A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 52

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 52
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

But I am like a green (flourishing, thriving) olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy (faithfulness, steadfast love) of God forever and ever (Psalm 52:8 Expanded).
 
Scripture loves using creation to help us understand spiritual truth and Kingdom principles.

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, we read about the sun and moon, the stars, the mountains and the seas, birds and horses, fish and camels, plants and trees.
 
We have some beautiful evergreen trees in our backyard that delight me every time I look at them.

I have often thought how tough it must be for a tree to survive considering all they have to endure—including constant temperature changes, winds, hail, ice, severe thunderstorms, and drought.
 
What would you think if someone said to you, “You remind me of an olive tree.” Well, take it as a complement! That’s what David said about himself. Psalm 52 references the olive tree as a way of explaining how our lives are impacted by being in the presence of the Lord.
 
Here are some reasons why David likened himself to the olive tree:
 

• The olive tree is an evergreen. An evergreen tree symbolizes endurance, resilience, and everlasting life. For believers, everlasting life is Christ’s life in us.
• The olive tree flourishes and thrives because of the life within it. Regardless of the weather conditions that surround it the olive tree stands strong, and so will we as we remain rooted and grounded in Him.
• The olive tree doesn’t just look good, it’s productive, bearing fruit in due season. It is the fruit of the Spirit that will bring others to glorify the Lord as they see Him working through us.
• The olive tree is a messenger of hope and encouragement. It was a branch from the olive tree that the dove brought back to Noah before he left the ark.
• The olive tree carries in its fruit the olive oil that brought light to the temple and the anointing oil for ministry. The light of our lives and the impact of our ministry comes from the Holy Spirit.

Insight: In Bible times the olive tree was one of the most valued and useful trees in the land of Israel. In the Lord, every believer is precious in God’s sight and is called to be a valued and useful vessel, pouring forth the treasures of God’s kingdom through the life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit.

#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 51

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 51
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow
 
Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. 
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight—That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge. 
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 
Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit (Psalm 51:1-4, 7, 10-12).
 
Oh, the good news that God is merciful!  Greater still, that He is merciful to us. Let our hearts celebrate, to the fullest measure, God’s mercies in our lives.
 
He is as merciful to us today as He was yesterday, and His mercies will welcome us to a new day tomorrow morning when we arise.
 
God’s mercies are tender mercies, lovingkindness mercies, and compassion mercies. His mercies bring to us the grace of forgiveness, the grace of forgiveness brings cleansing, and the grace of cleansing brings to our hearts the deliverance from all condemnation. 
 
Without God’s mercies we would be overcome and destroyed by the guilt of sin. Our bank accounts couldn’t purchase our redemption, our good deeds couldn’t balance the scales of justice, our sacrifices couldn’t stay the hand of judgment. 
 
God’s mercy is not saying to us:

• That’s okay, try harder next time.
• I’ll look the other way this time.
• No problem, no one is perfect.
• Win some, lose some.
• Don’t be so hard on yourself, I know you’re a good person at heart.

 
God’s mercy is saying to us:

• I know you’ve sinned against me. 
• I will not give you what you deserve.
• My Son took your judgement upon Himself so you could be forgiven.
• His blood will wash you whiter than snow.

 
Insights:

God has promised to supply all our need’s through His riches in Christ.
God has promised to bless us with all the spiritual blessings that are in Christ.
God has promised to forgive all our sins through the redeeming power of the blood of Christ.

#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

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 50

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 50
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow
Offer to God thanksgiving…Whoever offers praise glorifies Me (Psalm 50:14, 23).
 
The Bible statement, “In Him we live, and move, and have our being.” is found in Acts 17. It was spoken by the Apostle Paul. It has some similarities to Psalm 50. Here are a few verses from that chapter…

“God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.  Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.”

Every person born into this world is dependent upon God. Each of us was created by Him, with the purpose of knowing Him and living for Him. Those who miss this, miss it all!

There is no god like our God! Do you know a god greater than our God? Of course not!

Who is our God?

He is from everlasting to everlasting; He is all knowing; He knows the end of something before it begins; He is flawless, errorless, sinless; He is perfect perfectness; He is everywhere you’ve been and everywhere you haven’t been; He is over there and over here, at the same time; It doesn’t matter how high you go He is above you; it doesn’t matter how strong you are, He is stronger; He is never on the wrong side or the losing side; He is the Lord God almighty!

