Someone a few years ago encouraged me to read a Psalm a day. I thought it sounded silly. I despised reading through the Psalms. Most of the time, I did not understand. They all sounded the same to me. However, I dutifully obeyed their suggestion and have since benefited greatly from the practice. I had been reading a chapter from Proverbs nearly daily for many years before that time, to grow in wisdom. Today, reading a chapter from Psalms as well has become a part of my normal Bible reading.

After reading Psalm 80 recently, I felt as if the words were washing over me like a comforting blanket. The Psalms explain emotions, that we often cannot even express ourselves. It’s a book of songs, of prayers, of cries, and of wrestling with questions to God. It’s where God’s people lament and complain. It is where they are reminded of God’s truth, yet are comforted by His Sovereignty.

“Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved” (Psalm 80:3). Restore us. Restore us. Restore us. That phrase is repeated three times in the Psalm. The definition of restore is “…to return, to put or bring back into existence or use, to bring back to or put back into a former or original state, to put again in possession of something” (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restore). It’s the idea of something becoming new again, regaining what has been lost or damaged, returning a relationship to its original purpose. Restoration.

I know of a shop in Indiana called “Re-store.” It’s a place where you can take used furniture and they re-sell it and then donate the money to those in need. It’s through Habitat for Humanity. I have both donated and purchased things at such stores.

In the Psalm, the Psalmist asks God for restoration for himself and his people. He asks God to restore their relationship with Him. He asks for salvation. The people have strayed from their God and the Psalmist asks God to fix that. Verse 18 reads, “…revive us, and we will call on your name” (Psalm 80:18).

I wonder how often we wander from the Lord and desire a closer relationship with Him, and yet, fail to seek Him to help us restore that? Sure, we may be at fault. We have wandered. But we cannot save ourselves! We need God for that. I do not know where you find yourself at the start of this new 2024 year, but perhaps the first place is to seek God to help restore your relationship with Him. Maybe before even goal setting, we should start with a confession to God of a wandering heart, followed by a petition seeking His help to get right with Him. If that rings a bell with you, read Psalm 80 today and make it your prayer, “Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved” (Psalm 80:3).

Bible Reading Ideas to grow in your walk with God

1. Get a VERSION of the Bible you understand and enjoy. Click here for a link to an explanation on Bible translations. You will either get a word for word translation, like the NASB, a thought for thought translation, like the NIV, or a paraphrased translation, like the Message.
2. Decide HOW MUCH time you will set aside to read God’s Word each day. For example, five minutes, 15, 30, an hour, or more? DL Moody spent something like six hours a day in God’s Word in his old age. If you’re just starting, start small, but if you’re a veteran, seek the Lord if perhaps He desires you to spend more time in His Word.
3. Decide WHEN and WHERE you will spend time in God’s Word. At a coffee shop? At your kitchen table? A certain couch or chair? In your bed. In the mornings or at night or on your lunch break? Or if using audio Bible, while you fold laundry or while you drive to and from work?
4. Decide HOW you will spend the time in His Word and set some reading goals.
   1. For example: reading one chapter a day will only take 5-15 minutes. Reading three-five chapters a day might take you half an hour, if you’re really absorbing what you are reading.
   1. Or maybe you want to read through the Bible in a year. Then get a Bible or reading plan that guides you through that.
   1. Or perhaps you will join a Bible study and simply do the homework each day. That works too! Studying God’s Word in community is nearly always better! Being able to discuss what you are learning through His Word will add to your spiritual growth as well and help cement that knowledge.

Here are some personal ideas for Bible reading for perhaps those times you do not have Bible study homework or something.

• Read a chapter from Psalms each day.
• Read the chapter from Proverbs that corresponds to the day of the month each day. When you get tired of that, try Ecclesiastes for a break.
• Read a chapter from the Old Testament each day
• Read a chapter from the New Testament each day
• Read a chapter from Acts each day

Obviously, I would not suggest doing all of these at once right away, but if you feel so led, go for it!

While I have been to seminary, I have grown the most in my Bible knowledge through studying God’s Word in Precept Bible studies. If you want to join me in studying God’s Word through Precept, please let me know.