Psalm 37 (P1), 365 DAYS OF LOVE #283

MEMORY VERSE: "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had nearly slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts come iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven and their tongues take possession of the earth. Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. They say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge? This is what the wicked are like--always carefree, they increase in wealth. " Psalm 73:1-12

NOTES: ¹ Do not fret because of those who are evil 

   or be envious of those who do wrong;
² for like the grass they will soon wither,
   like green plants they will soon die away.

 ³ Trust in the LORD and do good;
   dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
⁴ Take delight in the LORD,
   and he will give you the desires of your heart.

 ⁵ Commit your way to the LORD;
   trust in him and he will do this:
⁶ He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
   your vindication like the noonday sun.

 ⁷ Be still before the LORD
   and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
   when they carry out their wicked schemes.

 ⁸ Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
   do not fret—it leads only to evil.
⁹ For those who are evil will be destroyed,
   but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

 ¹⁰ A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
   though you look for them, they will not be found.
¹¹ But the meek will inherit the land
   and enjoy peace and prosperity.

 ¹² The wicked plot against the righteous
   and gnash their teeth at them;
¹³ but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
   for he knows their day is coming.

 ¹⁴ The wicked draw the sword
   and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
   to slay those whose ways are upright.
¹⁵ But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
   and their bows will be broken.

 ¹⁶ Better the little that the righteous have
   than the wealth of many wicked;
¹⁷ for the power of the wicked will be broken,
   but the LORD upholds the righteous.

 ¹⁸ The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care,
   and their inheritance will endure forever.
¹⁹ In times of disaster they will not wither;
   in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

Reading this passage was a great comfort and reminder of God's sufficient grace and mercy in my own life. In the past few years as a high schooler, I've struggled numerous times with comparing myself with others, especially academically. I would get frustrated that people would be so successful and respected, but use such dishonorable methods of attaining success. If I could sum up all of high school in but one verse, it'd probably be Psalm 37:4 : "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires if your heart." It's so easy to delight in college, in academic achievement, in personal success, but I realize that the more I delight myself in the Lord, the more peaceful and joyful I become, even if I don't have any worldly success to show for it. It's been a slow (but steady) process for me, but I am thankful that we are given the opportunity to "trust in the Lord and do good"

ACT OF LOVE: My sister came home today with her family! It was great seeing my beautiful nephew once again. My act of love was giving my sister a hair tie when she was about to give Josiah a bath so that her hair wouldn't fall in her face.
Supplemental act of love: listening to a friend vent about something that troubled him. Simply listened.

Psalm 36, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #282

MEMORY VERSE: "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had nearly slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts come iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven and their tongues take possession of the earth. Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. They say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge? This is what the wicked are like--always carefree, they increase in wealth." Psalm 73:1-12

NOTES:  ¹ I have a message from God in my heart 

   concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:^[b]
There is no fear of God
   before their eyes.

 ² In their own eyes they flatter themselves
   too much to detect or hate their sin.
³ The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful;
   they fail to act wisely or do good.
⁴ Even on their beds they plot evil;
   they commit themselves to a sinful course
   and do not reject what is wrong.

 ⁵ Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens,
   your faithfulness to the skies.
⁶ Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
   your justice like the great deep.
   You, LORD, preserve both people and animals.
⁷ How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
   People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
⁸ They feast on the abundance of your house;
   you give them drink from your river of delights.
⁹ For with you is the fountain of life;
   in your light we see light.

 ¹⁰ Continue your love to those who know you,
   your righteousness to the upright in heart.
¹¹ May the foot of the proud not come against me,
   nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
¹² See how the evildoers lie fallen—
   thrown down, not able to rise!

When I read this passage, verse 5 seemed to randomly follow verse 4, and I wasn't sure why they were sequenced this way. Perhaps David might be emphasizing how "both high and low among men" can find refuge in Christ, despite the wicked of the world. I suppose the former could contrast the latter, and vice versa. Either way, God's righteousness is prevalent in this passage :)

ACT OF LOVE: Helped my friend out by passing out Cafe Night flyers and making an announcement for it during Sunday School! Come to Cafe Night this Sat @ BOL from 7-10pm! There will be great performances, food, and fun! You can bring homework, games, and/or friends!

Psalm 35, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #281: ENCOURAGEMENT NOTES

MEMORY VERSE: "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had nearly slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts come iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven; their tongues take possession of the earth. Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. They say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?" Psalm 73:1-11

NOTES: ¹ Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me; 

   fight against those who fight against me.
² Take up shield and armor;
   arise and come to my aid.
³ Brandish spear and javelin^[a]
   against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
   “I am your salvation.”

