Hebrews 3:12-19 12 Take heed, brethren, lest haply there shall be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God: 13 but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called To-day; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin: 14 for we are become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end: 15 while it is said, To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. 16 For who, when they heard, did provoke? nay, did not all they that came out of Egypt by Moses? 17 And with whom was he displeased forty years? was it not with them that sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that were disobedient? 19 And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief.

The believer’s path toward a hardened heart can start innocently enough—it’s easy for us to become preoccupied with things that have little or no spiritual value. Once our focus is diverted from God, it doesn’t take much for the preoccupation to take up greater amounts of time. The diversion can become so consuming that we end up ignoring matters of importance to the Lord.

As our spiritual life withers, we may give up private devotion and public worship. Anyone who is spending time with the Lord daily is going to have a pliable heart, but the person who lays Scripture aside gives Satan an opportunity. When allowed to function apart from God, the heart is deceitful and turns from Him.

If a believer’s mind is preoccupied and his heart is distant from God, he can easily be swayed by the deceitfulness of sin. As sensitivity to the Holy Spirit is dulled by a hard “shell” that’s been forming around his heart, the drifting Christian begins to find Satan’s false promises more tempting. He foolishly trusts in the deception and becomes ever more deeply enmeshed in sin. This, in turn, leads to even greater preoccupation with non-spiritual matters and further neglect of his spiritual life.

Believers are not immune to hardening of the heart. We can become as insensitive to God’s voice as an unbeliever, but we have a way to remove the spiritual callus that has been forming within us. By repenting and refocusing, we can again turn to devotion and worship in order to be soft-hearted before God.

Bible in One Year: Psalms 1-7 Chapter 1 1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of scoffers: 2 But his delight is in the law of Jehovah; And on his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the streams of water, That bringeth forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also doth not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 The wicked are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For Jehovah knoweth the way of the righteous; But the way of the wicked shall perish. Chapter 2 1 Why do the nations rage, And the peoples meditate a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against Jehovah, and against his anointed, `saying', 3 Let us break their bonds asunder, And cast away their cords from us. 4 He that sitteth in the heavens will laugh: The Lord will have them in derision. 5 Then will he speak unto them in his wrath, And vex them in his sore displeasure: 6 Yet I have set my king Upon my holy hill of Zion. 7 I will tell of the decree: Jehovah said unto me, Thou art my son; This day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I will give `thee' the nations for thine inheritance, And the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. 10 Now therefore be wise, O ye kings: Be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve Jehovah with fear, And rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way, For his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all they that take refuge in him. Psalm 3 A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. Chapter 3 1 Jehovah, how are mine adversaries increased! Many are they that rise up against me. 2 Many there are that say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah 3 But thou, O Jehovah, art a shield about me; My glory and the lifter up of my head. 4 I cry unto Jehovah with my voice, And he answereth me out of his holy hill. Selah 5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for Jehovah sustaineth me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of the people That have set themselves against me round about. 7 Arise, O Jehovah; save me, O my God: For thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; Thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked. 8 Salvation belongeth unto Jehovah: Thy blessing be upon thy people. Selah Psalm 4 For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David. Chapter 4 1 Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness; Thou hast set me at large `when I was' in distress: Have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. 2 O ye sons of men, how long shall my glory be turned into dishonor? `How long' will ye love vanity, and seek after falsehood? Selah 3 But know that Jehovah hath set apart for himself him that is godly: Jehovah will hear when I call unto him. 4 Stand in awe, and sin not: Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah 5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in Jehovah. 6 Many there are that say, Who will show us `any' good? Jehovah, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. 7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, More than `they have' when their grain and their new wine are increased. 8 In peace will I both lay me down and sleep; For thou, Jehovah, alone makest me dwell in safety. Psalm 5 For the Chief Musician; with the Nehiloth. A Psalm of David. Chapter 5 1 Give ear to my words, O Jehovah, Consider my meditation. 2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God; For unto thee do I pray. 3 O Jehovah, in the morning shalt thou hear my voice; In the morning will I order `my prayer' unto thee, and will keep watch. 4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: Evil shall not sojourn with thee. 5 The arrogant shall not stand in thy sight: Thou hatest all workers of iniquity. 6 Thou wilt destroy them that speak lies: Jehovah abhorreth the blood-thirsty and deceitful man. 7 But as for me, in the abundance of thy lovingkindness will I come into thy house: In thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple. 8 Lead me, O Jehovah, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; Make thy way straight before my face. 9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; Their inward part is very wickedness; Their throat is an open sepulchre; They flatter with their tongue. 10 Hold them guilty, O God; Let them fall by their own counsels; Thrust them out in the multitude of their transgressions; For they have rebelled against thee. 11 But let all those that take refuge in thee rejoice, Let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: Let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. 12 For thou wilt bless the righteous; O Jehovah, thou wilt compass him with favor as with a shield. Psalm 6 For the Chief Musician; on stringed instruments, set to the Sheminith. A Psalm of David. Chapter 6 1 O Jehovah, rebuke me not in thine anger, Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. 2 Have mercy upon me, O Jehovah; for I am withered away: O Jehovah, heal me; for my bones are troubled. 3 My soul also is sore troubled: And thou, O Jehovah, how long? 4 Return, O Jehovah, deliver my soul: Save me for thy lovingkindness' sake. 5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: In Sheol who shall give thee thanks? 6 I am weary with my groaning; Every night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. 7 Mine eye wasteth away because of grief; It waxeth old because of all mine adversaries. 8 Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; For Jehovah hath heard the voice of my weeping. 9 Jehovah hath heard my supplication; Jehovah will receive my prayer. 10 All mine enemies shall be put to shame and sore troubled: They shall turn back, they shall be put to shame suddenly. Psalm 7 Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto Jehova, concerning the words of Cush a Benjamite. Chapter 7 1 O Jehovah my God, in thee do I take refuge: Save me from all them that pursue me, and deliver me, 2 Lest they tear my soul like a lion, Rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver. 3 O Jehovah my God, if I have done this; If there be iniquity in my hands; 4 If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (Yea, I have delivered him that without cause was mine adversary;) 5 Let the enemy pursue my soul, and overtake it; Yea, let him tread my life down to the earth, And lay my glory in the dust. Selah 6 Arise, O Jehovah, in thine anger; Lift up thyself against the rage of mine adversaries, And awake for me; thou hast commanded judgment. 7 And let the congregation of the peoples compass thee about; And over them return thou on high. 8 Jehovah ministereth judgment to the peoples: Judge me, O Jehovah, according to my righteousness, and to mine integrity that is in me. 9 O let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, but establish thou the righteous: For the righteous God trieth the minds and hearts. 10 My shield is with God, Who saveth the upright in heart. 11 God is a righteous judge, Yea, a God that hath indignation every day. 12 If a man turn not, he will whet his sword; He hath bent his bow, and made it ready. 13 He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; He maketh his arrows fiery `shafts'. 14 Behold, he travaileth with iniquity; Yea, he hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. 15 He hath made a pit, and digged it, And is fallen into the ditch which he made. 16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, And his violence shall come down upon his own pate. 17 I will give thanks unto Jehovah according to his righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of Jehovah Most High. Psalm 8 For the Chief Musician; set to the Gittith. A Psalm of David.