Psalm 116:12-14

What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD, I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all His people.

What sacrifices do I have to offer up to You, my Lord and Master? The sacrifice of obedience! The sacrifice of worship! The sacrifice of service! The sacrifice of a humble and contrite spirit! The sacrifice of acknowledging You in all things and places! To love You with all my heart, mind, soul and strength and my neighbor as myself!

These sacrifices are what I desire to render to You as a thank offering for all Your benefits to me.

Psalm 116:15-19

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints. O LORD, I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds. I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all His people, in the courts of the house of the LORD, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!

Oh, my Lord and Master, those sacrifices are my vows to You to be performed and paid in the presence of Your people. Not in silence, not hidden in a corner out of sight, but before Your saints, in the assemblies of Your peoples, and wherever You direct my steps. To be performed and paid as a testimony to those who do not acknowledge You and as an encouragement to those who do. Praise You, my Lord and Master.

Psalm 119:147

I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in Your words.

Oh to start each day, with a plea for Your Presence in my life, in all aspects of my life, without reservation, You are my Promise.

Psalm 119:149

Hear my voice according to your steadfast love; O LORD, according to your justice give me life.

I call to You, my Lord and my Savior, that I would gain greater understanding of Your word, that Your word would be stored in my heart, available for the Holy Spirit to call to mind as needed for guidance and to speak.

Psalm 117:1-2

Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol Him, all peoples! For great is His steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!

LORD, the very brevity of this Psalm speaks of Your completeness and is a shout of praise. It commands Your praise by all, to acknowledge Your love and faithfulness. I join in that universal chorus singing of Your love and faithfulness, shouting to the world that You are Love, You are the Faithful One, You are the great I AM. You are without beginning or end, You are the Eternal One.

Psalm 118:1-4

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever! Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures forever." Let the house of Aaron say, "His steadfast love endures forever." Let those who fear the LORD say, "His steadfast love endures forever."

Let the house of Nunnikhoven say, "His steadfast love endures forever." Oh, Lord, that is my prayer; that all my children and grandchildren, even unto the tenth generation, would give thanks and praise to You, that no one would be left behind on that Great Day when You return with triumphal shout to claim your own.

Your steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 118:5-9

Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The LORD is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.

Lord, I called and You did set me free in my distress. You are my shield and protector, my guiding light through dark places. But, Lord, the Evil One does not give up easily; help me to remember that I must not put my trust in man, princes and all their laws and machinations. You and You alone are my refuge.

Psalm 118:10-14

All nations surrounded me; in the name of the LORD I cut them off! They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the LORD I cut them off! They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off! I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.

Lord, in Your strength and through the power of Your name, I cut off all those doubts and worries that are afflicting me. I rebuke the Evil One and place those trials and tests at the foot of Your cross in the knowledge that by Your stripes, I am healed. You are the Lamb of God, the Chosen One, the One who triumphs.

You are my Lord and Master. Praise Your Holy Name.

Psalm 118:15-18

Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: "The right hand of the LORD does valiantly, the right hand of the LORD exalts, the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!" I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD. The LORD has disciplined me severely, but He has not given me over to death.

Oh, Lord, how appropriate for this morning. Here I am crying out to You for dear friends, their anger and the impacts; and You assure me that You are doing valiantly. That not only I but they will live to recount Your deeds of love and mercy. That You will discipline severely but we will all live. Give all of us strength and wisdom to pass through the fire without wavering.

Praise You, my Lord and my Master.

Psalm 118:19-22

Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it. I thank You that You have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

How could the builders not see the beauty and perfection of that Cornerstone? How can the world not see that You are the One who heals, the One who restores, the one who makes all things whole and good? But, Lord, in Your goodness and mercy, You called to me and gave me the ears to hear, You quickened my heart to call out to You for mercy and salvation and I am Yours. You have opened the gates of righteousness to me and given me free and unrestricted entry into Your kingdom. Praise You, my Lord and my Master.

Psalm 119:158

I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep Your commands.

Lord, the faithless, those that claim Your name but do not obey. They sully the Name, cause the heathens to despise and revile You. I am called to raise them up in prayer, especially those members of my own family that live lives that are flagrantly disobedient to You, yet claim Your Name.

Psalm 118:23-24

This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

A Day of Anticipation! How and where will I see Your hand move in my life and the lives of others? A Day of Beauty! How and where will the beauty of Your creation be shown to me in the physical and in the spiritual? A Day of Goodness! How and where will Your great love for the world break out?

This is the Day that You have given me to enjoy and to use to bring glory and honor to Your name; guide me into that joyful task.