Rumination Journal

1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? 2 O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. 3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. 4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. 5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. 6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. 7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. 9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts. 10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly. 11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none...

1 The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! 2 Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah. 3 For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. 4 He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever. 5 His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him. 6 For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance. 7 For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved. 8 Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. 9 Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them. 10 Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their s...

1 The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; 2 Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion; 3 Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah. 4 Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel. 5 We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions. 6 Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. 7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. 8 They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright. 9 Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call. --Psalm 20 KJV Bible This psalm of David is a royal song. In it, David relay's the people's prayer for David's victory in battle, David affirms his trust in God for victory, and David repeats the p...

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. 2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, 5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. 6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, t...

1 I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. 2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. 4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. 5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. 6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. 7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. 8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. 9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. 10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings ...

1 Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips. 2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal. 3 Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. 4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. 5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. 6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech. 7 Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them. 8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy wings, 9 From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about. 10 They are inclosed in their own fat: with th...

(1) Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. (2) O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; (3) But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. (4) Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. (5) The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. (6) The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. (7) I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. (8) I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. (9) Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. (10) For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (11) Thou wilt shew me...

(1) Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? (2) He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. (3) He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. (4) In whose eyes a vile person is condemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. (5) He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved. --Psalm 15 KJV Bible Psalm 15 is a psalm of David. Here David describes the character of the person who qualifies keep company with God. David's repeated question in verse 1 emphasizes its importance. It is answered by the verses that follow, which contain eleven descriptions of one that is righteous. He or she is upright in deed, word, attitude, and finances. These qualities, not natural to mankind, are giv...

(1) The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. (2) The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. (3) They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (4) Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD. (5) There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous. (6) Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge. (7) Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. --Psalm 14 KJV Bible Psalm 14 is a psalm of David. The psalm must have resonated strongly with David because he later revisited these thoughts in Psalm 53. The latter is almost ident...

(1) How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? (2) How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? (3) Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; (4) Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. (5) But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. (6) I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me. --Psalm 13 KJV Bible Psalm 13 is a psalm of David. In it, David mourns his oppression by an enemy, David asks God to deliver him, and then confidently resolves to praise God for that deliverance. In verses 1 and 2 David cries to God for relief from his enemy. David employees the Hebrew practice of repetition to emphasize his point. David's four questions of "How long" convey his great misery. In verse...

(1) Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. (2) They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. (3) The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: (4) Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? (5) For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. (6) The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. (7) Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. (8) The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted. --Psalm 12 KJV Bible This is a lament psalm of David. In the psalm David contrasts the trouble caused by the words of the wicked versus the trust instilled by the true words of th...

(1) In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? (2) For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. (3) If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? (4) The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. (5) The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. (6) Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup. (7) For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright. --Psalm 11 KJV Bible Psalm 11, written by David, is a song of trust in the midst of trouble. It has been suggested that the psalm recalls an actual event in David's past--possibly one of the times when Saul tried to kill David, though David gave no cause fo...

(1) Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble? (2) The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. (3) For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth. (4) The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. (5) His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. (6) He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity. (7) His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity. (8) He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor. (9) He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he dra...

(1) I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. (2) I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High. (3) When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence. (4) For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right. (5) Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever. (6) O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them. (7) But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment. (8) And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness. (9) The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. (10) And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that se...

(1) O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. (2) Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. (3) When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; (4) What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? (5) For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. (6) Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: (7) All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; (8) The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. (9) O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! --Psalm 8 KJV Bible   The description of the psalm says that it is "for the Gittith,...

(1) O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me: (2) Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver. (3) O LORD my God, If I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; (4) If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:) (5) Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah. (6) Arise, O LORD, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded. (7) So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore return thou on high. (8) The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. (9) Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establi...

(1) O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. (2) Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony. (3) My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long? (4) Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love. (5) No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave? (6) I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. (7) My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes. (8) Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping. (9) The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer. (10) All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace. --Psalm 6 KJV Bible   This lament psalm of David is the first of seven Penitential Psalms or Psalms of Confession. These songs are confessions of sin and expressions of humility befo...

(1) Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. (2) Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. (3) My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. (4) For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. (5) The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity. (6) Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. (7) But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. (8) Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. (9) For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue. (10) Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own...

(1) Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. (2) O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. (3) But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him. (4) Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. (5) Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD. (6) There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. (7) Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. (8) I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety. --Psalm 4 KJV Bible Psalm 4 is one of the psalms of David. It is a song of trust in difficult circumstances. In verse 1, David ...

(1) Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! Many are they that rise up against me. (2) Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. (3) But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. (4) I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. (5) I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me. (6) I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. (7) Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. (8) Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah. --Psalm 3 KJV Bible The Hebrew word "selah" is used in thirty-nine of the psalms, including this one. The word is thought to be a musical notation to the choir director and musicians. It loosely translates as a break in the song or an instruction to p...

(1) Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? (2) The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, (3) Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. (4) He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision. (5) Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. (6) Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. (7) I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. (8) Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. (9) Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. (10) Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. (11) Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. (12) Kiss th...

(1) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. (2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (3) And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (4) The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. (5) Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. (6) For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. --Psalm 1 KJV Bible We don't know who wrote this psalm, but it is a perfect introduction to The Book of Psalms. The book is a Psalter--a collection of hymns and praises. This psalm characterizes us as dependant on God. It illustrates this dependency by using the metaphor of a rooted...

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. --Colossians 3:23-24 NASB -

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and brought them up onto a high mountain privately by themselves, and he was changed into another form in front of them. His clothing became glistening, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. Elijah and Moses appeared to them, and they were talking with Jesus. Peter answered Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” For he didn’t know what to say, for they were very afraid. A cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Suddenly looking around, they saw no one with them any more, except Jesus only. —Mark 9:2-8 WEB* It is so wonderful when you find a church that you thoroughly enjoy. You like the music, you like the preaching, you even like your fellow members. You seem to like everything about that church, and that is fantastic. But be careful. There ...

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep. --Psalm 127:1-2 NASB -