Psalm 76

2 His tent is in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion.

God is everywhere, and in ancient times, they thought of God especially coming to the temple of Jerusalem. Now the use of metaphor for God living in a tent or living anywhere specifically is seen in scripture without explanation.

Jerusalem has the unique role in the Old Testament because that is chosen as the capital city where God’s people seek him and worship him. When Jesus arrives, God, temple, holy presence and all are wrapped into one. Jesus is all.

Pray to sense the presence of God in your life this week.

Psalm 75

10 For God says, “I will break the strength of the wicked, but I will increase the power of the godly.”

God’s power comes through the Holy Spirit. God gives power to those he can trust. If you want that kind of power because you want to be a blessing to others, open yourself to the Holy Spirit and you will be blessed. Then watch what God can do.

Pray for power. More power, Lord.

Psalm 74

20 Remember your covenant promises, for the land is full of darkness and violence!

God will bring his peace into the world. There will come a day when everyone will know Jesus and his ways. It doesn’t mean everyone will want Jesus and his ways, but his light will make it all clear.

Pray for the light of Christ to come.

Psalm 73
20 When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning.

Why would we purposely choose to ignore God and work against him? Because we can’t understand everything about him? Who would want to worship a God you could fully understand? He would only be as intelligent as you…

Pray for the desire to honestly seek the deeper things of God.

Psalm 72
13 He feels pity for the weak and the needy and he will rescue them.

In biblical meaning, “pity” is not a matter of a superior looking down on, and making a value judgment of, a “so-called” inferior. It is sharing the suffering of another, emotionally. But, it doesn’t stop there. God’s people act; like the king in the Psalm, we respond with actions of blessing for those in need.

Pray for God to reveal someone who specifically needs your support.

Psalm 71

18 Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.

Followers of Jesus don’t retire. He doesn’t stop moving forward. Young people need Jesus in their lives. They discover trust in God when they connect acts of power with the God of power. They make this connection under the influence of the Holy Spirit, guided by a friend who is a friend of God.

How is God helping you make progress in being a guide to others?

Psalm 70

5 But as for me, I am poor and needy;

please hurry to my aid, O God.

You are my helper and my savior;

O Lord, do not delay.

God uses his people to be a blessing for all people in the world. It is especially important for the message of ‘love your neighbor’ to go out through the actions of his people who reach out to those in need. Whether metaphorically or literally we all need a savior. There is more than enough blessing to go around.

Where is God drawing your attention? See.

Psalm 69

9 Passion for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.

When people are skeptical of God, sometimes they may mock him, and are upset over the fact that you trust in him. This can be unpleasant, but God can take care of himself. I don’t know why someone would have such energy to be perturbed by a God they don’t think exists anyway.

Pray for skeptical people to be open to examining the evidence.

Psalm 68

But God will smash the heads of his enemies, crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways.

The violent language here doesn’t seem to be too much for those who trust in God. These words have been around for several thousand years and haven’t been “censored” out, yet. Regardless, if God is running around today crushing skulls or not, this passage has my attention.

Thank God for his mercy.

May the nations praise you, O God. Yes, may all the nations praise you.

When we see the word, “nation,” in the Bible it generally means “people groups or ethnic groups” as much as it means political entities of independent sovereignty. The impact of Christianity continues to expand in an amazing way in all people/ ethnic/ language groups. “…all the nations” may not be such a stretch.

Pray for those who share the love of Jesus in ____________(fill in the blank with any country).