 ⁴ May those who seek my life
   be disgraced and put to shame;
may those who plot my ruin
   be turned back in dismay.
⁵ May they be like chaff before the wind,
   with the angel of the LORD driving them away;
⁶ may their path be dark and slippery,
   with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

 ⁷ Since they hid their net for me without cause
   and without cause dug a pit for me,
⁸ may ruin overtake them by surprise—
   may the net they hid entangle them,
   may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
⁹ Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD
   and delight in his salvation.
¹⁰ My whole being will exclaim,
   “Who is like you, LORD?
You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,
   the poor and needy from those who rob them.”

 ¹¹ Ruthless witnesses come forward;
   they question me on things I know nothing about.
¹² They repay me evil for good
   and leave me like one bereaved.
¹³ Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
   and humbled myself with fasting.
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
 ¹⁴ I went about mourning
   as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
   as though weeping for my mother.
¹⁵ But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
   assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
   They slandered me without ceasing.
¹⁶ Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;^[b]
   they gnashed their teeth at me.

 ¹⁷ How long, Lord, will you look on?
   Rescue me from their ravages,
   my precious life from these lions.
¹⁸ I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
   among the throngs I will praise you.
¹⁹ Do not let those gloat over me
   who are my enemies without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason
   maliciously wink the eye.
²⁰ They do not speak peaceably,
   but devise false accusations
   against those who live quietly in the land.
²¹ They sneer at me and say, “Aha! Aha!
   With our own eyes we have seen it.”

 ²² LORD, you have seen this; do not be silent.
   Do not be far from me, Lord.
²³ Awake, and rise to my defense!
   Contend for me, my God and Lord.
²⁴ Vindicate me in your righteousness, LORD my God;
   do not let them gloat over me.
²⁵ Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!”
   or say, “We have swallowed him up.”

 ²⁶ May all who gloat over my distress
   be put to shame and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me
   be clothed with shame and disgrace.
²⁷ May those who delight in my vindication
   shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, “The LORD be exalted,
   who delights in the well-being of his servant.”

 ²⁸ My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
   your praises all day long.

This passage was humbling because reading it made me see the contrast between my faith and David's. He lived a life completely dependent on the Lord's strength, and constantly faced opposition from the world. Reflecting on my own life, I live very comfortably. Even my atheist friends don't oppose my faith, and I don't really face persecution. I realized that I don't have this completely and desperate dependence on the Lord in my life, and I wonder how it would look if I did. I pray that God will continue to help me decrease my own needs and wants and help me live more and more of my life in FAITH. Do something daring (but wise) for Jesus!

ACT OF LOVE: Went with my two friends, Kevin and Theo, and did random notes of encouragement! We met up at Starbucks and spent two hours making 60 cards filled with random encouragements and Bible verses. I was very inspired by their creativity--they are much more creative with these things than I am! I loved seeing all the clever and funny (and cheesy) ideas they had. Afterwards, I went with Theo to Del Amo mall (and then later crossroads) to distribute the notes to random cars.

kev kim. idk how to rotate it the right way :(

Theo posing with his card. "Don't let a hammer hammer you down! Smile!" LOL?

Psalm 35, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #280

MEMORY VERSE: Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. but as for me, my feet had nearly slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts come iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. Therefore, their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. They say, "How can God know? How does the Most High have knowledge?" Psalm 73:1-11

PASSAGE:  ¹ Contend, LORD, with those who contend with me; 

   fight against those who fight against me.
² Take up shield and armor;
   arise and come to my aid.
³ Brandish spear and javelin^[a]
   against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
   “I am your salvation.”

 ⁴ May those who seek my life
   be disgraced and put to shame;
may those who plot my ruin
   be turned back in dismay.
⁵ May they be like chaff before the wind,
   with the angel of the LORD driving them away;
⁶ may their path be dark and slippery,
   with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

 ⁷ Since they hid their net for me without cause
   and without cause dug a pit for me,
⁸ may ruin overtake them by surprise—
   may the net they hid entangle them,
   may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
⁹ Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD
   and delight in his salvation.
¹⁰ My whole being will exclaim,
   “Who is like you, LORD?
You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,
   the poor and needy from those who rob them.”

