Psalm 94

Psalm 95 - Daily Devotion - 21 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

1 O LORD, God of vengeance,
O God of vengeance, shine forth.
2 Rise up, O Judge of the earth;
render a reward to the proud.
3 How long will the wicked, O LORD,
how long will the wicked exult?

4 They pour out arrogant words;
all workers of iniquity boast.
5 They crush Your people, O LORD;
they oppress Your heritage.
6 They kill the widow and the foreigner;
they murder the fatherless.
7 They say, “The LORD does not see;
the God of Jacob pays no heed.”

8 Take notice, O senseless among the people!
O fools, when will you be wise?
9 He who affixed the ear, can He not hear?
He who formed the eye, can He not see?
10 He who admonishes the nations, does He not discipline?
He who teaches man, does He lack knowledge?
11 The LORD knows the thoughts of man,
that they are futile.

12 Blessed is the man You discipline, O LORD,
and teach from Your law,
13 to grant him relief from days of trouble,
until a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the LORD will not forsake His people;
He will never abandon His heritage.
15 Surely judgment will again be righteous,
and all the upright in heart will follow it.

16 Who will rise up for me against the wicked?
Who will stand for me against the workers of iniquity?
17 Unless the LORD had been my helper,
I would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.
18 If I say, “My foot is slipping,”
Your loving devotion, O LORD, supports me.
19 When anxiety overwhelms me,
Your consolation delights my soul.

20 Can a corrupt throne be Your ally—
one devising mischief by decree?
21 They band together against the righteous
and condemn the innocent to death.
22 But the LORD has been my stronghold,
and my God is my rock of refuge.
23 He will bring upon them their own iniquity
and destroy them for their wickedness.
The LORD our God will destroy them.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 95

Psalm 94 - Daily Devotion - 20 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

1 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD;
let us shout to the Rock of our salvation!
2 Let us enter His presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to Him in song.

3 For the LORD is a great God,
a great King above all gods.
4 In His hand are the depths of the earth,
and the mountain peaks belong to Him.
5 The sea is His, for He made it,
and His hands formed the dry land.

6 O come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.
7 For He is our God,
and we are the people of His pasture,
the sheep under His care.

Today, if you hear His voice,
8 do not harden your hearts
as you did at Meribah,
in the day at Massah in the wilderness,
9 where your fathers tested and tried Me,
though they had seen My work.
10 For forty years I was angry with that generation,
and I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray,
and they have not known My ways.”
11 So I swore on oath in My anger,
“They shall never enter My rest.”

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 92-93

Psalms 92-93 - Daily Devotion - 19 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Psalm 92

A Psalm. A song for the Sabbath day.

1 It is good to praise the LORD,
and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High,
2 to proclaim Your loving devotion in the morning
and Your faithfulness at night
3 with the ten-stringed harp
and the melody of the lyre.

4 For You, O LORD, have made me glad by Your deeds;
I sing for joy at the works of Your hands.
5 How great are Your works, O LORD,
how deep are Your thoughts!
6 A senseless man does not know,
and a fool does not understand,
7 that though the wicked sprout like grass,
and all evildoers flourish,
they will be forever destroyed.

8 But You, O LORD, are exalted forever!

9 For surely Your enemies, O LORD,
surely Your enemies will perish;
all evildoers will be scattered.
10 But You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox;
with fine oil I have been anointed.
11 My eyes see the downfall of my enemies;
my ears hear the wailing of my wicked foes.

12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Planted in the house of the LORD,
they will flourish in the courts of our God.
14 In old age they will still bear fruit;
healthy and green they will remain,
15 to proclaim, “The LORD is upright; He is my Rock,
and in Him there is no unrighteousness.”

Psalm 93

1 The LORD reigns! He is robed in majesty;
the LORD has clothed and armed Himself with strength.
The world indeed is firmly established;
it cannot be moved.
2 Your throne was established long ago;
You are from all eternity.

3 The floodwaters have risen, O LORD;
the rivers have raised their voice;
the seas lift up their pounding waves.
4 Above the roar of many waters—
the mighty breakers of the sea—
the LORD on high is majestic.

