Thursday Psalms: Walk in God's Faithfulness

  

Blessed Thursday to each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Savior!

In our Psalm for today, David speaks a lot about how he has walked his daily life.  Of course, neither David nor any of us walk perfectly, but David highlights what is God-pleasing.  His list includes walking with integrity, trusting in the Lord, being tried and tested by God, and others.  David also encourages us to avoid sinfulness in verses four and five.  All of us join David, trying to walk in God-pleasing ways every day.

Psalm 26   Of David.

¹ Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity,

      and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.

² Prove me, O Lord, and try me;

      test my heart and my mind.

³ For Your steadfast love is before my eyes,

      and I walk in Your faithfulness.

⁴ I do not sit with men of falsehood,

      nor do I consort with hypocrites.

⁵ I hate the assembly of evildoers,

      and I will not sit with the wicked.

⁶ I wash my hands in innocence and go around Your altar, O Lord,

    ⁷ proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all Your wondrous deeds.

⁸ O Lord, I love the habitation of Your house

      and the place where Your glory dwells.

⁹ Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,

      nor my life with bloodthirsty men,

¹⁰ in whose hands are evil devices,

      and whose right hands are full of bribes.

¹¹ But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;

      redeem me, and be gracious to me.

¹² My foot stands on level ground;

      in the great assembly I will bless the Lord. 

But our most important walking is not found in the choices we make, what we do, nor where we walk.  Verse three tells us about this walking, but what does it mean for us to walk in God's faithfulness?  

Because God loves you, me, and all of His creation far more than we can understand, God is faithful to Himself and all His promises.  God's most important promise was made to Adam & Eve just after their first sin.  God promised to send a Savior, to redeem all people from the sins we inherit and those we commit ourselves.  Jesus, God's only Son, was born a human baby and lived a sinless life on this earth.  Furthermore, Jesus allowed Himself to suffer and be killed, so He could be faithful to His Father's will and take the sin punishment you and I daily deserve.  That's faithfulness beyond what we can even imagine!

In verse eleven, David was looking forward to the promised Savior as he prayed that God would redeem him and be gracious to him.  You and I are even more blessed, that we can look back in time and point to Jesus, our Savior.  God HAS redeemed you!  God HAS been gracious to you, and still is gracious and loving and forgiving to you every day of your life!

Today, let's join David in God-pleasing walking, to the best of our abilities.  Best of all, since God was and continues to be faithful, we walk everyday in His faithfulness, His love and His forgiveness!

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188 

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

     Sharing God’s Love & Mercy with Each Other & the World.

Pilgrim Website       Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"The LORD is a stronghold in times of trouble."  Psalm 9:9

Pilgrim Worship Sunday August 23, 2026

 

 Pilgrim Lutheran Church

The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

August 23, 2026

We're thankful you've come here to watch our service and to worship the one true God!

This was another exciting Sunday at Pilgrim Lutheran Church!  Our Summer Sunday schedule has started with our Worship service beginning at 9:30 am.  Afterwards, around 10:30 or so, please join us and enjoy food and conversations together.

If you live in the Burton area, please consider joining us on Sunday mornings!  Anyone can watch our services live on Facebook or on Pilgrim's website.

Here is information about this worship service:

SCRIPTURE READINGS 

  Old Testament:  Isaiah 51:1-6

               Psalm:  Psalm 138

              Epistle:  Romans 11:33 – 12:8

              Gospel:  Matthew 16:13-20

THEME FOR WORSHIP

The disciples had been with Jesus for over two years when the conversation in today’s Gospel text takes place.  Jesus has led them to an area in which there were many idols of false gods and then posed two questions to them.  The more important question was:  “But, who do you say that I am?”  

This is the most important question you and I can ever be asked, and by God’s mercy we can join Peter in responding “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

To watch the video of today's service, please click HERE.

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188   

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

       Sharing God’s Love & Mercy with Each Other & the World.

Pilgrim Website           Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"The LORD is a stronghold in times of trouble."  Psalm 9:9

Thursday Psalms: God's Purpose for You

 

Blessed Thursday to each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, your Savior!

This week's Psalm is a delightful song of thankfulness and praise for all things the Lord gives to you & me!

Psalm 138

¹ I give You thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;

      before the gods I sing Your praise;

² I bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name

      for Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness,

      for You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word.

³ On the day I called, You answered me;

      my strength of soul You increased.

⁴ All the kings of the earth shall give You thanks, O Lord,

      for they have heard the words of Your mouth,

⁵ and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,

      for great is the glory of the Lord.

⁶ For though the Lord is high, He regards the lowly,

      but the haughty He knows from afar.

⁷ Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life;

      You stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies,

          and Your right hand delivers me.

⁸ The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me;

      Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.

          Do not forsake the work of Your hands.

Notice the final three verses, which really summarize the loving relationship God gives to you and to me.  David observes what is undeniably true:  the Lord, the Creator of all things, the One who is "higher" above and over all things, "regards the lowly".  That's you and me!  The God of the universe loves you, and cares for you, and provides all things for you!  How awesome is that?

Today, I'd like to focus on the last verse, especially the first clause:  The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.  What a trusting statement!  As you wander about your life, crashing & bumping into troubles and crises and things we can't explain, this promise keeps you focused on God.  In all things, God leads you according to His purpose, which matters here and eternally.  Why?  Because God's love for you is steadfast, unchanging, constant and yes, it endures forever!

Thank You, O Lord for this psalm, and for how You wonderfully regard us, in Your love and mercy!  Teach me to trust in You to fulfill Your purpose for me."  AMEN

Your servant in Christ,

Pastor Mark

Pilgrim Lutheran Church, LCMS    Burton, Michigan

office:  810.744.1188 

We are Pilgrims with a Purpose:  

     Sharing God’s Love & Mercy with Each Other & the World.

Pilgrim Website       Pilgrim Facebook page

Soli Deo Gloria

"The LORD is a stronghold in times of trouble."  Psalm 9:9