Praying the Psalms During COVID-19 (Day 6)

Day 6 of 30

Today’s Readings:

Morning: Psalms 30-31

Evening: Psalms 32-34

(Click here to print the reading plan)

Monday through Friday: Written by Pastor Stern

Saturday and Sunday: Written by Jonathan Hatt

Today’s Devotional Thought:

“How joyful is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How joyful is a person whom the LORD does not charge with iniquity and in whose spirit is no deceit!” (Psalm 32:1-2, CSB)

How many of you want to be happy? *Jeopardy Theme Song Playing*

I’m not giving you a trick question; there’s not a test at the end of this devotion. How many of you could say you want joy? Better question: how many of you are happy right now? Happiness is a commodity that we talk about a lot, but we never seem to understand how to get.

King David gets it though, and let me put an emphasis on “King.” He had all he could ever want: fame and fortune as the greatest king of Israel. But where is true happiness found? According to David, it comes from being in a right relationship with God.

These verses are important to Scripture; the Apostle Paul uses them again in Romans 4:7-8, explaining that both Abraham (another believer in the Old Testament) and David were justified by faith. They were declared righteous in God’s sight. Why? Because of their faith in the promise of God to redeem them through a Savior. When we see the full scope of God’s plan, we see that this promise is fulfilled in Jesus Christ dying on the cross and rising again from the dead. When we turn from our sin and trust that Jesus is our one and only Savior from sin, we can come into God’s presence not as guilty people. God states that our sins are forgiven; it’s not God making us people deserving of forgiveness in this life; instead, he declares us to be forgiven while we are still sinners.

Does this bring joy to your heart? More importantly, do you believe this? It’s the Gospel; and in the midst of quarantine, it hasn’t changed. So let us find true gospel-joy in what Christ has done for us today.

Ways to Pray:

  1. Father, remind me of the joy that the Gospel brings.

  2. Keep me from thinking that my own goodness is good enough to save me.

  3. Adoration: Father, you are the promise-keeping and forgiving God that offers forgiveness through Jesus. Thank you!

  4. Confession: Forgive me for often trusting in myself to be good, or trying to justify myself in your sight.

  5. Thanksgiving: Thank you that you freely offer salvation to everyone who turns from their sins to your Son.