David probably wrote as much on this topic as any other author in the Bible. His life was an open book as revealed through the events of life he experienced. I remember hearing a recording artist say, “You always know what a singer is going through.”

David’s songs and stories all bounce back to his trust in the Lord and the miraculous ways God took care of him. His trust was the vehicle that brought many great victories to the nation of Israel.

Your trust can do the same. Faith and trust in the Lord can be on display in your life and help many others on their journey.

PRAYER:  Lord, You have shown us that we can never really trust anything apart from You. We face the future with the hope that Your Word brings to us.

READ: Ps. 29-34

David obviously spent much time in God’s presence. He uses the term “Wait upon the Lord” to describe his prayer life. He probably cultivated this devotional habit as a young shepherd boy who would make music to God while watching sheep. He retained this habit his entire life.

To him is credited many of the Psalms. Although we don’t know the melodies of his songs, we have the lyrics to draw our conclusions on the relationship he had with God. We see him at his highest and lowest. This is a big reason why we love him so much, and can relate on a daily basis.

PRAYER: Lord, keep us close to You in the ups and downs of life. Inspire us to do great things for You.

READ: Ps. 23-28

David lived in the same city that would eventually experience the life and death of Jesus. His words in Ps. 22 seem to script the suffering and crucifixion of Christ Himself. For the believer, this further verifies God’s ability to foretell the events He planned which would erase the sins of men and achieve eternal fellowship with them. It was quite an honor for David to have played such a strategic role in history.

For me, walking these same streets where David and Jesus walked was a lifetime experience I shall never forget. God has blessed us with so great a salvation.

PRAYER: Lord, we bow in humility at the awesomeness of Your plan of redemption. We owe our lives and future to You. We are thereby constrained to give our energies to promoting Your Kingdom.

READ: Ps. 19-22

David’s accomplishments and impact upon Israel soared far beyond what a mortal man can do because of this fact … he relied solely upon God’s strength and ability. His life is proof for all to see that one yielded to God can mount the highest heights of success.

He was very careful to always give God the credit – hence the Psalms.

Paul likewise declared, “I can do ALL THINGS through Christ Who strengthens me.”

This is the desired way to live.

PRAYER: Lord, our lives are in Your hands. We rely upon Your strength and leading. We are nothing apart from You.

READ: Ps. 16-18

The Psalms provide the contemporary Christian poetic vehicles to express thanksgiving and praise. The beautiful words of David and the other composers of their words are placed by the Holy Spirit at the center of our Bible for handy use on a frequent basis. In fact, these themes are so thoroughly treated in the Psalms that they don’t require much repetition in the complement of scripture.

The Psalms are God’s exhaustive treatise for the believer on praise and worship.

PRAYER: Father, we thank You for the beautiful words and expressions about Your greatness that we find in the Psalms. We will thereby use them for the rest of our earthly lives to sing to You.

READ: Ps. 8-15

One of the predominant themes that David exposes in the Psalms is that God is a protector and a helper of everyone who calls upon His holy name.

David had enemies, even his own son. Time and time again David would call upon the Lord’s name and be delivered.

This is one of the great privileges offered to Christians.

PRAYER:  Whom have I in heaven but Thee and there is none on earth that I desire beside Thee. Hear my call.

READ: PS. 1-7

Although the theme of stewardship is not directly referenced in Job, God makes it clear that He is the owner and controller of everything on earth, including the elements. Interestingly, God returned to Job twice as much as had been lost through his trials and sufferings.

This perspective and testimony gives hope to each of us who have domains or spheres of influence. Our right-standing with God through Christ guarantees us that nothing seemingly lost through faithfulness to God is truly lost.

We can trust and rest in His ability to give us all we really need, and in abundance.

PRAYER: Lord, we do acknowledge YOU as being supreme over all. We want to be good stewards of every energy expended, every possession acquired, and every opportunity afforded.

READ: Job 38-42

Ultimately, Job and his comforters all seek true justice, and Elihu seems to most forthrightly propose that only true justice can come from God. He’s the only one Who can pull back the wraps of human opinion and render the righteous verdict.

We are wise to allow God’s wisdom and vindication to prevail, although it may take time to be revealed. Like Job, we should cast our outcome upon the Lord’s justice.

PRAYER: Lord, You know all things. Preserve me for I have walked in my integrity.

READ: Job 34-37

Elihu introduces a consoling thought … that God woos us to Himself “from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food.”

The Psalmist said, “You would be fed with the finest of wheat; (and) with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” [Ps. 81:16]

So many lament over the pleasures of sin they must forego to serve the Lord.

Hogwash. The pleasures of sin are cheap substitutes for the riches of God available to the saints.

PRAYER: Lord, forgive me for wanting the things of this life. I will look to You and the rewards both here and in the hereafter.

READ: Job 34-36

Although Job’s self-righteous position does not leave him blameless, he does offer keys and strategies to men to prevent lust from destroying them.

Firstly, he addresses the eye-gate … he resolved to cease from looking at any woman with sexual desire in his heart. He no doubt had more self-control than the average man (that’s most of us). We can request steel in our resolve through the help of God’s grace and His Holy Spirit. If being filled with the Spirit is a healthy displacing agent for drunkenness, so also can it displace controlling lust.

He also guarded his heart, refusing to let thoughts linger for anyone other than his mate.

Jesus clearly warned against committing adultery in our hearts. Seek purity of mind and eyesight.

PRAYER: Lord, You know the temptations men face. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit and Your Word to combat lustful thoughts.

READ: Job 31-33