 ¹¹ Ruthless witnesses come forward;
   they question me on things I know nothing about.
¹² They repay me evil for good
   and leave me like one bereaved.
¹³ Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
   and humbled myself with fasting.
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
 ¹⁴ I went about mourning
   as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
   as though weeping for my mother.
¹⁵ But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
   assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
   They slandered me without ceasing.
¹⁶ Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;^[b]
   they gnashed their teeth at me.

 ¹⁷ How long, Lord, will you look on?
   Rescue me from their ravages,
   my precious life from these lions.
¹⁸ I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
   among the throngs I will praise you.
¹⁹ Do not let those gloat over me
   who are my enemies without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason
   maliciously wink the eye.
²⁰ They do not speak peaceably,
   but devise false accusations
   against those who live quietly in the land.
²¹ They sneer at me and say, “Aha! Aha!
   With our own eyes we have seen it.”

 ²² LORD, you have seen this; do not be silent.
   Do not be far from me, Lord.
²³ Awake, and rise to my defense!
   Contend for me, my God and Lord.
²⁴ Vindicate me in your righteousness, LORD my God;
   do not let them gloat over me.
²⁵ Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!”
   or say, “We have swallowed him up.”

 ²⁶ May all who gloat over my distress
   be put to shame and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me
   be clothed with shame and disgrace.
²⁷ May those who delight in my vindication
   shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, “The LORD be exalted,
   who delights in the well-being of his servant.”

 ²⁸ My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
   your praises all day long.

ACT OF LOVE: Today, I helped my friend come up with ideas for a song that he was writing. Also, I struck up a conversation with a middle-schooler whom I don't normally talk to, and got to talk with her about her life! It was interesting talking to someone younger than me, especially someone who goes to the same middle school I went to. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was in her shoes, taking the same classes with the same teachers! My, how time has flown by!

On a random note..I got my permit today. LOL. yaay

Psalm 34, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #279: FRIENDS

MEMORY VERSE: "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had nearly slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves in violence. From their callous hearts come iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance." Psalm 73:1-10

PASSAGE: ¹ I will extol the LORD at all times; 

   his praise will always be on my lips.
² I will glory in the LORD;
   let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
³ Glorify the LORD with me;
   let us exalt his name together.

 ⁴ I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
   he delivered me from all my fears.
⁵ Those who look to him are radiant;
   their faces are never covered with shame.
⁶ This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
   he saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷ The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
   and he delivers them.

 ⁸ Taste and see that the LORD is good;
   blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
⁹ Fear the LORD, you his holy people,
   for those who fear him lack nothing.
¹⁰ The lions may grow weak and hungry,
   but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
¹¹ Come, my children, listen to me;
   I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
¹² Whoever of you loves life
   and desires to see many good days,
¹³ keep your tongue from evil
   and your lips from telling lies.
¹⁴ Turn from evil and do good;
   seek peace and pursue it.

 ¹⁵ The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
   and his ears are attentive to their cry;
¹⁶ but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
   to blot out their name from the earth.

 ¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
   he delivers them from all their troubles.
¹⁸ The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
   and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

 ¹⁹ The righteous person may have many troubles,
   but the LORD delivers him from them all;
²⁰ he protects all his bones,
   not one of them will be broken.

 ²¹ Evil will slay the wicked;
   the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
²² The LORD will rescue his servants;
   no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

This passage really helped me today, especially since I was really frustrated about some of my grades. Long story short, I feel that I have been unfairly graded by some of my teachers and was really frustrated by some of their actions that I thought were biased and inconsistent. However, I need to learn that even if I do end up with B's instead of A's, that God is ultimately more powerful than my transcript. I need to stop comparing myself with the world and start praising & turning to God in all things!

ACT OF LOVE: Today, I spent about 40 minutes constructing an email to a good friend about how much I appreciate our friendship. We haven't been as close as we were in previous years, but I wanted to let her know how much I cherish the friendship that we've had, and that we definitely should keep in touch after graduation! I think I've been feeling particularly nostalgic, because I've been starting to miss some of high school already and I'm not even out of it yet!

Psalm 33, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #278: WATER

MEMORY VERSE: "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had nearly slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts come iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance." Psalm 73:1-10

NOTES: ¹ Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; 
   it is fitting for the upright to praise him. 
² Praise the LORD with the harp; 
   make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. 
³ Sing to him a new song; 
   play skillfully, and shout for joy.

 ⁴ For the word of the LORD is right and true;
   he is faithful in all he does.
⁵ The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
   the earth is full of his unfailing love.

