In between first and second Thessalonians we read three Psalms and one chapter of Isaiah.
September 7: Psalm 98, Psalm 99, Psalm 100, Isaiah 59 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Psalm 98. Let us celebrate! Sing unto the LORD a new song!
Psalm 99. The LORD reigns. Exalt Him, He is holy.
Psalm 100. Six verses making a jubilant noise to the LORD.
Isaiah 59. We are hopelessly separated from God until we confess our sin, and even then we need a redeemer. He will come out of Zion.
In between first and second Thessalonians we read three Psalms and one chapter of Isaiah.
September 6: Psalm 95, Psalm 96, Psalm 97, Isaiah 58 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Psalm 95 is a song of praise to God, but also a warning that they should not harden their hearts as they did in the wilderness and thus were not allowed to enter God’s rest.
Psalm 96 is to “declare His glory among the nations“, and ends up with “Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth.”
Psalm 97 is to rejoice “for the LORD reigneth” and “For you, Lord, are the Most High over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.”
Isaiah 58 explains what true fasting is.
In between first and second Thessalonians we read three Psalms and one chapter of Isaiah.
September 4: Psalm 92, Psalm 93, Psalm 94, Isaiah 56 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Psalm 92. A Song for the Sabbath day. Give thanks to the LORD. God judges His enemies, and He makes His people flourish.
Psalm 93. A Psalm of only five verses: The LORD reigns!
Psalm 94. This time the Psalmist prays for the LORD to execute vengeance on all who disobey Him, and bring comfort to all who follow Him.
Isaiah 56. Salvation will be open to all. In Vad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial will be remembered “Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.” Yet, Israel still have wicked leaders.
In between Colossians and 1 Thessalonians we read two Psalms and one chapter of Isaiah.
August 28: Psalm 90, Psalm 91, Isaiah 45 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Psalm 90, a Prayer of Moses, the Man of God. This is his prayer in the wilderness, and is the only song of Moses in the Psalms, but there are two others in the Pentateuch (Exodus 15 and Deuteronomy 32-33).
Psalm 91. It shall remain anonymous. Charles Spurgeon commented: “In the whole collection there is not a more cheering Psalm, its tone is elevated and sustained throughout, faith is at its best, and speaks nobly.” He also quoted (in English) Siméon Marotte deMuis: “It is one of the most excellent works of this kind which has ever appeared. It is impossible to imagine anything more solid, more beautiful, more profound, or more ornamented.”
Isaiah 45. Cyrus is God’s instrument. God will give him “the treasures of darkness”, though he does not acknowledge Him. The Lord is the only savior, there is none else. God says: “I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”
In between Colossians and 1 Thessalonians we read one Psalm and two chapters of Isaiah.
August 27: Psalm 89, Isaiah 43, Isaiah 44 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Psalm 89, of Ethan the Ezrahite. “I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever“. A Psalm of praise to God and His covenant with David, His glory and holiness, His faithfulness to deliver His promises, but also the trouble with the unfaithful. It ends up with a plea for a speedy restoration.
Isaiah 43 speaks of the redeemer and the rebirth of Israel. This happened in 1948, and it happened in spite of Israel’s unfaithfulness only by God’s mercy, and He will do a new thing.
Isaiah 44. Israel is the chosen nation, God is supreme, idols are worthless. Sing, for the LORD has done it. God is the one “That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.”
In between Colossians and 1 Thessalonians we read three Psalms and one chapter of Isaiah.
August 25: Psalm 86, Psalm 87, Psalm 88, Isaiah 40 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Psalm 86, a Prayer of David. A plea for help, David pours out his needs and confesses his total dependence on God to teach him His ways.
Psalm 87, of the Sons of Korah. A song of praise to Zion, the City of God and its citizens, even to those gentiles so honored.
Psalm 88, of the Sons of Korah, Heman the Ezrahite. This may be the saddest Psalm of them all, seemingly without hope, and yet?
Isaiah 40. After reading Psalm 88 we need something uplifting, and this chapter has helped me immensely. I will not comment any further. Read it, listen to the music, read it again and let it sink in!
Today we read the last chapter of Colossians, two Psalms and one chapter of Isaiah.
August 24: Colossians 4, Psalm 84, Psalm 85, Isaiah 39 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Colossians 4, Paul gives final instructions, final Greetings and exhortations as he bids them God’s grace.
Psalm 84, of the Sons of Korah. Charles Spurgeon said this Psalm was entitled “to be called The Pearl of Psalms.” He once preached a whole sermon on verse 3: “Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God.”
Psalm 85, of the Sons of Korah. A prayer of thankfulness.
Isaiah 39 tells of Hezekiah’s folly, how he shows all the riches of Jerusalem to the envoys from Babylon, and he said “There will be peace for our time”, like Neville Chamberlain did before WWII.
In between Philippians and Colossians we read three Psalms and two chapters of Isaiah.
August 20: Psalm 81, Psalm 82, Psalm 83, Isaiah 28, Isaiah 29 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Psalm 81, of Asaph. A Psalm for the Feast of Tabernacles.
Psalm 82, of Asaph. Jesus quotes this Psalm and confounds the people accusing him of blasphemy.
Psalm 83, of Asaph. An urgent prayer for God to help when war is threatening.
Isaiah 28. Woe to Ephraim and Jerusalem! “Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.“
Isaiah 29 begins with a woe to David’s City, the people have “the spirit of slumber,” but the deaf will hear, the blind see and the meek shall increas the joy in the LORD.
In between Philippians and Colossians we read two Psalms and two chapters of Isaiah.
August 19: Psalm 79, Psalm 80, Isaiah 26, Isaiah 27 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Psalm 79, of Asaph. A cry for help, for the heathens are devastating Jerusalem, the Temple and the people. The Psalmist confesses their collective sins and pleads for restoration, always with praise and thankfulness.
Psalm 80, of Asaph. A prayer for restoration of Israel, mentioning the Shepherd of Israel, a heartfelt and urgent plea.
Isaiah 26 is a song of praise full of Messianic prophecy. The song is full of words with double meanings, one obvious and one prophetic.
Isaiah 27 promises the deliverance of Israel.
In between Philippians and Colossians we take a break and read two Psalms.
August 17: Psalm 77: Psalm 78 (click on the chapter to begin reading).
Psalm 77, of Asaph. No matter how dire the circumstances the believer can still sing God’s praises and recall God’s wonders.
Psalm 78, a maskil of Asaph. “This is the longest of the historical psalms. Its lesson is that history must not repeat itself. The people must never again be unbelieving.” (James Montgomery Boice)
Len Bilén's blog, a blog about faith, politics and the environment. 