The psalmist is overwhelmed by guilt over his sin. His body is filled with painand his heart is anguished. - P37
All of his longings and sighing lie open beforethe Lord. The psalmist waits for the Lord and trusts that He will answer. Heconfesses his iniquity and asks his Lord and Savior to come quickly to help him. - P37
David pours out his heart in lament over his woeful condition. He feelsas though God has pierced him with arrows, leaving him wounded,
abandoned, and fully exposed to the taunts and threats of his enemies.
- P40
Interestingly, he finds himself in this anguished state not because ofthe sinister forces of evil that surround him but because of the sin thatresides within. - P40
He is tormented by guilt and is desperate for God‘sforgiveness and salvation. How different David‘s attitude is, comparedwith what we see in ourselves and our world today! - P40
We have becomedesensitized to our wrongdoings, often making excuses or even boastingabout our sinful acts in order to gain the admiration and approval ofthe world. - P40
May the Holy Spirit convict us afresh and break our heartsover our sin so that we might repent and cry out to God for deliverance. - P40
Dear Jesus, thank you for Your sacrifice on the cross, through which all my sinsare forgiven. - P41
I can now come to You freely, trusting You will help me walk inYour ways. In Your name, amen. - P41
The Central African Republic (CAR) has been embroiled in conflict since 2013. Althoughthree-quarters of the population are Christian, they are still at high risk of persecution. - P40
Churches have been destroyed and thousands of Christians have been displaced. Persecution is mostsevere in the northern and eastern parts of the CAR where Islamic militant groups operate.
- P40
Pray that God would bring peace and stability to the CAR and protect believers from violence.
- P40
The Mahra are a small Arab group who mostly live in Saudia Arabia, with a small number livingin Kuwait. They speak an Arabic dialect called Mahri or Harsusi. - P40
They are an endogamous tribe,
which means that they only marry within a small social circle. There are very few believersamong the Mahra in Kuwait, as Islam is the country‘s official religion. - P40
Pray that God wouldcreate opportunities for the Mahra to hear about the love of Christ. - P40
The psalmist held his tongue so he would not speak any evil, but thenhe has a divine revelation that he cannot keep inside-he has to speakup. He passionately confesses before God that life is fragile and fleeting.
- P44
He realizes that those who seem secure and store up wealth are doing soin vain, for it could all disappear at any moment. - P44
We may likewise havemoments in life when we come face-to-face with the frailty of humanexistence. - P44
Being confronted with our own mortality puts a lot of thingsinto perspective, and it helps us realize what is truly important. - P44
In theshort time we have on this earth, let us devote our lives to knowing Godand serving Him with all that we have. - P44
Desperate to find meaning in his life, the psalmist declares that his hopis in the Lord. - P44
He understands that his present suffering is God discplining him for his sin, and he humbly pleads with God for salvationHe longs for forgiveness and restoration so that he might enjoy life iGod‘spresence again. - P44
He realizes that life is too short to be burdeneby sin, and he wants to live out his short time on earth in accordancwith God‘s will. - P44
True joy, in the end, does not come from anything thiworld can offer. It comes from being in right relationship with our Lorand Creator, and finding our identity and purpose in Him. - P44
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