Psalm 31 - Praying God's Word

Please read Psalm 31.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/psa/31/1/s_509001

Meditate on verse 24.

Be strong and let your heart take courage,

all you who hope in the LORD.

David had a personal relationship with God.  The LORD was David’s:

1.     Rock

2.     Fortress

3.     Strength (vs. 3-4).

Because David intimately knew the God of Truth and took refuge in Him, he boldly asked God to do things for him.  Some of David’s requests were:

1.     “Let me never be ashamed” (v.1).

2.     “In Your righteousness deliver me” (v. 1).

3.     “Incline Your ear to me” (v. 2).

4.     “Rescue me quickly” (v.2).

5.     “Be to me a rock of strength” (v.2).

6.     “Be a stronghold to save me” (v.2).

7.     “Be gracious to me” (v.9).

Have you committed your spirit to the God of Truth and let Him ransom you (v. 5)?  If you have, reread Psalm 31 aloud, praying it with confidence to your Rock, your Fortress, and your Strength.

Pray Psalm 31:14-16 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“As for _________ and me, we trust in You, O LORD;

we say, ‘You are our God.’  Our times are in Your hand;

 deliver us from the hand of our enemies and from those who persecute us.

 Make Your face to shine upon us, Your servants.

 Save us in Your lovingkindness.

For the sake of Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, Volume 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Psalm 30 - Praying God's Word

Please read Psalm 30.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/psa/30/1/s_508001

Meditate on verses 4-5.

Sing praise to the LORD, you His Godly ones, and give thanks to His holy name. 

For His anger is but for a moment; His favor is for a lifetime;

weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.

David wrote a thank you list to God in Psalm 30:1-3.  David exalted the LORD for doing these things:

1.     You have lifted me up.

2.     You have not let my enemies rejoice over me.

3.     You healed me.

4.     You have brought up my soul from Sheol (the place of no return, hell).

5.     You have kept me alive.

Could this be the start of your thank you list to God?  David and the LORD do not mind sharing it with you.  

Write out a thank you list to your LORD Jesus Christ.  Make it personal like David did by talking to God and saying, “You have…”

Pray Psalm 30:10-12 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to _______ and me.

O LORD, be our helper!

Turn our mourning into dancing.

Loose our sackcloth and gird us with gladness.

Let our souls sing praise to You and not be silent.

O LORD our God, we will give thanks to You forever.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, Volume 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Psalm 29 - Praying God's Word

Please read Psalm 29.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/psa/29/1/s_507001

Observe this repeated phrase: The voice of the LORD…

Meditate on verse 9b.

And in His temple everything says, “Glory!”

David loved listening to God, and because he listened, he knew the sound of God’s voice.  Here are some things David knew:

1.     The voice of the LORD is upon the waters (v. 3).

2.     The voice of the LORD is powerful (v. 4).

3.     The voice of the LORD is majestic (v. 4).

4.     The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars (v. 5).

5.     The voice of the LORD hews out flames of fire (v. 7).

6.     The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness (v. 8).

7.     The voice of the LORD makes the deer to calve and strips the forests

bare (v. 9).

The response to God’s voice from everything in His temple was: “Glory!”

Do the words of your mouth, the thoughts of your mind, and the actions of your life say “Glory!” to your LORD?  Listen to God with everything you do, today.  Let your response to Him be, “Glory!”

Pray Psalm 29:1-2 and 10-11 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD,  _______ and I ascribe to You glory and strength.

We ascribe to You the glory due to Your name.

We worship You in holy array.

LORD, You sat as King at the flood. 

LORD, You sit as King forever!

LORD, give strength to us; LORD, bless us with peace.

For the glory of Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, Volume 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Psalm 28 - Praying God's Word

Please read Psalm 28.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/psa/28/1/s_506001

Meditate on verses 6-7.

Blessed be the LORD

because He has heard the voice of my supplication.  

The LORD is my strength and my shield;

my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;

 therefore, my heart exults, and with my song, I shall thank Him.

David so loved conversation with the LORD that the thought of God not talking to him, made David want to die (v. 1). David and the LORD had an intimate relationship. They discussed everything. David asked God questions and listened for His answers. David communicated with the LORD.

