Thursday Psalms: Afflicted for Good!

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

We don't know exactly what afflicted the psalmist, but usually to be afflicted is not a good thing. It was most likely uncomfortable or difficult. Could it be a punishment of some kind? Did God discipline him in a specific way? Perhaps some kind of trauma, or even perhaps a dream or vision from the Holy Spirit? We don't know what his affliction was, but he does tell us it profoundly changed him.

Psalm 119:65–72

65 You have dealt well with Your servant,

O Lord, according to Your word.

66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge,

for I believe in Your commandments.

67 Before I was afflicted I went astray,

but now I keep Your word.

68 You are good and do good;

teach me Your statutes.

69 The insolent smear me with lies,

but with my whole heart I keep Your precepts;

70 their heart is unfeeling like fat,

but I delight in Your law.

71 It is good for me that I was afflicted,

that I might learn Your statutes.

72 The law of Your mouth is better to me

than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

The psalmist points out the great spiritual benefits he obtained, because of his affliction. First, we're told the affliction produced a spirit of obedience and discipline to keep God's word & commandments. This is always a good thing! Second, the affliction caused the psalmist writer to seek out and learn God's teachings or statutes. Again, a very good and blessed result.

In our sinful & selfish condition, we can't escape afflictions, as much as we would like to do so. Our good prayer today is that God would guide us to good results from our afflictions, that they would turn us to learn God's statutes, to believe in His commandments, and to keep God's Word in every way possible. And the best news ever? God forgives your afflictions and all sins; just confess them and receive His mercy and grace in return!

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 May 31, 2026

 

Pilgrim Lutheran Church

The Festival of the Holy Trinity

May 31, 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 usual Sunday schedule starts with Adult Bible class at 9:15 am and then our 10:30 am Worship service.  

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:  Genesis 1:1–2:4a

                         Psalm:  Psalm 8

  The Second Reading:  Acts 2:14a, 22–36

                        Gospel:  Matthew 28:16–20

THEME FOR WORSHIP

As we consider God the Holy Trinity, we simple can never fully understand how God has revealed His nature in the Holy Trinity, always both one God and three Persons.  By faith we’re able to believe and confess this truth, yet God remains beyond our understanding.  

God is so majestic and powerful, and yet He loves “little old you” more than you can even begin to imagine!   This Jesus, who God the Father made Lord and Christ, has poured out God the Holy Spirit on you, and has saved you from sin, death and eternal damnation!  That, we can understand!

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 Is Majestic!

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

In this psalm, David poses the great paradox, one of the most remarkable questions about our human existence and relationship with God.  As David considers all the evidence of God's glorious creation, he wonders...What do you see in us?  To use David's words:  "...what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You care for him?  What have we done to deserve being put in charge of God's created masterpiece?  

   Psalm 8    A Psalm of David.

¹ O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!

      You have set Your glory above the heavens.

² Out of the mouth of babies and infants,

      You have established strength because of Your foes,

              to still the enemy and the avenger.

³ When I look at Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,

      the moon and the stars, which You have set in place,

⁴ what is man that You are mindful of him,

      and the son of man that You care for him?

⁵ Yet You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings

      and crowned him with glory and honor.

⁶ You have given him dominion over the works of Your hands;

      You have put all things under his feet,

⁷ all sheep and oxen,

      and also the beasts of the field,

⁸ the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,

      whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

⁹ O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! 

Notice how David poses this question and does not even address our sinfulness, which just amplifies this remarkable question?  Why should God be mindful of you?  Why should God care for me?  Based on how we treat God and others, why shouldn't God simply zap us off the face of the earth?  The answer is amazing, remarkable and very simple:  God loves you!  God loves every one of His created children, even those who do not love Him.  You and I are God's sons and daughters, both by our creation in His image, and also by the salvation won for us, and given to us by Jesus Christ, God's Son.  

Tonight, tomorrow, every time you confess your sins to God, you're asking this same question:  "God, who am I that you should even allow me to come into Your presence and say "I'm sorry."?"  We are totally undeserving of God's mercy, but He gladly and lovingly forgives us all the sins we sincerely confess.  What a great gift of mercy and grace God gives to us!  All of us should be singing and shouting every day these words of David:  O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! 

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