“Let the whole earth shout triumphantly to the Lord!
Serve the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God.
He made us, and we are his —
his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
For the Lord is good, and his faithful love endures forever;
his faithfulness, through all generations.”
Psalm 100 CSB
When stress and anxiety don’t let up, how do we shout triumphantly to the Lord? How do we come before Him with joyful songs? Joy isn’t easy to embrace when we’re overwhelmed and when grief and loss are closer companions on this journey than we’d like.
But verses 3 and 5 of Psalm 100 guide us toward joy. We acknowledge that the Lord is God, the One who made us and to whom we belong. We are in His care, shepherded by His strong hand, and His faithful love for us endures forever.
God’s constancy is a reason for praise. With our hands and hearts open before Him, let’s enter into His presence singing songs of His faithfulness.
God, help us to remember the times You’ve walked with us and how You haven’t changed amid all the changes happening around us. Fill us with Your joy. Amen.
It’s easy to spend summer weekends with lazy days strung together with glowing screens and blasting AC. Maybe you fill your weekends with activities that keep you even busier than the rest of the year. Or perhaps summer weekends mean the usual reprieve from a nine-to-five job or that same motherhood routine . . . and the only difference is the climbing heat.
Whatever your summer weekends look like, we know it takes intentionality to include more of Jesus in the rhythm of your days.
We can’t think of a better place to camp out this summer than in the Psalms.
The Psalms are known as fertile ground for connecting deeply with the heart of God. They are beautiful examples of what raw, honest, transparent communication with God looks like. Hopes and fears poured out. Hearts surrendered. Lives transformed. Through the Psalms, we see God’s love, compassion, and unshakable commitment to His people. We see God’s nearness, God’s with-ness.
If you’re looking for a simple and meaningful way to encounter God this summer, try reading a Psalm a day!
For more inspiration, check out this Summer (in) the Psalms YouTube playlist from the (in)courage archives. You’ll find nine conversations with (in)courage writers diving into God’s Word together. Please note: the print journal is no longer available. All devotions are from the (in)courage Devotional Bible.
To the (in)courage women. My favorite Psalm you already said in your devotional #100. I am in a very difficult situations right now for the past 17 months and. it is still not settled. I am afraid alone and not feeling safe, but I love your advice to read a Psalm a day and I intend on doing it. Thank you all so much. To me, you are all Angels sent to us from Jesus. A blessed day and week to all of you. Love………Betsy Basile
Hang in there Betsy, and be encouraged that the God who created you is with you now and in every season. I went through an extremely difficult and lonely season when I wondered if each day was to be my last. I finally became so exhausted that my prayer was reduced to a sobbing “Help me, Lord.” And He did. He didn’t resolve the problem right away, but He assured my weary soul that He was with me. In that season I learned to live day by day, to be thankful for each breath as it came and to not hold too tightly to anything in the past. There’s a reason for each present situation, and as much as we want to fast forward through the painful days, we often must live them in slow motion to learn and grow as God wants for us as a result of that season. He won’t allow anything you go through to be wasted. Just keep trusting His character, and remind yourself of all the times past when He has been there with you. That painful season lasted over two years, and some things will never be the same. And that’s okay because the God who created me is seeing me through the valley. Find your strength in His Word, be encouraged knowing His Spirit is with you, and remind yourself of the hope you have in Christ. It’s there even when we are too numb to feel it. Take care. I will be praying for you.—Jeanie Malone
Dear Jeanie..Thank you so much for your reply. It really opened my eyes to some things that I do know, but in this situation and all the stress and crying, I seem to have forgotten. You have given me much to think about. I think that I am so lonely and even though I know that Jesus is with me, sometimes I just wish that there were someone standing in front of me and giving me a hug. I really do appreciate your words and the prayers. I pray all the time. Sometimes, I am just not patient enough. My 50 years of working were in a manager position where my employer wanted things done right away. I always have to tell myself that God goes in his timeline. Thanks again….It is Sunday and I wish you and yours a Blessed Day. Love…….Betsy Basile
My favorite Psalm: Psalm 3- Thou O lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the lifter of my head. We sing this Psalm in our church choir! Our congregation loves this Psalm! It has a special meaning to my heart…………….
My favorite psalm is 34 where David realizes God alone can be his refuge. He cannot depend on man.
This psalm has helped me through many difficult seasons.
Verses 17-20 are salve to my weary soul:
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all;
he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.
Psalm 23 & psalm 139
Oh how Precious to be reading this article during the same time songs are being sung on on TBN (channel 372 for me), a Bill & Gloria Gaither Classic Presentation. This group of songs I grew up listening to with my Grandmother. Music from Church, Country Music and Contemporary Gospel Music. And music of great Patriotism for the United States of America !
Speak of perfect timing, that’s how the Holy Spirit transforms our hearts. When I think of how Kind and Good to me my Heavenly Father is to me to Help Me Raise My Children, my heart is filled with gratitude. One day I will see the benefits of living in Faith before my children as they stand on the Promises of God that my Grandmother taught me.
Glory Hallelujah !
God planned the boundaries of where we live and grow up for His Divine Purposes.
Amen.
God Bless America !
Brenda M. Russell
July 6, 2024
Definitely Psalm 23 & 91!
Psalm 103
Of David.
1 Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
15 The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Praise the Lord, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
21 Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
22 Praise the Lord, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the Lord, my soul
Psalm 91 ❤️
Psalm 23, Psalm 139, 2nd Timothy 4:18, Psalm 91 and so many others. The Lord is always faithful to His word!
Psalm 23 has been for years.
In Courage,
My favorite Psalm is 23. I have done studies on it & pray it often. Sounds like a good idea to read through the Psalms each week.
Blessings 🙂