5 Your testimonies are fully confirmed;
holiness adorns Your house, O LORD,
for all the days to come.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 91

Psalms 91 - Daily Devotion - 18 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

A reminder: This month, we are using our do-it-yourself method for reading the Psalms. Each day, after the reading, I’ll ask you to reflect on two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus? It could be something about his ministry, his suffering and death, his resurrection, his kingdom, or what God has done for us through Jesus.

But don’t worry if you can’t always think of something – just read, reflect and pray.

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the LORD, “You are my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

3 Surely He will deliver you
from the snare of the fowler,
and from the deadly plague.
4 He will cover you with His feathers;
under His wings you will find refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the calamity that destroys at noon.
7 Though a thousand may fall at your side,
and ten thousand at your right hand,
no harm will come near you.
8 You will only see it with your eyes
and witness the punishment of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the LORD your dwelling—
my refuge, the Most High—10 no evil will befall you,
no plague will approach your tent.
11 For He will command His angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
12 They will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and cobra;
you will trample the young lion and serpent.

14 “Because he loves Me, I will deliver him;
because he knows My name, I will protect him.
15 When he calls out to Me,
I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble.
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him My salvation.”

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 90

Psalms 90 - Daily Devotion - 16 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

A prayer of Moses the man of God.

1 Lord, You have been our dwelling place
through all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born
or You brought forth the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting
You are God.

3 You return man to dust,
saying, “Return, O sons of mortals.”
4 For in Your sight a thousand years
are but a day that passes,
or a watch of the night.
5 You whisk them away in their sleep;
they are like the new grass of the morning—
6 in the morning it springs up new,
but by evening it fades and withers.

7 For we are consumed by Your anger
and terrified by Your wrath.
8 You have set our iniquities before You,
our secret sins in the light of Your presence.
9 For all our days decline in Your fury;
we finish our years with a sigh.
10 The length of our days is seventy years—
or eighty if we are strong—
yet their pride is but labor and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

11 Who knows the power of Your anger?
Your wrath matches the fear You are due.
12 So teach us to number our days,
that we may present a heart of wisdom.

13 Return, O LORD! How long will it be?
Have compassion on Your servants.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with Your loving devotion,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as You have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen evil.

16 May Your work be shown to Your servants,
and Your splendor to their children.
17 May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us;
establish for us the work of our hands—
yes, establish the work of our hands!

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 89:38-52

Psalms 89:38-52 - Daily Devotion - 15 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

The first part of Psalm 89 was a praise to God. Yesterday we read the central section, in which the writer reminded God of the covenant he made with King David. He describes how God chose David to be his anointed king, and then he quotes 2 Samuel 7, which was where God made a solemn promise that David’s dynasty and throne would last forever. Even if David’s sons rebelled and were punished, God would not break his covenant with David.

But it turns out that Psalm 89 was written during the exile, when Jerusalem had been overthrown by the Babylonians, and David’s descendant on the throne had been led away in chains. Today we read the final section.

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

38 Now, however, You have spurned and rejected him;
You are enraged by Your anointed one.
39 You have renounced the covenant with Your servant
and sullied his crown in the dust.
40 You have broken down all his walls;
You have reduced his strongholds to rubble.
41 All who pass by plunder him;
he has become a reproach to his neighbors.

42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes;
You have made all his enemies rejoice.
43 You have bent the edge of his sword
and have not sustained him in battle.
44 You have ended his splendor
and cast his throne to the ground.
45 You have cut short the days of his youth;
You have covered him with shame.

Selah
46 How long, O LORD?
Will You hide Yourself forever?
Will Your wrath keep burning like fire?
47 Remember the briefness of my lifespan!
For what futility You have created all men!
48 What man can live and never see death?
Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?

Selah
49 Where, O Lord, is Your loving devotion of old,
which You faithfully swore to David?
50 Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants,
which I bear in my heart from so many people—
51 how Your enemies have taunted, O LORD,
and have mocked every step of Your anointed one!

52 Blessed be the LORD forever!

Amen and amen.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 89:19-37

Psalms 89:19-37 - Daily Devotion - 14 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

Yesterday we read the first section of Psalm 89, which praised God for his faithfulness and his power as the only creator and ruler of the heavens and the earth. God uses his power to bring justice, to tame and crush the proud and those who oppress his people. Today’s we’ll read the central section.

