A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 47

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 47
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth. He will subdue the peoples under us, And the nations under our feet. He will choose our inheritance for us, The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah God has gone up with a shout, The Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne. The princes of the people have gathered together, The people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted (Psalm 47:1-9).

Psalm 47 focuses on Israel’s response to all God did for them as a nation and a people—the blessings He gave, the victories He won and the promises He fulfilled.

Who God is and what He will do for His people:
*He is the Lord Most High.
*He is awesome.
*He is a great King over all the earth.
*He will subdue people.
*He will subdue nations.
*He will choose their inheritance.
*He reigns over the nations and all rulers.
*He sits on His holy throne.
*He is greatly exalted.

How God’s people responded to Him:
*Clapped their hands
*Shouted with a voice of triumph 
*Sang praises 
*In other Scriptures we are also told that God’s people responded to Him by bowing down, by kneeling before the Lord, by lifting up their hands, by playing instruments and by blowing horns (David even danced before the Lord).

Perhaps this Psalm inspired Stuart Hamblen to write the following chorus and verse to his hymn It Is No Secret…

IT IS NO SECRET
There is no night for in His light
you’ll never walk alone
Always feel at home
wherever you may roam
There is no power can conquer you
while God is on your side
Just take Him at His promise
Don’t run away and hide
It is no secret what God can do
What He’s done for others, He’ll do for you
With arms wide open, He’ll pardon you
It is no secret what God can do

The greatest thing God did for us was to send His Son to die for us and reconcile us to God. That alone is reason enough for us to clap, sing, shout, kneel, bow down, lift our hands, blow a trumpet, and play an instrument.

Insight: God is not uncomfortable, indifferent, or displeased when His people express their praise to Him with clapping, singing, shouting, or lifting of hands.

Insight: “Nothing teaches us about the preciousness of the Creator as much as when we learn the emptiness of everything else.” -Charles Spurgeon

#psalms #devotional #devotion #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2026 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.
 
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A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 46

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 46
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge (Psalm 46:1-2, 10-11).

As God’s children, there is so much for us to celebrate in Psalm 46. We can be who God asks us to be, because God will be to us all that we need.

Who God Is…
He is our refuge: A storm siren warns people to take immediate shelter because a tornado is approaching. That place of shelter is a refuge from the storm. God will always be our hiding place from every storm of life.

He is our strength: For the timid, God is our boldness. For the shy He is our courage. For the feeble He is our might.

He is our very present help in our time of need: God is a wholly Helper. He is never far away, never distracted, never unprepared, never ill-equipped. Best of all, He is enough!

He is the Lord of hosts: When it comes to getting a job done—quickly, correctly, completely, victoriously, amazingly—God has all the heavenly resources awaiting His command, including heaven’s armies and angels of every rank, power and authority. All that He has is on your side.

He is the God of Jacob: He is the covenant making, covenant keeping, covenant fulfilling God. Every promise He has made to Israel has been or will be fully fulfilled! Nothing has been cancelled, nullified, or transferred.
His forever promises are forever. He hasn’t lied or failed regarding Israel, and He will not fail or lie to you.

Because of Who God Is, We Can…
We can be without fear: There are hundreds of phobias that have been identified around the world. Everything from fear of heights to fear of public speaking. Fears can hold people captive, bind them, or paralyze them.  A small god isn’t great enough to conquer a big fear. Any god, other than the one true God, is a god too small. It’s the small god that will be unable to deliver someone from fear. It’s the small god who isn’t strong enough to be someone’s refuge. It’s the small god who is too weak to be someone’s strength.

We can be still: Being still does not mean being passive or indifferent. It means we can let go of the pressure to perform, to be in control, or to achieve certain outcomes. Being still means releasing all anxiety, striving and expectations. It means being quiet on the inside. It means that you go through your day with a quiet assurance that God has “got this”.

We can know who God is: God wants us to know who He is. He doesn’t want us ignorant or indifferent about who He is. It’s important to our faith and our daily walk.  He is “I Am!” That’s who He has always been and always will be. God will never be a “has been”.

We can know God through the ways He has revealed Himself to us. Those ways include:

Creation: Look outside. Look up. He made it all.
Scripture: God’s inspired, inerrant word.
Jesus Christ: He is the Word made flesh.
The Holy Spirit: He is our teacher who leads us into all Truth.

Insight: Here is a prayer you can always pray because God is always who He says He is…
“Father, be to me today, all that You are according to my need.”

Insight: When God says “I Am” it means that we are not (what a relief!).

#psalms #devotional #devotion #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2026 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.
 
Restore, Renew and Refresh in the Psalms
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A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 45

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 45

-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else (Psalm 45:7 NLT).

The honor, glory, and majesty of Jesus is proclaimed throughout Psalm 45. Verse 7 points us to the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The word “oil” symbolically represents the person of the Holy Spirit, and the word “anointed” represents His power and presence in someone’s life. 

Throughout Scripture kings, prophets, and priests were anointed with oil.