 ⁶ By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
   their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
⁷ He gathers the waters of the sea into jars^[a];
   he puts the deep into storehouses.
⁸ Let all the earth fear the LORD;
   let all the people of the world revere him.
⁹ For he spoke, and it came to be;
   he commanded, and it stood firm.

 ¹⁰ The LORD foils the plans of the nations;
   he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
¹¹ But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,
   the purposes of his heart through all generations.

 ¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
   the people he chose for his inheritance.
¹³ From heaven the LORD looks down
   and sees all mankind;
¹⁴ from his dwelling place he watches
   all who live on earth—
¹⁵ he who forms the hearts of all,
   who considers everything they do.

 ¹⁶ No king is saved by the size of his army;
   no warrior escapes by his great strength.
¹⁷ A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
   despite all its great strength it cannot save.
¹⁸ But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
   on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
¹⁹ to deliver them from death
   and keep them alive in famine.

 ²⁰ We wait in hope for the LORD;
   he is our help and our shield.
²¹ In him our hearts rejoice,
   for we trust in his holy name.
²² May your unfailing love be with us, LORD,
   even as we put our hope in you.

Reading this passage was a good reminder to be thankful for the Lord, always. Since it's finals week, it's easy to complain to myself about my borderline grades (even though it's my own fault). I've been particularly bitter about my Anatomy grade, since I had an A the entire semester, but the final brought my down to an 89.6% (ouch). However, I will still praise God and trust that "the plans of the Lord stand firm forever!" No matter what happens, God is good and "our help and our shield."

ACT OF LOVE: Brought my mom a nice, cold bottle of water tonight when she was already in bed!
Also, added to my "World Vision Fund" another $5 from lunch money!

Psalm 32, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #277: LISTEN, HELP, PRAY

MEMORY VERSE: "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had nearly slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts come iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth." Psalm 73:1-9

NOTES:¹ Blessed is the one 

   whose transgressions are forgiven,
   whose sins are covered.
² Blessed is the one
   whose sin the LORD does not count against them
   and in whose spirit is no deceit.

 ³ When I kept silent,
   my bones wasted away
   through my groaning all day long.
⁴ For day and night
   your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
   as in the heat of summer.^[b]

 ⁵ Then I acknowledged my sin to you
   and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
   my transgressions to the LORD.”
And you forgave
   the guilt of my sin.

 ⁶ Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
   while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
   will not reach them.
⁷ You are my hiding place;
   you will protect me from trouble
   and surround me with songs of deliverance.

 ⁸ I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
   I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
⁹ Do not be like the horse or the mule,
   which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
   or they will not come to you.
¹⁰ Many are the woes of the wicked,
   but the LORD’s unfailing love
   surrounds the one who trusts in him.

 ¹¹ Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
   sing, all you who are upright in heart!

I really like this passage because it is a great reminder of God's grace and mercy, and how we can honestly go before the Lord and repent, and He will forgive! It also shows the difference between knowing God and being like "the horse or the mule, which have no understanding." Instead of just blindly following and being controlled, God gives us the opportunity to have a genuine relationship with Him, in which He is the source of love and protection!

ACT OF LOVE: Listened to a friend vent about some things he was angry about, helped some other people with their projects, and finally prayed for my friend who is suffering intense illnesses!

Psalm 31, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #276: FINALS & TEXT

MEMORY VERSE: "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had nearly slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts come iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth." Psalm 73:1-9

NOTES: ¹ In you, LORD, I have taken refuge; 

   let me never be put to shame;
   deliver me in your righteousness.
² Turn your ear to me,
   come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
   a strong fortress to save me.
³ Since you are my rock and my fortress,
   for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
⁴ Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
   for you are my refuge.
⁵ Into your hands I commit my spirit;
   deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.

 ⁶ I hate those who cling to worthless idols;
   as for me, I trust in the LORD.
⁷ I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
   for you saw my affliction
   and knew the anguish of my soul.
⁸ You have not given me into the hands of the enemy
   but have set my feet in a spacious place.

 ⁹ Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress;
   my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
   my soul and body with grief.
¹⁰ My life is consumed by anguish
   and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction,^[b]
   and my bones grow weak.
¹¹ Because of all my enemies,
   I am the utter contempt of my neighbors
and an object of dread to my closest friends—
   those who see me on the street flee from me.
¹² I am forgotten as though I were dead;
   I have become like broken pottery.
¹³ For I hear many whispering,
   “Terror on every side!”
They conspire against me
   and plot to take my life.