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

19 You once spoke in a vision;
to Your godly ones You said,
“I have bestowed help on a warrior;
I have exalted one chosen from the people.
20 I have found My servant David;
with My sacred oil I have anointed him.
21 My hand will sustain him;
surely My arm will strengthen him.

22 No enemy will exact tribute;
no wicked man will oppress him.
23 I will crush his foes before him
and strike down those who hate him.
24 My faithfulness and loving devotion will be with him,
and through My name his horn will be exalted.
25 I will set his hand over the sea,
and his right hand upon the rivers.
26 He will call to Me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, the Rock of my salvation.’

27 I will indeed appoint him as My firstborn,
the highest of the kings of the earth.
28 I will forever preserve My loving devotion for him,
and My covenant with him will stand fast.
29 I will establish his line forever,
his throne as long as the heavens endure.

30 If his sons forsake My law
and do not walk in My judgments,
31 if they violate My statutes
and fail to keep My commandments,
32 I will attend to their transgression with the rod,
and to their iniquity with stripes.

33 But I will not withdraw My loving devotion from him,
nor ever betray My faithfulness.
34 I will not violate My covenant
or alter the utterance of My lips.
35 Once and for all I have sworn by My holiness—
I will not lie to David—
36 his offspring shall endure forever,
and his throne before Me like the sun,
37 like the moon, established forever,
a faithful witness in the sky.”

Selah

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 89:1-18

Psalms 89:1-18 - Daily Devotion - 13 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

1 I will sing of the loving devotion of the LORD forever;
with my mouth I will proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I have said, “Loving devotion is built up forever;
in the heavens You establish Your faithfulness.”

3 You said, “I have made a covenant with My chosen one,
I have sworn to David My servant:
4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever
and build up your throne for all generations.’”

Selah
5 The heavens praise Your wonders, O LORD—
Your faithfulness as well—
in the assembly of the holy ones.
6 For who in the skies can compare with the LORD?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD?
7 In the council of the holy ones, God is greatly feared,
and awesome above all who surround Him.

8 O LORD God of Hosts, who is like You?
O mighty LORD, Your faithfulness surrounds You.
9 You rule the raging sea;
when its waves mount up, You still them.
10 You crushed Rahab like a carcass;
You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.
11 The heavens are Yours, and also the earth.
The earth and its fullness You founded.
12 North and south You created;
Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at Your name.

13 Mighty is Your arm; strong is Your hand.
Your right hand is exalted.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
loving devotion and faithfulness go before You.

15 Blessed are those who know the joyful sound,
who walk, O LORD, in the light of Your presence.
16 They rejoice in Your name all day long,
and in Your righteousness they exult.
17 For You are the glory of their strength,
and by Your favor our horn is exalted.
18 Surely our shield belongs to the LORD,
and our king to the Holy One of Israel.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 88

Psalms 88 - Daily Devotion - 12 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

A song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. For the choirmaster. According to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.

1 O LORD, the God of my salvation,
day and night I cry out before You.
2 May my prayer come before You;
incline Your ear to my cry.
3 For my soul is full of troubles,
and my life draws near to Sheol.
4 I am counted among those descending to the Pit.
I am like a man without strength.

5 I am forsaken among the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom You remember no more,
who are cut off from Your care.

6 You have laid me in the lowest Pit,
in the darkest of the depths.
7 Your wrath weighs heavily upon me;
all Your waves have submerged me.

Selah
8 You have removed my friends from me;
You have made me repulsive to them;
I am confined and cannot escape.
9 My eyes grow dim with grief.
I call to You daily, O LORD;
I spread out my hands to You.
10 Do You work wonders for the dead?
Do departed spirits rise up to praise You?

Selah
11 Can Your loving devotion be proclaimed in the grave,
Your faithfulness in Abaddon?
12 Will Your wonders be known in the darkness,
or Your righteousness in the land of oblivion?

13 But to You, O LORD, I cry for help;
in the morning my prayer comes before You.
14 Why, O LORD, do You reject me?
Why do You hide Your face from me?