What about you? Do you and the LORD talk to each other all day long? Would the thought of not being able to communicate with your Savior make you cringe? Thankfully, if you are a Christian, you and God can talk to each other every moment of every day because His Spirit lives inside of you. What an amazing privilege you have! Don’t ever take it for granted and always take advantage of it.

Pray Psalm 28:1-2 and 9 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“To You, O LORD; ________ and I call;

Our Rock, do not be deaf to us, for if You are silent to us,

 we will become like those who go down to the pit. 

Hear the voice of our supplications when we cry to You for help,

 when we lift our hands toward Your holy sanctuary. 

Save us and bless us as Your inheritance. 

Be our shepherd and carry us forever.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The Watchman on the Wall 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Psalm 27 - Praying God's Word

Please read Psalm 27.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/psa/27/1/s_505001

Meditate on verses 1 and 3.

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread?

Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear;

though war arise against me, in spite of this, I shall be confident.

David was a warrior. In one of the wars, he killed a total of 69,000 Arameans (Syrians) (1 Chronicles 18:5; 19:18). You might think someone that victorious would trust in himself, yet David trusted in the LORD and asked God not to deliver him over to the desire of his enemies.

The greatest joy in David’s life was not bragging about his battle victories; it was being in God’s presence, praising Him (v. 6).

Examine your life. Are you afraid? Let your heart take courage in God. Are you in despair? Believe that you will see the goodness of the LORD. What is your greatest desire? Desire to be in God’s presence all the days of your life.

Pray Psalm 27:7-9 and 11 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“Hear, O LORD, when _______ and I cry with our voices,

be gracious to us and answer us.

You call us to seek Your face.  O LORD, Your face we shall seek!

Do not hide Your face from us. 

We are Your servants; do not turn us away in anger.

You have been our help; do not abandon us nor forsake us, O God of our salvation!

Teach us Your way, O LORD, and lead us in a level path because of our foes.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Psalm 26 - Praying God's Word

Please read Psalm 26.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/psa/26/1/s_504001

Meditate on verse 1.

Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity,

and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering.

There are many self-help books for how to become a whole person.  If you have access to a Bible, you do not need to waste a cent on one of those books.  Psalm 26 tells you how to be a complete and whole person of integrity:

1.     Trust in the LORD without wavering (v.1).

2.     Walk in God’s truth (v. 3). 

3.     Do not sit with deceitful, wicked people (v. 4-5).

4.     Do not go with dishonest people (v. 4).

5.     Hate being with evildoers (v. 5).

6.     With thanksgiving, declare the wonders of God (v. 7).

7.     Love being in the LORD’s house (v. 8).

8.     Love the presence of the glory of God (v. 8).

Examine your mind and your heart.  Are you a whole person, a person of integrity?

Pray Psalm 26:9-12 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, do not take _______ and my life away with sinners;

keep our lives away from men of bloodshed. 

Keep us from people in whose hands is a wicked scheme

and whose right hand is full of bribes.

LORD, let us walk in integrity. 

Redeem us and be gracious to us. 

Let our feet stand on a level place.

 In the congregation, let us bless You, LORD.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, Volume 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Psalm 25 - Praying God's Word

Please read Psalm 25.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/psa/25/1/s_503001

Meditate on verse 14.

The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him,

and He will make them know His covenant.

This is the first time covenant is used in Psalms. In Hebrew, the language of the Old Testament, beriyth is the word for covenant. Beriyth is the ancient practice of solemnifying a promise between two people by passing between an animal that has been cut in half and saying these words: “If I break the promise I am making with you, may what happened to this animal or worse happen to me” (The Covenant Maker, pgs. 6-8, Harvell).

Covenants are serious. If you are in a covenant relationship with God through Jesus Christ (John 14:6), then God takes His relationship with you very seriously, and He keeps His covenant promises; therefore:

1.     God remembers His compassion and lovingkindness toward you (v. 6). 

2.     God pardons your iniquity (v. 11).

3.     God is intimate with you (v.14).

4.     God protects you (v.15).

Pray Psalm 25:4-7 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“Make _______ and me know Your ways, O LORD;

 teach us Your paths.  Lead us in Your truth and teach us.