When Jesus began His public ministry He was anointed with the Holy Spirit. (Luke 4:18, Isaiah 61:1) Jesus is The Messiah, The Christ, The Anointed One. He is the only one to be anointed Prophet, Priest, and King.

Each of us, as followers of Jesus, need the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon our lives as we serve the Lord and minister in His name.

Here are three examples of how the anointing of the Holy Spirit impacts our lives:

• His is an anointing of joy.
  Joy comes from the Holy Spirit. Joy is His fruit. Joy has nothing to do with our human personality or our sense of humor. Joy is drawn from the well of God’s Salvation.

• His is an anointing of fragrance.
  The recipe of the anointing oil that was used by the Jewish priests in the temple contained rare and valuable spices. These spices carried a highly pleasing fragrance. The spices didn’t represent human niceness or sweetness, but the delightfulness of being in the presence of the Lord.

• His is an anointing of radiance.
  The light of the Holy Spirit can shine upon our countenance. His light has nothing to do with our looks or the kind of essential oils we use. His light is an extension of His glory. It is the Lord’s face shining upon you that will be seen by others.

Insight: With the human eye you might not be able to tell the difference between an artificial rose and a real one. But you can easily tell the real from the fake if you get close enough to smell them.

Insight: The anointing oil was never intended to be something that was to be admired or put on display. It was intended to be applied to someone’s life.

#psalms #devotional #devotion #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2026 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.

 
Restore, Renew and Refresh in the Psalms
Green Pastures. Quiet Waters. Righteous Paths.
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A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 44

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 44
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

We have heard with our ears, O God, Our fathers have told us, The deeds You did in their days, In days of old: You are my King, O God; Command victories for Jacob (Psalm 44:1-4).

I love to hear stories. I especially enjoy true stories. God stories are the best of all. I have a friend who published a collection of God stories that she experienced through the years. When I read them they immediately went to my heart. They built my faith and encouraged me to see the different and unusual ways God can use us to deposit hope and love into the lives of those who need to know God cares.

God stories enrich our legacy and impact the lives of others. Psalm 44 introduces us to their power and importance. Think of all the God stories that were passed on from generation to generation around the campfires of the Jewish people. Their deliverance from Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the crossing of the Jordan River, the fall of Jericho, and many, many more.

The legacy of God stories that my dad experienced were used by the Lord to lay a foundation of faith within my spirit that helped to build and strengthen my faith as I grew in the Lord. In my memoir I share a large collection of those stories to pass on to future generations.

In verse four of Psalm 44 we discover how the God stories of the past impacted the sons of Korah in their day. Their ancestors’ God became their God, and they called upon Him to also work mightily in their generation.
 
Insight: God’s story of your life is being masterfully written by the Author of the world’s best seller.

#psalms #devotional #devotion #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2026 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by April Mullen. Used with permission, all rights reserved.
 

Restore, Renew and Refresh in the Psalms

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A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 43

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 43
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication, To my cause, my God and my Lord. Vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness (Psalm 43:1).
 
Vindication is not the same as vengeance. The prayer request in Psalm 43 is not asking God to “get even”, but to help others “get it right”.

God will vindicate His people.

There can be times when friends, family, or other believers can misunderstand our comments, our motives, or our actions. Sometimes our enemies can misrepresent us, falsely accuse us, or come to conclusions that aren’t true. In those times it’s important to be assured that God knows our hearts, understands our intentions, and will honor our responses of obedience to His will.

The best choice you can make in every circumstance and in every decision is to agree with God. Say “yes” to His “yes”. Set your heart on obedience, plant your feet on His pathway, and give all you’ve got to be pleasing to Him. He will be your Defender. He will be your Explainer. He will be your Advocate. He will be your Vindicator. Keep your trust in the Lord and you will never be ashamed.

When my brother Don was in his twenties he was called by God to serve the people of Mexico. Don had no college degree, hadn’t been to seminary, had no financial resources, and didn’t know how to speak Spanish.

Before entering Mexico, he was interviewed by a mission board looking for new missionaries they could sponsor and send into Mexico. Don failed the interview. The person giving the interview told Don he had nothing to offer the Mexican people.

Don went anyway.

Don spent the next forty-five years giving his life to serve the Mexican people. Twentyfive of those years were spent pastoring one of the largest churches in the city where he lived. At his death, a long line of people stood outside the funeral home waiting to get in. A passerby, who saw the long line commented, “Someone important must have died!”

When Jim Elliot (the young missionary who was martyred in the jungles of Ecuador) was in Bible College, a student asked which degree he was studying for. Jim answered, “An AUG degree.”

The student replied, “What’s an AUG degree?”

Jim answered, “Approved Unto God.”

Jim’s life and Don’s life were very different, yet they both served the Lord in complete obedience to His call. Both were vindicated by their AUG.

Insight: If God has called you to do something, do it, even if others disagree, disapprove, or don’t understand. God will have the final say concerning your obedience to Him.

#psalms #devotional #devotion #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2026 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.
 

Restore, Renew and Refresh in the Psalms

Green Pastures. Quiet Waters. Righteous Paths.

meetinginthemeadow.com

BlessedDayCards.com