15 From my youth I was afflicted and near death.
I have borne Your terrors; I am in despair.
16 Your wrath has swept over me;
Your terrors have destroyed me.
17 All day long they engulf me like water;
they enclose me on every side.
18 You have removed my beloved and my friend;
darkness is my closest companion.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

This is one of the darkest Psalms of all. Almost all the Psalms of lament end with an expression of trust or hope in God. Psalm 88 is an exception. The writer had been suffering for a long time, and was now lonely, abandoned, close to death, and in near despair.

There is one positive thing about the Psalm – this might seem like a small thing, but it’s SO important: Even in the deepest darkness, when he is crying out in agony, he cries out to God. He asks God, just once, to hear his cry for help (v2). He calls him “O LORD God who delivers me” (v1), even though he sees no deliverance.

That is enough for this pitiful cry to be included in God’s holy Scriptures. Even this is faith.

So, what can I relate to? I’ve had periods of being unable to feel any joy, of feeling overwhelmed and trapped by darkness (v 6-8). So I find it so reassuring that God has consecrated the weakest cry to him, from within the darkness, as faith.

Is there anything that reminds me of Jesus? Well, it makes me wonder whether this is how Jesus felt in the garden of Gethsemane, as he stared into the Pit of the wrath of God against all mankind.

But most of all, I am relieved and grateful to live on this side of the resurrection of Jesus. This poor Old Covenant saint didn’t have a sure knowledge or picture of hope beyond death. I feel so sorry for him, because he thought the answer to all his terrible questions in verses 10-11 was “No” – “Do you accomplish amazing things for the dead? Do the departed spirits rise up and give you thanks? Is your loyal love proclaimed in the grave, or your faithfulness in the place of the dead?”

It's such a huge blessing that for us, even when we’re in the darkest pit of depression, we know that the resurrection has changed all the answers to a resounding “Yes!”, and that the darkness will one day give way to joy. And this Psalm gives me a new urgency to want my non-Christian friends and family to have that same assurance.

Psalm 86-87

Psalms 86-87 - Daily Devotion - 11 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

A reminder: This month, we are using our do-it-yourself method for reading the Psalms. Each day, after the reading, I’ll ask you to reflect on two questions:

1. A reminder: This month, we are using our do-it-yourself method for reading the Psalms. Each day, after the reading, I’ll ask you to reflect on two questions:

   1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

   2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus? It could be something about his ministry, his suffering and death, his resurrection, his kingdom, or what God has done for us through Jesus.

