Week 1: Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.
Prayer Requests
April 3 – This April, we are using the Psalms to pray for growth in character. Pray that the church in China would grow in the Spirit-filled character modeled by the Risen King!
April 4 – Pray that the church in China would not “walk in the counsel of the wicked,” but rather find their delight in the law of the Lord (Ps. 1).
April 5 – Pray for the Chinese church to be rooted in prayer, and that new prayer leaders would be raised up to humbly lead on their knees.
April 6 – Pray that the church in China would be “like a tree planted by streams of water,” yielding Christ-like fruit (Ps. 1).
April 7 – Pray for Christian parents in China seeking to educate their children in Christ-like character.
April 8 – Pray for imprisoned Chinese Christians to have the Spirit-given strength to model Christ-like character in prison.
April 9 – Pray that the Lord would “prosper” the church in China, that he would sanctify them and save the lost (Ps. 1).
A Truly Blessed Life
Read a reflection on Psalm 1 from a Chinese Christian.
Week 2: Psalm 15
1 O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?
Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
and speaks truth in his heart;
3 who does not slander with his tongue
and does no evil to his neighbor,
nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
but who honors those who fear the Lord;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 who does not put out his money at interest
and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.
Prayer Requests
April 10 – Pray that the church in China would cling to Christ, who imparts his righteousness on them, rather than walk in self-righteousness.
April 11 – Pray that the church in China would be empowered to “walk blamelessly” by the Spirit (Ps. 15).
April 12 – Pray for pandemic prevention and control in Shanghai in the midst of a COVID-19 outbreak, and for health and safety for believers there.
April 13 – Continue to pray for the families of those affected by the China Eastern plane crash at the end of March.
April 14 – Pray that the Chinese church would love their neighbors and “do no evil” against them (Ps. 15).
April 15 – Pray that the Chinese church would despise vileness and honor and fear the Lord (Ps. 15).
April 16 – Pray that the Chinese church would walk with integrity, and love and care for the innocent and oppressed (Ps 15).
The Culture of the Kingdom of Heaven
Read a reflection on Psalm 15 from a Chinese Christian.
Week 3: Psalm 51
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
O God of my salvation,
and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
build up the walls of Jerusalem;
19 then will you delight in right sacrifices,
in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Prayer Requests
April 17 – This Easter, thank the Lord for his unfailing love to the church in China, that he has cleansed them whiter than snow.
April 18 – Pray that Christians in China would have “broken and contrite hearts,” rather than pride, before the Lord (Ps. 51).
April 19 – Pray for Christians in Shanghai who are donning protective gear to serve their neighbors in the midst of massive COVID outbreak and lockdowns.
April 20 – Pray for Christians in Central China who were recently arrested and fined for worshiping at unregistered churches.
April 21 – Pray that desire for power or comfort would not keep Chinese Christians from humble repentance from sin (Ps 51).
April 22 – Pray that Chinese Christians would repent with gospel-awareness rather than moralism.
April 23 – Pray that God would always be “restoring the joy of salvation” to Chinese believers with the assurance of forgiveness (Ps 51).
A Song of Joyful Repentance
Read a reflection on Psalm 51 from a Chinese Christian.
Week 4: Psalm 37
1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.
7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
11 But the meek shall inherit the land
and delight themselves in abundant peace.
12 The wicked plots against the righteous
and gnashes his teeth at him,
13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he sees that his day is coming.
14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose way is upright;
15 their sword shall enter their own heart,
and their bows shall be broken.
16 Better is the little that the righteous has
than the abundance of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
but the Lord upholds the righteous.
18 The Lord knows the days of the blameless,
and their heritage will remain forever;
19 they are not put to shame in evil times;
in the days of famine they have abundance.
20 But the wicked will perish;
the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures;
they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
but the righteous is generous and gives;
22 for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land,
but those cursed by him shall be cut off.
23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord,
when he delights in his way;
24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the Lord upholds his hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old,
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
or his children begging for bread.
26 He is ever lending generously,
and his children become a blessing.
27 Turn away from evil and do good;
so shall you dwell forever.
28 For the Lord loves justice;
he will not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land
and dwell upon it forever.
30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
and his tongue speaks justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart;
his steps do not slip.
32 The wicked watches for the righteous
and seeks to put him to death.
33 The Lord will not abandon him to his power
or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.
34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way,
and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
you will look on when the wicked are cut off.
35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
36 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
though I sought him, he could not be found.
37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
for there is a future for the man of peace.
38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
the future of the wicked shall be cut off.
Prayer Requests
April 24 – Pray that Chinese believers would “fret not because of evildoers” but rather “trust in the Lord and do good” (Ps 37).
April 25 – Pray for believers in Shanghai to be examples of love in the midst of the high tension caused by the continued harsh lockdowns.
April 26 – Pray that Chinese Christians would know that the Lord will never forsake them, but preserve them through trials (Ps 37).
April 27 – Pray for Chinese believers to be good neighbors to those in their community who are sick, hurting, or in need.
April 28 – Pray that the Lord would right injustice and deliver the downtrodden in China from the wicked.
April 29 – Pray that Chinese Christians would embrace a spirit of meekness and “delight themselves in abundant peace” (Ps 37).
April 30 – Thank the Lord that though “none are righteous” (Rom 3:10) he has imparted his righteousness on Chinese believers.
Fret Not Yourself Because of Evildoers
Read a reflection on Psalm 37 from a Chinese Christian.