Do you know any other god like that? Of course not!

How do you respond to such an amazing God?

Here are three ways:

1. THANKSGIVING: Appreciation for what God does
2. PRAISE: Celebration for who God is
3. WORSHIP: Adoration for all God does and is

Insight: Every favor, every blessing, every gift that God has given to you has come freely, by grace. Thanksgiving, praise and worship are your gifts back to Him.

Insight: Give your life to the One who is All Wise, He’ll know what to do with it; Give your heart to the One who is Pure Love, He'll know how to care for it; Give your future to the One who is Forever Faithful, He’ll know how to secure it.

#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
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A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 49

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 49
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

Hear this, all peoples; Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, Both low and high, Rich and poor together. My mouth shall speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding (Psalm 49:1-3).
 
Psalm 49 points us away from the deception of wealth and the false sense of security that riches can bring. “You can’t take it with you“ is a common saying people use regarding riches. However, the following saying can also be true, “You may not be able to take your treasures with you, but you can send them on ahead!” (Read Matthew 6:19-20).
 
True riches, and the richest riches, are Kingdom of God riches. Kingdom of God riches point us towards the things that last forever. Jesus placed top priority upon God’s kingdom when He told us to seek His kingdom first. Kingdom riches are secure. They have eternal value and relate to the things that matter most and last forever. 
 
Early in our marriage my wife and I joined a missionary organization that operated a Christian bookstore ministry in Puerto Rico. The staff in Puerto Rico lived communally and provided everything my wife and I and our two young children needed. Before leaving for the Island, we gave our few possessions to the missionary organization to use where needed.
 
Our time in Puerto Rico only lasted a year. We left with a treasure chest of life lessons but very little materially. When we landed back in Los Angeles we gathered our five suitcases (which contained all we owned) and waited outside for a family member to pick us up. As I stood looking down at those suitcases I was suddenly covered with a deep sense of God’s peace. In that moment God spoke these words to my heart…
“No possession you add to your life will increase the peace you now have, and no possession removed from your life will diminish that peace.”
 
True and lasting peace, hope, and love are Kingdom fruits that enter our hearts and remain because of the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the only source of Kingdom fruit.
 
Insight: The treasures of the fruits of the Spirit are Kingdom realities and are not for sale.

#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

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 48

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 48
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised In the city of our God, In His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, The joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, The city of the great King. God is in her palaces; He is known as her refuge. We have thought, O God, on Your loving-kindness the midst of Your temple. According to Your name, O God, So is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness. Let Mount Zion rejoice, Let the daughters of Judah be glad, Because of Your judgments. Walk about Zion, And go all around her. Count her towers; Mark well her bulwarks; Consider her palaces; That you may tell it to the generation following. For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death (Psalm 48:1-3, 9-14).

All the insights that God is revealing to your heart are important treasures to pass on to the generation following. These insights are included as a vital part of your spiritual heritage to your children and grandchildren.

As we’ve already discovered, there are many Psalms that reveal who God is, what He does, and how His people respond to Him. Included below is a list of response questions that you can use while reading through the Psalms. These questions can help you discover new insights about your relationship with the Lord and your walk with Him.

Is there something in this Psalm or verse that…
*reveals who God is?
*reveals what God does, has done, or will do?
*reveals how God thinks or feels?
*reveals what God wants to do in me?
*reveals how I need to respond to God?
*reveals a step of obedience I need to take?
*reveals something I need to believe?
*reveals something new I have discovered?
*reveals a key word I would like to study?

One final question…
How can I turn this Psalm or verse into a prayer?

If a cluster of heavenly fruit hangs within reach, gather it.
If a promise lies upon the page as a blank check, cash it.
If a prayer is recorded, appropriate it, and launch it as a feathered arrow from the bow of your desire.
If an example of holiness gleams before you, ask God to do as much for you.
If a truth is revealed in all intrinsic splendor, entreat that its brilliance may ever irradiate
the hemisphere of your life like a star. -F.B. Meyer
 
Insight: Keeping a journal to capture what the Holy Spirit reveals to you through Scripture can be a helpful and practical way of passing along your spiritual heritage to future generations.

#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