Contemplative Bible Reading

Psalms 19:14 (New Living Translation) May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. This is a classic of prayer and poetry. What more can a person add to their prayer? Oh that I would take this to heart every day […]

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Psalms 90:17 (New Living Translation) And may the Lord our God show us his approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful! This is part of a prayer of Moses. He asks the Lord God for success in his efforts. It is okay to ask God for success. Perhaps it is okay […]

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Psalm 39:12 (New Living Translation) Hear my prayer, O Lord! Listen to my cries for help! Don’t ignore my tears. For I am your guest— a traveler passing through, as my ancestors were before me. This is the life of a Christian. I am a traveler passing through this place. It is not my home. […]

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Psalm 59:11 (New Living Translation) Don’t kill them, for my people soon forget such lessons; stagger them with your power, and bring them to their knees, O Lord our shield. David is praying to God to punish the enemies of Israel. Note that David doesn’t want God to kill them enemies, but instead stagger them […]

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Psalm 51:8 (New English Translation) Grant me the ultimate joy of being forgiven! I love the words used in this translation. We don’t tend to associate forgiveness and joy these days. We more often associate forgiveness with guilt. David truly had a heart for the LORD.

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Psalm 96:5 (New Living Translation) The gods of other nations are mere idols, but the Lord made the heavens! This is pretty simple. Jehovah (YHWH) is the creator. Other gods are things that we—the created—made up on our own. I like to pay homage to my own creations. That makes me feel big and strong […]

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Psalm 1:4-5 (New Living Translation) 4 But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. 5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. The wicked will be condemned. Their time is coming. Their punishment is coming. And I know just the […]

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Psalm 48:12-14 (New Living Translation) 12 Go, inspect the city of Jerusalem. Walk around and count the many towers. 13 Take note of the fortified walls, and tour all the citadels, that you may describe them to future generations. 14 For that is what God is like. He is our God forever and ever, and […]

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Psalm 131:1-3 (New Living Translation) 1 Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. 2 Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child […]

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Psalms 25:7 (New Living Translation) Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord. David wrote this Psalm. He asks God for something quite selfish, but I find myself asking the same thing. David asks God to remember God’s love […]

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