 For You are the God of our salvation; for You we wait all the day. 

Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and Your lovingkindness,

 for they have been from of old.

 Do not remember the sins of our youth or our transgressions;

 according to Your lovingkindness, remember us.

For Your goodness’ sake, LORD Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, Volume 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Psalm 24 - Praying God's Word

Please read Psalm 24.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/psa/24/1/s_502001

Meditate on verse 8.

Who is the King of glory?

The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.

“The King of glory” is a repeated phrase in Psalm 24.  When God repeats Himself in His Word, pay attention and observe what He is saying.  What does God want you to notice in this psalm?

The LORD is the strong and mighty King of glory who invites you into His presence. There are qualifications to come before the King (vs. 3-4):

1.     Clean hands

2.     A pure heart

3.     A soul not lifted up to falsehood

4.     One who does not swear deceitfully

The rewards for being with the King of glory are blessing and righteousness from the God of your salvation (v. 5). So examine your heart and life. Are you worthy to be in the presence of the King of glory? The God of your salvation, Jesus Christ, cleanses you from all sin and makes you worthy when you confess your sins and make Him your LORD (1 John 1:6-9; Romans 10:9-10).

Pray Psalm 24:3-6 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, ________ and I want to ascend into Your hill and stand in Your holy place.

Give us clean hands and pure hearts. Do not let us lift up our souls to falsehood!

Do not let us swear deceitfully. We want to receive Your blessing, LORD,

 and the righteousness that comes from You, God of our salvation. 

Make us the generation who seeks You, who seeks Your face.

Let even Jacob (Israel) seek Your face.

In Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, Volume 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Psalm 23 - Praying God's Word

Please read Psalm 23.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/psa/23/1/s_501001

Meditate on this phrase from verse 4.

I fear no evil, for You are with me.

There was evil around David, but he was not afraid because God was with him.  Evil is still all around, but you do not need to fear if you belong to the LORD. 

Psalm 23 tells you what God does for the sake of His name:

1.     He makes you lie down in green pastures (v. 2).

2.     He leads you beside quiet waters (v. 2).

3.     He restores your soul (v. 3).

4.     He guides you in the paths of righteousness (v. 3).

If you are in relationship with Jesus Christ, you do not need to be afraid.  God is true to His name, which is now part of your name: Christian.  Be confident in Christ that His goodness and lovingkindness will follow you all the days of your life.

Pray Psalm 23 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, You are ________ and my shepherd. Do not let us be in want.

Make us lie down in green pastures. Lead us beside quiet waters.

Restore our souls.  Guide us in the path of righteousness for Your name’s sake.

Even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, help us not fear evil because You are with us.  Let Your rod and staff comfort us.

Prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies.

Anoint our heads with oil; let our cups overflow.

Surely Your goodness and lovingkindness will follow us all the days of our lives!

Let us dwell in Your house, LORD, forever.

Because of You, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, volume 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

Psalm 22 - Praying God's Word

Please read Psalm 22.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/psa/22/1/s_500001

Meditate on verse 19.

But You, O LORD, be not far off;

O You my help, hasten to my assistance.

As you read Psalm 22, you may hear words that are part of the crucifixion story. These words were spoken by David when he was in a distressful situation. These very same words were lived and spoken by Jesus 1,000 years after David when He was in the most distressful situation to occur in the history of mankind. Psalm 22 prophesies the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

David and Jesus both lived these words, and they each experienced the promises contained in them. This can become your personal psalm as well. Reread it and look for promises for yourself and those you love.

Pray Psalm 22:3-5 and 19 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, You are holy. 

You are enthroned upon our praises.

_________ and I trust You; please deliver us!

We cry out to You to be delivered.

 In You we trust; we will not be disappointed.

You, O LORD, be not far off.

You are our help; hasten to our assistance!

In Your name, Jesus~”

Now read Matthew 27:38-46; Mark 15:22-37; Luke 23:33-46; and John 19:17-37. Do you see parallels with Psalm 22?

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, Volume 2 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell