Daily Devotions

What’s the big idea?

The book of Psalms expresses worship. Throughout its many pages, Psalms encourages its readers to praise God for who He is and what He has done. The Psalms illuminate the greatness of our God, affirm His faithfulness to us in times of trouble, and remind us of the absolute centrality of His Word. As the Psalms present a clear picture of God lovingly guiding His people, the responses of praise and worship to God are never far from the psalmists’ pens. The portrayal of worship in the Psalms offers us glimpse after glimpse of hearts devoted to God, individuals repentant before Him, and lives changed through encounters with Him. 

https://insight.org/resources/bible/the-wisdom-books/psalms

Day 1 (September 8)
Psalms 85:1-13
Key Verse: 8

Day 2 (September 9)
Psalms 86:1-17
Key Verse: 12

Day 3 (September 10)
Psalms 87:1-7
Key Verse: 7

Day 4 (September 11)
Psalms 88:1-18
Key Verses: 1-3

Day 5 (September 12)
Psalms 89:1-29
Key Verses: 11-12

Day 6 (September 13)
Psalms 89:30-52
Key Verses: 46-47

Memory Verse
Psalms 102:2
Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily. 

How do I apply this?

Read Psalm 1, then Psalm 150. Thank God for allowing you to express your deepest emotions to Him. If you are hurting, use Psalm 13 as a guide and write your own lament to God. If you are rejoicing, meditate on Psalm 30 and echo the praise found there. No matter your circumstance, the psalms contain a corresponding word that will help you share your heart with the Lord.

https://insight.org/resources/bible/the-wisdom-books/psalms

Day 1 (September 15)
Psalms 90:1-17
Key Verses: 15-17

Day 2 (September 16)
Psalms 91:1-16
Key Verse: 1

Day 3 (September 17)
Psalms 92:1-15
Key Verses: 1-2

Day 4 (September 18)
Psalms 93:1-5
Key Verse: 1

Day 5 (September 19)
Psalms 94:1-23
Key Verse: 23

Day 6 (September 20)
Psalms 95:1-11
Key Verse: 11

Memory Verse
Psalms 96:4
For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.

Who wrote the book?

Psalms, a collection of lyrical poems, is one of only two Old Testament books to identify itself as a composite work containing multiple authors (Proverbs is the other). Some psalms name their author in the first line or title. For example, Moses wrote Psalm 90. David was responsible for many of them, composing seventy-three psalms. Asaph wrote twelve; the descendants of Korah penned ten. Solomon wrote one or two, and Ethan and Heman the Ezrahites were responsible for two others. The remainder of the psalms do not contain information about their authors.

The book was originally titled Tehillim, which means “praise songs” in Hebrew. The English title of “Psalms” originated from the Septuagint’s Greek title Psalmoi, also meaning “songs of praise.”¹

https://insight.org/resources/bible/the-wisdom-books/psalms

Day 1 (September 22)
Psalms 96:1-13
Key Verses: 1-4

Day 2 (September 23)
Psalms 97:1-12
Key Verses: 1-2

Day 3 (September 24)
Psalms 98:1-9
Key Verses: 7-9

Day 4 (September 25)
Psalms 99:1-9
Key Verse: 9

Day 5 (September 26)
Psalms 100:1-5
Key Verse: 4

Day 6 (September 27)
Psalms 101:1-8
Key Verses: 7-8

Memory Verse
Psalms 100:4
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Why is Psalms so Important?

The psalms comprised the ancient hymnal of God’s people. The poetry was often set to music—but not always. The psalms express the emotion of the individual poet to God or about God. Different types of psalms were written to communicate different feelings and thoughts regarding a psalmist’s situation.

Psalms of lament express the author’s crying out to God in difficult circumstances. Psalms of praise, also called hymns, portray the author’s offering of direct admiration to God. Thanksgiving psalms usually reflect the author’s gratitude for a personal deliverance or provision from God. Pilgrim psalms
include the title “a song of ascent” and were used on
pilgrimages “going up” to Jerusalem for three annual festivals. Other types of psalms are referred to today as wisdom psalms, royal psalms (referring to Israel’s king or Israel’s Messiah),
victory psalms, Law psalms, and songs of Zion.

The psalms include unique Hebrew terms. The word Selah, found seventy-one times, is most likely a musical notation
added by worship leaders after the Israelites incorporated the psalm into public worship. Scholars do not know the meaning of maskil, found in thirteen psalms. Occasionally, a psalm
appears with instructions for the song leader. For example, we see instructions such as “For the director of music” (occurring in fifty-five psalms [NIV]); “To the tune of ‘Lilies’” (similar
references found in Psalms 45, 60, 69, 80 NIV); “To the tune of ‘The Doe of the Morning’ ” (Psalm 22 NIV); “To the tune of ‘Do Not Destroy’ ” (Psalms 57–59, 75 NIV). These and others can
refer to melodies used with the given psalm or perhaps to
suggestions for liturgical use.

https://insight.org/resources/bible/the-wisdom-books/psalms

Day 1 (September 29)
Psalms 102:1-28
Key Verses: 1-2

Day 2 (September 30)
Psalms 103:1-22
Key Verses: 1-2

Day 3 (October 1)
Psalms 104:1-35
Key Verse: 35

Day 4 (October 2)
Psalms 105:1-45
Key Verses: 4-5

Day 5 (October 3)
Psalms 106:1-48
Key Verse: 47

Day 6 (October 4)
Psalms 107:1-43
Key Verses: 19-20

Memory Verse
Psalms 97:9
For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.

Coming soon.

Coming soon.