 ¹⁴ But I trust in you, LORD;
   I say, “You are my God.”
¹⁵ My times are in your hands;
   deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
   from those who pursue me.
¹⁶ Let your face shine on your servant;
   save me in your unfailing love.
¹⁷ Let me not be put to shame, LORD,
   for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
   and be silent in the realm of the dead.
¹⁸ Let their lying lips be silenced,
   for with pride and contempt
   they speak arrogantly against the righteous.

 ¹⁹ How abundant are the good things
   that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,
   on those who take refuge in you.
²⁰ In the shelter of your presence you hide them
   from all human intrigues;
you keep them safe in your dwelling
   from accusing tongues.

 ²¹ Praise be to the LORD,
   for he showed me the wonders of his love
   when I was in a city under siege.
²² In my alarm I said,
   “I am cut off from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
   when I called to you for help.

 ²³ Love the LORD, all his faithful people!
   The LORD preserves those who are true to him,
   but the proud he pays back in full.
²⁴ Be strong and take heart,
   all you who hope in the LORD.

What has stuck out to me throughout most of these Psalms is they offer a glimpse at what David's life was life. He passionate pursued the Lord, and that oftentimes has resulted in distress and becoming enemies with the world. He has such a strong faith in God that it makes me wonder if my own faith is anywhere near as steadfast as his. Reading this psalm reminds me to live life in faith, even if it entails suffering in the world.

ACT OF LOVE: Since tomorrow is the first day of finals for TUSD schools, I sent a mass text out to random people that read: "Good luck on finals! Get well rested and eat a yummy breakfast :)". Finals are always stressful, especially if you're borderline (or a junior), so I wanted to encourage some of my friends amidst all the stress!

Psalm 30, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #275

MEMORY VERSE: "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had nearly slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts come iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression." Psalm 73:1-8

NOTES:  ¹ I will exalt you, LORD, 

   for you lifted me out of the depths
   and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
² LORD my God, I called to you for help,
   and you healed me.
³ You, LORD, brought me up from the realm of the dead;
   you spared me from going down to the pit.

 ⁴ Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people;
   praise his holy name.
⁵ For his anger lasts only a moment,
   but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
   but rejoicing comes in the morning.

 ⁶ When I felt secure, I said,
   “I will never be shaken.”
⁷ LORD, when you favored me,
   you made my royal mountain^[c] stand firm;
but when you hid your face,
   I was dismayed.

 ⁸ To you, LORD, I called;
   to the Lord I cried for mercy:
⁹ “What is gained if I am silenced,
   if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
   Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
¹⁰ Hear, LORD, and be merciful to me;
   LORD, be my help.”

 ¹¹ You turned my wailing into dancing;
   you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
¹² that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
   LORD my God, I will praise you forever.

This passage seems to really apply to my own spiritual journey. Looking back at the past four years in high school, it's evident to me that it is only by God's grace and mercy that He has "spared me from going down into the pit", even though I continued to reject him by seeking false idols in my life. In every low point in my life, God has been there to rescue me from my own sin and shame. I love v.11-12; "You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent."

ACT OF LOVE: Gave my two friends Amy and Danica cards that I drew from pastel. They were inspired by the pictures we took last Sunday at Terranea. I wanted to give them a small token of appreciation!

Psalm 29, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #274

MEMORY VERSE: "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had nearly slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts come iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression." Psalm 73:1-8

NOTES: ¹ Ascribe to the LORD, you heavenly beings, 

   ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
² Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
   worship the LORD in the splendor of his^[a] holiness.

 ³ The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
   the God of glory thunders,
   the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.
⁴ The voice of the LORD is powerful;
   the voice of the LORD is majestic.
⁵ The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
   the LORD breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
⁶ He makes Lebanon leap like a calf,
   Sirion^[b] like a young wild ox.
⁷ The voice of the LORD strikes
   with flashes of lightning.
⁸ The voice of the LORD shakes the desert;
   the LORD shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
⁹ The voice of the LORD twists the oaks^[c]
   and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, “Glory!”

 ¹⁰ The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
   the LORD is enthroned as King forever.
¹¹ The LORD gives strength to his people;
   the LORD blesses his people with peace.

Recently, there has been talk about California's impending "superstorm" that could quite possibly do more damage than an earthquake would. Natural disasters seem more and more frequent, which could very likely be indicators of the end times as mentioned in the Bible. However, reading this Psalm reminds me that it is God who reigns over the earth and all His creations. No matter how severe these natural disasters are, God is ultimately more powerful. And the best part? "The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace."

