A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 20

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 20

-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you; May He send you help from the sanctuary And strengthen you out of Zion; May He remember all your offerings And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah. May He grant you according to your heart’s desire And fulfill all your purpose. We will rejoice in your salvation, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions. Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand (Psalm 20:1-6).

Psalm 20 is the “encouragement for those who pray” psalm. It is filled with “mays” not “maybes”.

It begins by the writer offering prayers for us and ends with the blessings that prayer brings to us.

 

The Lord not only answers your prayers, He is also the Answer to your prayers:

• In times of trouble the Lord will be your Shield around you, and your Defender on every side.
• When you need help, the Lord will quiet you with His love.  He is your ever present help in time of need.
• In your weakness, the Lord will be your strength. He will raise you up to higher ground. He is the Almighty one who has placed His hand of blessing and covering upon your head.

He is the only one who is able to fulfill all the desires He has placed within you. His plan for you will continue to unfold. His purpose for you continues to have eternal meaning. Marvelous are His ways with you.


Insight: Psalm 20 is a wonderful prayer to personalize. Here’s how. Whenever you see a personal pronoun replace it with your name instead.

Insight: Prayers are requests not solutions, petitions not suggestions, supplications not manipulations.

Restore, Renew and Refresh in the Psalms

Green Pastures. Quiet Waters. Righteous Paths.

meetinginthemeadow.com

 

#psalms #devotional #devotion #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

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

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 19

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 19

-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward (Psalm 19:7-11).

Psalm 19 holds within its verses a transforming revelation of why the words spoken by God are so beautiful, powerful, and life-giving. Here are five examples:

The Lord’s law.

It is God’s way of giving direction and instruction. If the GPS in your car consistently took you to the wrong location you would quickly mistrust every instruction it sent your way. The freedom found in God’s law comes from its perfection. No need to fear or worry about God’s laws, they will bring your soul rest and reassurance. They won’t confuse you, deceive you, or mislead you.

The Lord’s testimony.

The testimony of God bears witness that everything that He speaks is true. Nothing is fake. Nothing is false. Every word from God is a reality word. Nothing shaky or sneaky can be found. His word is the daily sustenance the wise can feed upon.

The Lord’s statutes.

God’s word causes our hearts to celebrate the authority of our King. God’s laws and commandments have weight because God alone has the authority to speak them. God alone reigns and rules over all that He has written. Our heart obedience to what God has spoken always puts us in the right place for the right reason.

The Lord’s commandment.

God’s commandments are such a blessing to us. It is His way of letting us know how life should be lived, how relationships should be built, how values should be formed, and how priorities should be established. Like the opening of a rose, God’s commandments are the unfolding of perfect love.

The Lord’s judgments.

God, as our judge, will always get it right. He knows and understands every thought and intent of the heart. His holy laws and commandments reveal our sin and show us our need of a Savior. His mercy welcomes every repentant sinner to receive His cleansing and forgiveness. God sent His Son to make our salvation possible. Jesus died in our place. The judgement for our sins was placed upon Him. He died so we could live and become a part of His family of the redeemed.

Insight: God is good, righteous, true and just. All the time!

Insight: The fear of the Lord comes to our hearts because God’s word is not a collection of suggestions, but a revelation of absolute truth.

Restore, Renew and Refresh in the Psalms

Green Pastures. Quiet Waters. Righteous Paths.

meetinginthemeadow.com

 

#psalms #devotional #devotion #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

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

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 18

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 18

-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my keen and firm Strength in Whom I will trust and take refuge (Psalm 18:2).

Years ago, I lived in Southern California, in the city of Glendora. A few miles behind our house stood a mountain. When you stepped outside our front door you couldn’t miss it! There were days, however, when you couldn’t see that mountain. It happened when big storms blew in, when the thick fog rolled in, or when the gray smog drifted into our neighborhood. On those days, you could stand in front of our house and have no indication that a mountain stood a few miles away.

Because I saw that mountain on clear days, I never doubted if it was there on stormy days, foggy days, or smoggy days. I knew, beyond a doubt, that once the storm, the fog, or the smog lifted, the mountain would still be there, unchanged. I never lost a night’s sleep worrying about that mountain. On the days I couldn’t see it, I never questioned if the mountain had moved.