   But don’t worry if you can’t always think of something – just read, reflect and pray.

~~~

Psalm 86

A prayer of David.

1 Incline Your ear, O LORD, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my soul, for I am godly.
You are my God; save Your servant who trusts in You.
3 Be merciful to me, O Lord,
for I call to You all day long.
4 Bring joy to Your servant,
for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

5 For You, O Lord, are kind and forgiving,
rich in loving devotion to all who call on You.
6 Hear my prayer, O LORD,
and attend to my plea for mercy.
7 In the day of my distress I call on You,
because You answer me.

8 O Lord, there is none like You among the gods,
nor any works like Yours.
9 All the nations You have made
will come and bow before You, O Lord,
and they will glorify Your name.
10 For You are great and perform wonders;
You alone are God.

11 Teach me Your way, O LORD,
that I may walk in Your truth.
Give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear Your name.
12 I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify Your name forever.
13 For great is Your loving devotion to me;
You have delivered me from the depths of Sheol.

14 The arrogant rise against me, O God;
a band of ruthless men seeks my life,
with no regard for You.
15 But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.

16 Turn to me and have mercy;
grant Your strength to Your servant;
save the son of Your maidservant.
17 Show me a sign of Your goodness,
that my enemies may see and be ashamed;
for You, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

As you read today about Zion, God’s holy mountain, remember that the New Testament tells us that the true Mount Zion we are looking forward to is the heavenly city where we will dwell with God forever (Hebrews 12:22-24; Revelation 14:1).

Psalm 87

A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A song.

1 He has founded His city
on the holy mountains.
2 The LORD loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are ascribed to you,
O city of God.

Selah
4 “I will mention Rahab and Babylon
among those who know Me—
along with Philistia, Tyre, and Cush —
when I say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’”

5 And it will be said of Zion:
“This one and that one were born in her,
and the Most High Himself will establish her.”

6 The LORD will record in the register of the peoples:
“This one was born in Zion.”

Selah
7 Singers and pipers will proclaim,
“All my springs of joy are in You.”

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 85

Psalm 85 - Daily Devotion - 9 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

1 You showed favor to Your land, O LORD;
You restored Jacob from captivity.
2 You forgave the iniquity of Your people;
You covered all their sin.

Selah
3 You withheld all Your fury;
You turned from Your burning anger.

4 Restore us, O God of our salvation,
and put away Your displeasure toward us.
5 Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You draw out Your anger to all generations?
6 Will You not revive us again,
that Your people may rejoice in You?
7 Show us Your loving devotion, O LORD,
and grant us Your salvation.

8 I will listen to what God the LORD will say;
for He will surely speak peace to His people and His saints;
He will not let them return to folly.
9 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
that His glory may dwell in our land.

10 Loving devotion and faithfulness have joined together;
righteousness and peace have kissed.
11 Faithfulness sprouts from the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven.
12 The LORD will indeed provide what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before Him
to prepare the way for His steps.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 84

Psalm 84 - Daily Devotion - 8 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

For the choirmaster. According to Gittith.[A] A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

1 How lovely is Your dwelling place,
O LORD of Hosts!
2 My soul longs, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God.

3 Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she places her young near Your altars,
O LORD of Hosts, my King and my God.
4 How blessed are those who dwell in Your house!
They are ever praising You.

Selah
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in You,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
even the autumn rain covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength,
until each appears before God in Zion.

8 O LORD God of Hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob.

Selah
9 Take notice of our shield, O God,
and look with favor on the face of Your anointed.
10 For better is one day in Your courts
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and a shield;
the LORD gives grace and glory;
He withholds no good thing
from those who walk with integrity.

12 O LORD of Hosts,
how blessed is the man who trusts in You!

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 83

Psalm 83 - Daily Devotion - 7 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

A song. A Psalm of Asaph.

1 O God, be not silent; be not speechless;
be not still, O God.2 See how Your enemies rage,
how Your foes have reared their heads.
3 With cunning they scheme against Your people
and conspire against those You cherish,
4 saying, “Come, let us erase them as a nation;
may the name of Israel be remembered no more.”

5 For with one mind they plot together,
they form an alliance against You—
6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
of Moab and the Hagrites,
7 of Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek,
of Philistia with the people of Tyre.
8 Even Assyria has joined them,
