was not an Israelite and not a warrior. He wanted to look good in the eyes of King Saul, so he reported Davidand the priests who had helped Davidto Saul. When Saul ordered the priests to be murdered, none of his soldiers would follow the order. Doeg did. Not only did he murder the priests, but he also destroyed an entire town, just to prove he was a mighty warrior in the eyes of the king.Take a minute and inspect your life. How can you make sure you dont compromise your faith by trying to please others? David trusted in Gods love (v.8), even when the whole world seemed against him. Can you do the same?

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. For I was born a sinner yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the womb, teaching me wisdom even there. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me now let me rejoice. Dont keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and dont take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you. Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you. You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭51‬:‭1‬-‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

King David made a HUGE mistake. He had committed adultery, sleeping with a married woman. He initially tried to cover up his mistake, but when he was confronted with his sin (by the prophet Nathan), he repented. He wrote this psalm to remember his sin and Gods mercy. He no longer wanted to cover up his mistakes; he wanted to point people to Gods forgiveness. What do you need to confess to God?When God forgives, you are CLEAN. You dont earn His forgiveness; you accept it. Many people struggle with grace, believing they must earn forgiveness. This only leads to more guilt because you can never measure up. God has unfailing love (v.1), He purifies sin (vv.2, 7), creates a clean heart (v.10), and restores joy (v.12).

Through Jesus, do you see yourself as forgiven and clean? Take some time to reflect on this today

The Lord, the Mighty One, is God, and he has spoken; he has summoned all humanity from where the sun rises to where it sets. From Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines in glorious radiance. Our God approaches, and he is not silent. Fire devours everything in his way, and a great storm rages around him. He calls on the heavens above and earth below to witness the judgment of his people. Bring my faithful people to me those who made a covenant with me by giving sacrifices. Then let the heavens proclaim his justice, for God himself will be the judge. Interlude O my people, listen as I speak. Here are my charges against you, O Israel: I am God, your God! I have no complaint about your sacrifices or the burnt offerings you constantly offer. But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens. For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird on the mountains, and all the animals of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for all the world is mine and everything in it. Do I eat the meat of bulls? Do I drink the blood of goats? Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory. But God says to the wicked: Why bother reciting my decrees and pretending to obey my covenant? For you refuse my discipline and treat my words like trash. When you see thieves, you approve of them, and you spend your time with adulterers. Your mouth is filled with wickedness, and your tongue is full of lies. You sit around and slander your brother your own mothers son. While you did all this, I remained silent, and you thought I didnt care. But now I will rebuke you, listing all my charges against you. Repent, all of you who forget me, or I will tear you apart, and no one will help you. But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭50‬:‭1‬-‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Most psalms express peoples thoughts to God. This psalm shares the Lords thoughts with people. God laments that His peoplethough offering sacrificesdid not honor Him with their actions. They lied, put others down, and approved of wicked actions. God is willing to discipline those He loves, but they scorned His discipline and His word. We all have areas where our actions dont line up with our beliefs. Can you identify one of yours today? How can you, with Gods help, turn this around?Thankfulness is not just an emotion; it is an outlook that comes from God. Our loving Father asks us to make thankfulness our sacrifice (v.14), meaning we surrender our bad attitudes to the Lord, see things from His perspective, and radiate out His joy.

What will it take for you to be truly thankful today?

Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world! High and low, rich and poorlisten! For my words are wise, and my thoughts are filled with insight. I listen carefully to many proverbs and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp. Why should I fear when trouble comes, when enemies surround me? They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches. Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God. Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough to live forever and never see the grave. Those who are wise must finally die, just like the foolish and senseless, leaving all their wealth behind. The grave is their eternal home, where they will stay forever. They may name their estates after themselves, but their fame will not last. They will die, just like animals. This is the fate of fools, though they are remembered as being wise. Interlude Like sheep, they are led to the grave, where death will be their shepherd. In the morning the godly will rule over them. Their bodies will rot in the grave, far from their grand estates. But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave. Interlude So dont be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid. For when they die, they take nothing with them. Their wealth will not follow them into the grave. In this life they consider themselves fortunate and are applauded for their success. But they will die like all before them and never again see the light of day. People who boast of their wealth dont understand; they will die, just like animals.‭‭Psalms‬ ‭49‬:‭1‬-‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In the Old Testament there are only a few times that eternal life is hinted at and taught. Psalm 49 is one of those times. It says God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave. God made us to live forever with Him and for Him. Do you ever doubt eternity with God? Jesus rose so that we would have proof of the resurrection. John 3:16 says that we can have eternal life from Jesus. It doesnt say WILL have eternal life but have eternal lifein the present. When we invite Jesus into our hearts as King, eternal life begins. What the psalmist yearned for; we get to experience (in part) now. How can this help you with any doubts about eternity?This psalm is a great reminder of the temporary nature of wealth and fame. We cant take them with us. Many of us find security in our money or reputation; these motivations guide so many of our choices. What does this really accomplish? Only the work of eternity will last forever. This psalm is a call to change our thinking and to give our lives for what really matters. Make a list of eternal impact things you can give your time, energy, and finances to in the coming months, and make a commitment to follow through on living it out.

How does the mindset of eternity change how you will walk out your faith this week?