The Bible tells us that Lord is our Rock (Psalm 18:2).

I don’t know how big of a Rock the Lord is, but I am confident that He is bigger than the mountain outside my old house in Glendora, or any other mountain. The Lord is our “huge” Rock, in whom we trust and take refuge.

You may be in a time when the storms of life, the fog of circumstances, or the smog of hardships have settled over your soul. In the darkness, you may be wondering what has happened to the Rock you beheld so vividly when the days were clear and His presence was unobstructed. Be assured, He has not moved, changed, or disappeared. The darkness is temporary, the Rock is eternal. The storm will pass, the fog will lift, the smog will blow away. Your Rock remains!

Insight: There is another important difference to remember…even when you don’t see your Rock, your Rock always sees you! The storm, the fog, and the smog create no visual obstacle for God. He has His eye upon you, and you will never be out of His sight or His care.

Restore, Renew and Refresh in the Psalms

Green Pastures. Quiet Waters. Righteous Paths.

meetinginthemeadow.com

 

#psalms #devotional #devotion #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

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

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 17

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 17
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

 I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God; Incline Your ear to me and hear my speech. Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand, O You who save those who trust in You from those who rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings (Psalm 17:6-8).

Psalm 17 takes us by the hand and brings us into a prayer room filled with the treasures of God’s mercy, grace, and favor. Over the doorway to the room is a sign that reads, “Call upon Me. I am listening.”

Here are a few of prayer treasures that can be ours:

·   The Marvels of God’s Lovingkindness
His lovingkindness sets Him apart from every person on earth and every created being in heaven. His lovingkindness is steadfast, consistent, loyal, and unshakable. It is a covenant love—faithful, true, enduring, and endearing.

·   The Power of God’s Salvation
It is a salvation of deliverance from every bondage, freedom from every sin, and victory over every enemy of righteousness and truth.

·   The Assurance of God’s Keeping Power
It is the Lord who places a hedge about you. It is a thorny hedge to keeping out what God does not want within you. God alone is the assurance that you will be kept because He is your Keeper.

·   The Shelter of God’s Wings
What does the shelter of a mother hen’s wings mean to its chicks? Everything! They are “a roof” over the chicks’ heads! Her wings are a covering shelter from the storm and the foe. Her wings are shade from the heat of the day, and warmth in the cold. In a crisis, she covers her chicks and will not abandon them. She is the only defense her chicks will ever have.

Insight: Have you ever considered yourself precious to God? You are! That’s what the words “The apple of your eye” mean in verse 8 of this Psalm. By the way, you are also deeply cherished, and that means you are watched over with great care!

Restore, Renew and Refresh in the Psalms

Green Pastures. Quiet Waters. Righteous Paths.

meetinginthemeadow.com

 
#psalms #devotional #devotion #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

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

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 16

 A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 16
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust. O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.” As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god; Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, Nor take up their names on my lips. O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance. I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16).
 
The purpose of the Gospel is to make what is true about God become true in us. The gospel is not good news about a theory, but good news about reality!

The wonderful thing about putting your trust in Jesus is that He is not only your Savior, but He is also your Lord. Because He is your Lord the following things are true:

• He will direct your steps.
• All of His decisions will be good ones.
• He has perfect wisdom in every decision and won’t need any of your tips, advice, or suggestions.
• He takes full responsibility for every decision He makes concerning your life.
• He will prepare every place He is sending you.
• You are complete in Him and won’t be needing another god.

 
The very best thing is His presence. His life is present, His joy is present, His fullness is present, His hope is present—present now, present tomorrow, and present forever more!
 
Insight: He is your Shepherd, you are His sheep; He is your Master, you are His servant; He is the vine, you are the branch; He is the provision, you are the one in need! He is so good to you!
 
Insight: Set your heart to stay upon God, and you will stay on track in your daily walk with Him.

Restore, Renew and Refresh in the Psalms

Green Pastures. Quiet Waters. Righteous Paths.

meetinginthemeadow.com

 
#psalms #devotional #devotion #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

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