lending strength to the sons of Lot.

Selah
9 Do to them as You did to Midian,
as to Sisera and Jabin at the River Kishon,
10 who perished at Endor
and became like dung on the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
and all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 who said, “Let us possess for ourselves
the pastures of God.”

13 Make them like tumbleweed, O my God,
like chaff before the wind.
14 As fire consumes a forest,
as a flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15 so pursue them with Your tempest,
and terrify them with Your storm.
16 Cover their faces with shame,
that they may seek Your name, O LORD.

17 May they be ever ashamed and terrified;
may they perish in disgrace.
18 May they know that You alone,
whose name is the LORD,
are Most High over all the earth.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 81-82

Psalms 81 & 82 - Daily Devotion - 6 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Psalm 81

For the choirmaster. According to Gittith. Of Asaph.

1 Sing for joy to God our strength;
make a joyful noise to the God of Jacob.
2 Lift up a song, strike the tambourine,
play the sweet-sounding harp and lyre.
3 Sound the ram’s horn at the New Moon,
and at the full moon on the day of our Feast.
4 For this is a statute for Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
5 He ordained it as a testimony for Joseph
when he went out over the land of Egypt,
where I heard an unfamiliar language:

6 “I relieved his shoulder of the burden;
his hands were freed from the basket.
7 You called out in distress, and I rescued you;
I answered you from the cloud of thunder;
I tested you at the waters of Meribah.

Selah
8 Hear, O My people, and I will warn you:
O Israel, if only you would listen to Me!
9 There must be no strange god among you,
nor shall you bow to a foreign god.
10 I am the LORD your God,
who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth,
and I will fill it.

11 But My people would not listen to Me,
and Israel would not obey Me.
12 So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices.
13 If only My people would listen to Me,
if Israel would follow My ways,
14 how soon I would subdue their enemies
and turn My hand against their foes!
15 Those who hate the LORD would feign obedience,
and their doom would last forever.
16 But I would feed you the finest wheat;
with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

psalm 82

A Psalm of Asaph.

1 God presides in the divine assembly;
He renders judgment among the gods:

2 “How long will you judge unjustly
and show partiality to the wicked?

Selah
3 Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;
uphold the rights of the afflicted and oppressed.
4 Rescue the weak and needy;
save them from the hand of the wicked.
5 They do not know or understand;
they wander in the darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I have said, ‘You are gods;
you are all sons of the Most High.’
7 But like mortals you will die,
and like rulers you will fall.”

8 Arise, O God, judge the earth,
for all the nations are Your inheritance.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 80

Psalm 80 - Daily Devotion - 5 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

As you read, keep in mind our two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Lilies of the Covenant.” A Psalm of Asaph.

1 Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel,
who leads Joseph like a flock;
You who sit enthroned between the cherubim,
shine forth
2 before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh.
Rally Your mighty power
and come to save us.
3 Restore us, O God,
and cause Your face to shine upon us,
that we may be saved.

4 O LORD God of Hosts,
how long will Your anger smolder
against the prayers of Your people?
5 You fed them with the bread of tears
and made them drink the full measure of their tears.
6 You make us contend with our neighbors;
our enemies mock us.
7 Restore us, O God of Hosts,
and cause Your face to shine upon us,
that we may be saved.

8 You uprooted a vine from Egypt;
You drove out the nations and transplanted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it,
and it took root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered by its shade,
and the mighty cedars with its branches.
11 It sent out its branches to the Sea,
and its shoots toward the River.

12 Why have You broken down its walls,
so that all who pass by pick its fruit?
13 The boar from the forest ravages it,
and the creatures of the field feed upon it.
14 Return, O God of Hosts, we pray!
Look down from heaven and see!
Attend to this vine—
15 the root Your right hand has planted,
the son You have raised up for Yourself.

16 Your vine has been cut down and burned;
they perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.
17 Let Your hand be upon the man at Your right hand,
on the son of man You have raised up for Yourself.
18 Then we will not turn away from You;
revive us, and we will call on Your name.
19 Restore us, O LORD God of Hosts;
cause Your face to shine upon us,
that we may be saved.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

Psalm 79

Psalm 79 - Daily Devotion - 4 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

This month, we are returning to our devotions through the book of Psalms. For these devotions, instead of hearing someone else’s reflections like we normally do, each day I’ll ask you to reflect on the Psalm yourself using two simple questions:

1. What things in the Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus? It could be something about his ministry, his suffering and death, his resurrection, his kingdom, or what God has done for us through Jesus.

But don’t worry if you can’t always think of something – just read, reflect and pray.