ACT OF LOVE: My mom left for Norcal today to speak at a church conference, so it was just me and my dad. It had only been a few hours since my mom's departure, at the house was already alot messier (especially the kitchen). My dad roasted pork and stir-fried some vegetables for lunch, and I offered to clean up. It turns out that the pork had left alottt of stains and pork fat/meat/burned vegetables sticking to the pot, which took a long time to scrape off. Initially, my dad said that I didn't have to clean the pork-stained pot, but I decided to clean it anyways. Normally, dished take around 15 minutes, but today it took 45min-1 hour! However, it felt good being able to serve my dad this way.

Psalm 28, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #273

MEMORY VERSE: "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. but as for me, my feet had nearly slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by illnesses. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits." Psalm 73:1-7

NOTES: ¹ To you, LORD, I call; 

   you are my Rock,
   do not turn a deaf ear to me.
For if you remain silent,
   I will be like those who go down to the pit.
² Hear my cry for mercy
   as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
   toward your Most Holy Place.

 ³ Do not drag me away with the wicked,
   with those who do evil,
who speak cordially with their neighbors
   but harbor malice in their hearts.
⁴ Repay them for their deeds
   and for their evil work;
repay them for what their hands have done
   and bring back on them what they deserve.

 ⁵ Because they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD
   and what his hands have done,
he will tear them down
   and never build them up again.

 ⁶ Praise be to the LORD,
   for he has heard my cry for mercy.
⁷ The LORD is my strength and my shield;
   my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
   and with my song I praise him.

 ⁸ The LORD is the strength of his people,
   a fortress of salvation for his anointed one.
⁹ Save your people and bless your inheritance;
   be their shepherd and carry them forever.

It's interesting to me that the very first verse talks about how the Lord is our Rock, because the speaker at our spiritual formation conference today (Alice Matthews) touched upon characteristics of God and how He is like our rock
Also, upon reading v.3-4, at first it seemed sort of harsh, but I realize how destructive a hateful spirit can be, even if it is not obvious to others. I've been guilty of this more times than I would like to admit, and it's humbling and eye-opening to see how significant it is to be genuine to others.

ACT OF LOVE: I noticed online that my teacher had incorrectly given me more points on something than I should have gotten, so I told him the truth about my grade, and he changed it.
Also, I offered sour gummy worms to people after rehearsal because everyone was super hungry. I didn't have alot, but I got to feed everyone who wanted one!

Psalm 27, 365 DAYS OF LOVE #272: MONEY

MEMORY VERSE: "Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had nearly slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts come iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits." Psalm 73:1-7

NOTES:¹ The LORD is my light and my salvation— 

   whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
   of whom shall I be afraid?

 ² When the wicked advance against me
   to devour^[a] me,
it is my enemies and my foes
   who will stumble and fall.
³ Though an army besiege me,
   my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
   even then I will be confident.

 ⁴ One thing I ask from the LORD,
   this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
   all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD
   and to seek him in his temple.
⁵ For in the day of trouble
   he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
   and set me high upon a rock.

 ⁶ Then my head will be exalted
   above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
   I will sing and make music to the LORD.

 ⁷ Hear my voice when I call, LORD;
   be merciful to me and answer me.
⁸ My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
   Your face, LORD, I will seek.
⁹ Do not hide your face from me,
   do not turn your servant away in anger;
   you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
   God my Savior.
¹⁰ Though my father and mother forsake me,
   the LORD will receive me.
¹¹ Teach me your way, LORD;
   lead me in a straight path
   because of my oppressors.
¹² Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
   for false witnesses rise up against me,
   spouting malicious accusations.

 ¹³ I remain confident of this:
   I will see the goodness of the LORD
   in the land of the living.
¹⁴ Wait for the LORD;
   be strong and take heart
   and wait for the LORD.

In this passage, what stuck out to me was that David's greatest desire and treasure was in God (v.4: "One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple"). It's a good reminder to see where my priorities and deepest desires lie, and to prayerfully seek my treasure in the Lord. Also, there is a good encouragement at the end of the passage to keep up the faith as he does: "I am still confident of this....Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

ACT OF LOVE: Today, I bought my friend lunch when he didn't have any, even though it meant eating less for me. He had a delicious steak burrito! Also, another friend was fundraising for Uganda by selling snacks ($1 each). I donated  all the change I had (91 cents) for the cause, and then gave the bag of cheezits I bought with it to my other friend who was hungry. Hooray for food and money!