Psalms 82-85

Need to restore your delight in God?  Psalms 84-85 are your elixer.  But don't skip to them before journeying through the neighborhood.

Hard to get around this when you pick up the Bible. Here it is again...

Provide justice for the needy and the fatherless;
uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.
Rescue the poor and needy;
save them from the power of the wicked.

Then check out the juxtaposition of these words found in the following psalm as God is called upon to deal with the "power of the wicked"...

Cover their faces with shame
so that they will seek Your name Yahweh.
Let them be put to shame and terrified forever;
let them perish in disgrace.
May they know that You alone—
whose name is Yahweh—

are the Most High over all the earth. 

But the psalmist calls on GOD to take care of them.

Read them here.

Psalms 80-81

But My people did not listen to Me;
Israel did not obey Me.
So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own plans.
If only My people would listen to Me…

Help me, listen, Lord.  And to listen with a view to obey and follow!

Read them here.

Psalms 78-79

My people, hear my instruction;
listen to what I say.
² I will declare wise sayings;
I will speak mysteries from the past—
³ things we have heard and known
and that our fathers have passed down to us.
⁴ We must not hide them from their children,
but must tell a future generation
the praises of the Lord,
His might, and the wonderful works
He has performed.

Read them here.

Psalms 75-77

Here's one to think about... Even human wrath will praise You (Psalm 76:10).

Ponder the psalms.  Let them lead you to places your heart would not otherwise go in worship.

Read them here.

2 Chronicles 35-36

Wrapping up this book and the story of Judah's King Josiah.  He was the last of the good and godly kings to be chronicled.

After years of trying to disuade His people from their destructive path, Jerusalem is sacked and the people are exiled to Babylon.  But then the glorious promise of restoration and a fresh start...

Read it here.

2 Chronicles 33-34

How could Manasseh turn from God so early?  But the post script of his life speaks of God's mercy and tenacious desire to forgive.  After years of spurning God, "Manasseh came to know that Yahweh is God" (33:13).  And it changed everything!

And his grandson was a legacy of faith ... enter KING JOSIAH!

Read it here.

2 Chronicles 31-32

He did what was good and upright and true before the Lord his God (31:20).

Please, Lord, let it be said of me.

Not only did Hezekiah lead his people to defend the city, he pointed them to their Ultimate Defense...
"[The enemy] only has human strength, but we have Yahweh our God to help us and fight our battles!"

Yet even good King Hezekiah as a sad post script to his life (32:24-26).  Lord, keep me from sad post scripts.

Read it here.