~~~

A Psalm of Asaph.

1 The nations, O God, have invaded Your inheritance;
they have defiled Your holy temple
and reduced Jerusalem to rubble.
2 They have given the corpses of Your servants
as food to the birds of the air,
the flesh of Your saints to the beasts of the earth.
3 They have poured out their blood like water
all around Jerusalem,
and there is no one to bury the dead.
4 We have become a reproach to our neighbors,
a scorn and derision to those around us.

5 How long, O LORD?
Will You be angry forever?
Will Your jealousy burn like fire?
6 Pour out Your wrath on the nations
that do not acknowledge You,
on the kingdoms
that refuse to call on Your name,
7 for they have devoured Jacob
and devastated his homeland.

8 Do not hold past sins against us;
let Your compassion come quickly,
for we are brought low.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation,
for the glory of Your name;
deliver us and atone for our sins,
for the sake of Your name.
10 Why should the nations ask,
“Where is their God?”
Before our eyes, make known among the nations
Your vengeance for the bloodshed of Your servants.

11 May the groans of the captives reach You;
by the strength of Your arm preserve those condemned to death.
12 Pay back into the laps of our neighbors
sevenfold the reproach they hurled at You, O Lord.
13 Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture,
will thank You forever;
from generation to generation
we will declare Your praise.

REFLECTIONS

Now think about the two questions:

1. What things in this Psalm can I relate to?

2. Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?

Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.

John 9:39–41

John 9:39-41 - Daily Devotion - 2 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

39 Then Jesus declared, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind may see and those who see may become blind.”

40 Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this, and they asked Him, “Are we blind too?”

41 “If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Ness Wong

Today’s passage concludes the story of John 9 with irony – “that the blind may see and those who see may become blind.” (v 39). Jesus had not just healed a blind man of his physical blindness, but enlightened him spiritually to see and believe in the Son of Man. This healed blind man contrasted starkly with the Pharisees. Although the Pharisees claimed to know God’s law (v 14-16), though they had seen the miraculous evidence of Jesus’ divine power (v 16, 18-20), and though they had heard the blind man’s testimony twice (v 24, 27), they remained blinded to the reality that Jesus indeed was sent from God. And so – Jesus warned them – they remained guilty of their sins and would be judged.

At first, I marvelled at the Pharisees’ hard-heartedness. I traced through Jesus’ lengthy dialogue with the Pharisees in John 7–10. He warned them repeatedly that they would die in their sins if they did not repent and believe in Him (John 8:24). While Jesus’ warnings may come across as harsh, each challenge was also a gracious invitation to ask Him for forgiveness and be freed from sin (John 8:34-36).

Then I was also struck by my own stubbornness of heart. Although I have sought Jesus’ forgiveness, I often stray back to sinning – particularly in lack of contentment and holding grudges. In this sense I am too much like the Pharisees – I claim to “see”, and I do “see”, but often still act as if I am “blind”. And I heard Jesus calling me to repent. 

This passage spurred me to keep praying for people who have had opportunities to hear the gospel and have been encouraged to know Jesus, but have not yet repented and believed – including people in my extended family. I also pray that Jesus will keep opening my eyes to recognise my own sins, and that He will enable me to repent and follow Him.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ness is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

John 9:35–38

John 9:35-38 - Daily Devotion - 1 May 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

35 When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, He found the man and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man ?”

36 “Who is He, Sir?” he replied. “Tell me so that I may believe in Him.”

37 “You have already seen Him,” Jesus answered. “He is the One speaking with you.”

38 “Lord, I believe,” he said. And he worshiped Jesus.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Ken Ip

In these verses, we see how Jesus not only notices the man's boldness in standing up to the Pharisees, he then goes back to find the man, to comfort him and strengthen his faith. It shows that Jesus wasn't just concerned about the man’s physical health; he was concerned with his spiritual wellbeing.

In verse 35 Jesus asks him a simple but powerful question: “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The man’s response shows his genuine gratitude he for the kindness that has been shown to him: “Who is He, sir? Tell me so that I may believe in Him.”

I find it interesting that here, Jesus clearly reveals who He is, which He didn’t always do until the time came for him to go to the cross. Another instance when Jesus clearly revealed his identity was with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). In both cases, it’s to people on the margins – a man who was blind and thrown out by the Pharisees (v 34) and a woman who was rejected by society. I'm reminded that often God has a heart for those society overlooks. Do we also have the same love for those on the margins? They are often the ones who will respond to Jesus. We all know of people who feel secure in their wealth, knowledge or power, and who don’t see their need for Jesus. Sadly, they think they have everything, but remain spiritually blind.

We live in a world where technology may one day be able to cure many causes of blindness, but I'm reminded from this passage that what matters most is spiritual sight – to recognize who Jesus really is, understand our need for Him, and respond to him. In the final few verses, we watch this man's understanding of Jesus grow from “a man” to “a prophet” and finally to the Lord who he worships. Let's pray that as we share the good news of Jesus with others, they too will come to know and worship him as Lord and saviour.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ken is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 9:24–34

John 9:24-34 - Daily Devotion - 30 April 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

24 So a second time they called for the man who had been blind and said, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.”

25 He answered, “Whether He is a sinner I do not know. There is one thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see!”

26 “What did He do to you?” they asked. “How did He open your eyes?”

