Kirsty

Scripture Readings Psalms 27:13Job 25–26Hebrews 1–2Proverbs 15 Verse Focus (Psalms 27:13) I remain confident of this:     I will see the goodness of the LORD     in the land of the living. Meditation Psalms 27:13 is David’s declaration of faith, despite troubling circumstances. He says, “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” Despite enemies and foes and false witnesses, David knows that God will work things out for his good. Wow! Sometimes, though, our faith is a bit anemic. We have more faith in God’s goodness for the afterlife than we do…

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Scripture Readings Psalms 25:5Job 23–24Titus 1–3Proverbs 14 Verse Focus (Psalms 25:5) Guide me in your truth and teach me,     for you are God my Savior,     and my hope is in you all day long. Meditation Our verse focus today, Psalms 25:5, is like the perfect morning prayer — a wonderful way to start your day. “Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” Yes, amen! In my Bible Study group, we have been studying prayer for the past year. And one thing we have learned is that…

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Scripture Readings Psalms 24:1Job 21–22II Timothy 3–4Proverbs 13 Verse Focus (Psalms 24:1) The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,     the world, and all who live in it. Meditation Our verse focus today is another reminder of God’s sovereignty. As Psalms 24:1 says, “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” Our planet — the mountains, seas, valleys, and plains — and all the trees, flowers, grasses and plant life, not to mention all animal life — every mountain lion, every bear, every rabbit, bird, cat, or insect — they all…

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Scripture Readings Psalms 22:27–28Job 19–20II Timothy 1–2Proverbs 12 Verse Focus (Psalms 22:27–28) 27All the ends of the earthwill remember and turn to the LORD,and all the families of the nationswill bow down before him,28for dominion belongs to the LORDand he rules over the nations. Meditation Our verse focus today comes from Psalm 22, that great Messianic Psalm — this is the psalm that Jesus quoted from when he was on the cross. Verses 27 and 28 say, “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down…

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Scripture Readings Psalms 18:28Job 17–18I Timothy 5–6Proverbs 11 Verse Focus (Psalms 18:28) You, LORD, keep my lamp burning;     my God turns my darkness into light. Meditation Psalms 18:28 says, in the NIV, “You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.” The ESV says, “For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness.” The NKJV translates the verse, saying, “For You will light my lamp; the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.” As the Bishops’ Bible of 1568 translates the verse, “Thou also hast lyghtened my candell: God my Lorde…

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Scripture Readings Psalms 17:8Job 15–16I Timothy 3–4Proverbs 10 Verse Focus (Psalms 17:8) Keep me as the apple of your eye;     hide me in the shadow of your wings. Meditation Psalms 17:8 says, “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.” What a wonderful prayer and plea! We ask God to keep us cherished and protected. Amen! The “shadow of your wings” is protection — as anyone knows who has observed birds with their young. You might wonder, though, where the phrase “apple of the eye” comes from — or even what it means,…

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Scripture Readings Psalms 16:8Job 13–14I Timothy 1–2Proverbs 9 Verse Focus (Psalms 16:8) I keep my eyes always on the LORD.     With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Meditation Psalms 16:8 says, in the NIV of 1984, “I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” The 2021 version of the NIV says, “I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” They say the same thing, albeit with slightly different phrasing. But I much prefer the…

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Scripture Readings Psalms 16:5–6Job 11–12John 21Proverbs 8 Verse Focus (Psalms 16:5–6) 5 LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup;     you make my lot secure.6The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;     surely I have a delightful inheritance. Meditation We are used to thinking of things like the Bible and dictionaries as unchanging. But dictionaries add words over time. And as language expands, and scholarship develops, Bible translations also alter to express the new understanding. Psalms 16:5-6 have long been favorite verses of mine. In the NIV of 1984, the verses read, “LORD, you have assigned me my portion…

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Scripture Readings Psalms 13:5–6Job 9–10John 20Proverbs 7 Verse Focus (Psalms 13:5–6) 5But I trust in your unfailing love;     my heart rejoices in your salvation.6I will sing the LORD’s praise,     for he has been good to me. Meditation Psalms 13:5-6 says, in the NIV, “But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.” Beautiful words! Even more beautiful, when you consider the context of the psalm. David resolves to trust God even though his present circumstances make him feel like he has been forgotten. Sometimes it’s…

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Scripture Readings Psalms 12:6Job 7–8John 19Proverbs 6 Verse Focus (Psalms 12:6) And the words of the LORD are flawless,     like silver purified in a crucible,     like gold refined seven times. Meditation Today’s verse focus has different nuances, depending on the translation you read. In the NIV, Psalms 12:6 says, “And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.” Rather than “flawless,” the CSB and many translations use the word “pure,” saying, “The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified seven times.” Then there are…

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