Soulfood

The Psalms of the Day for the ninth day of each month are 9, 39, 69, 99, and 129.

Psalm 9 is a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to YHWH, the Most High. As we pray it with and for one another we remind each other that He is our hope. We ask Him to maintain our just cause, and rebuke the nations, and bring their grand plans to ruin. Whatever enemies (including our own worldliness) we may be facing right now, we give thanks that YHWH is delivering us by Jesus. We pray for those who are oppressed, that they would make YHWH their stronghold and trust in times of trouble. We ask that the Spirit would remind us that YHWH does not forsake those who seek Him. We pray for continued grace, that in the midst of our sorrows we can yet recount the praises of our God. We pray that He would make Himself known, remembering needy ones such as us and reminding us of our place of humility and finitude.

By Psalm 39 we pray for humility for ourselves and others. We ask that we would know the measure of our days – how fleeting we are! Because we are frail and feeble and helpless, we cry out for our Father to do as He has promised and deliver us from our transgressions. We wait and hope, asking for courage to endure discipline with grace and humility. We ask for mercy, because we are so weak and needy. We pray for wisdom of the Spirit to be kind and gracious as we sojourn in this world that is not our home, that as we long for eternal rest that we may endure these light, momentary afflictions and smile as we contemplate the weight of glory that is our inheritance in Christ Jesus!

Psalm 69 is a cry for help to the God Who hears! We pray for each other for strength of faith to keep clinging to our Rock as we wait for the Day of salvation when we will be with Him. We pray for justice when we have been wrongly accused. We confess our folly, asking forgiveness for those things of which we are actually guilty. We ask that the Spirit would work righteousness in us and make us more and more into the image of Christ, the one righteous man, so that the only reproach that can be brought against us is the excess of our zeal for God’s house. We pray that YHWH will answer us according to His hesed in His abundant mercy. As we remember His goodness to us, we are moved to praise and glorify Him and encourage one another to sing His praises as we wait eagerly for the Day when we see Mt. Zion with our waking eyes. Marana tha!

Psalm 99 is a kingly psalm, encouraging us to remember our God reigns over all the universe. As we think about all that is wrong in us and in the world around us, we pray by Psalm 99 for the day when we will see all things set to rights under Jesus’ feet. Indeed, we do see this now through eyes of faith, and so we pray Psalm 99 with confidence, knowing that God forgives those who call on Jesus with faith and trust and brings them to His holy mountain where we worship together in Spirit and in truth!

By Psalm 129 we ask YHWH to curse those who curse us. We give to Him our desire to hurt those who hurt us, trusting Him to avenge and vindicate us. We pray that we would be free from a spirit of anger, so that we are free to bless others and be kind, as Jesus has been kind to his enemies – even us. Lord, have mercy!