27 He replied, “I already told you, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”

28 Then they heaped insults on him and said, “You are His disciple; we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this man is from.”

30 “That is remarkable indeed!” the man said. “You do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will. 32 Never before has anyone heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, He could do no such thing.”

34 They replied, “You were born in utter sin, and you are instructing us?” And they threw him out.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Dania Mourad

When I read through this passage, I had many lightbulbs turn on. While it seems like a simple case of “Jesus restores a blind man’s sight,” this miracle unveils so much more. What was first clear to me was the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees – how they saw and heard the man’s testimony, yet they still did not believe. It reminded me of the Israelites in Numbers 13–14, when they were on the border of the promised land and God commanded them to enter and take possession of it. They had seen God part the Red Sea and provide food and water for them in the wilderness, yet they refused to trust him when facing Canaan. It struck me that unbelief is often not a matter of lacking evidence, but of resisting what is already clear because it challenges our control, assumptions, or pride. My prayer is that God removes the veil of unbelief and pride from all non-believers, whether they are atheists or modern-day religious Pharisees. My prayer is also that God continues to strengthen the faith of all believers as we journey with him in this life. I also found myself reflecting on how easy it is, even as believers, to slip into subtle forms of spiritual blindness, by forgetting God’s power and kindness in rescuing us and giving us eternal life through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Another valuable angle of this passage I reflected upon was the testimony of the believer. I believe that despite others’ unbelief, there is still power in our testimony. So often we underestimate our Christian testimony, thinking it’s too little, too basic or too dense, and that people will be scared away by it. But God has brought us to him and healed us in different ways that are powerfully reflective of who he is. My prayer is that even when we share our testimony and others don’t turn to faith, God will grant us the comfort and courage to continue sharing it and trusting in his work. The healed man boldly stood his ground in testifying to who he knew Jesus to be, despite the pressure of the Pharisees. May our faithful God continue to give us his strength to keep sharing our testimony and ultimately sharing the gospel to bring many to Jesus.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dania is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

John 9:18–23

John 9:18-23 - Daily Devotion - 29 April 2026

St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

18 The Jews still did not believe that the man had been blind and had received his sight until they summoned his parents 19 and asked, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? So how is it that he can now see?”

20 His parents answered, “We know he is our son, and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can now see or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself.”

22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. For the Jews had already determined that anyone who confessed Jesus as the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

Today’s passage gives us a picture of two different fear responses: threats and staying quiet.

I suspect the Jewish leaders were afraid of losing their positions of power and influence if people started believing in Jesus. They responded to their fear by threatening to excommunicate anyone who confessed Jesus as the Messiah. You would think that they would have been eager to consider this man Jesus – after all, the Old Testament prophets had said that when God’s promised salvation arrived, the eyes of the blind would be opened (Isaiah 35:5). But they had already prejudged Jesus – they thought they had too much to lose.

The blind man’s parents were afraid for a much more obvious reason: the threats of the Jewish leaders. They respond by staying quiet. They don’t want to talk about how their son had been gloriously healed. Instead, they throw their son under the bus – “Leave us alone, go talk to him.”

I can relate to their fear response. I’ve kept quiet instead of speaking up about Jesus. I’ve felt intimidated and nervous when someone challenges me on whether faith in Jesus is credible.

But I was also remembering today that as Christians, we really do have the power in us to overcome that fear and not worry about people’s disapproval or threats. It’s not a power of our own, it’s the Holy Spirit who lives in us. In Miriam Bradshaw’s latest prayer letter from Spain, she shared about a boy called Christian who is 16 (and yes, he’s a Christian!). One of his teachers told them to bring a physical book to school to read for one hour a week. He started taking his Bible. Miriam said, “He’s attracted the ire of his teacher but the interest of his friends, two of whom he’s since bought Bibles for too.” What a contrast to the blind man’s parents! I’m sure Christian felt intimidated by his teacher’s disapproval, but he’s a great reminder of the difference that knowing Jesus makes. When you have the assurance of knowing that God is with you and you have eternal life, you can learn to overcome your fear and speak about your faith in Jesus. And God will use our words, in his time, to bring others to find new life in Jesus.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our senior minister.