Psalm 59:16-17 (NIV)

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.

Our Verse of the Day is a beautiful excerpt from Psalm 59.  David wrote this Psalm when King Saul had sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him.  If you read the entire Psalm, you will see the context is plea for deliverance from his enemies.  It is a petition for God to deal with his enemies and to bring consequences for their evil intent.  But at the end of his pleas, David sings praise and thanksgiving to God for His power, love, and protection.

Though I find little eloquence or poetic language used in this Psalm, I do find a message of reliance upon God … a sense of dependence upon God … and a profession of faith and trust in His vindication.  My observation is that David sees God as sovereign and in control of the situations he faces, and He trusts God to protect him. David praises God because He is trustworthy to meet his needs; and he conveys two important aspects of how to exercise our faith when we are under duress: Prayer and Praise!

David reminds us to shift our focus from our circumstances to the power and purposes of God. “I will sing of Your strength.” This inspires me to remember that His power and strength are available to me. The resources of heaven are only a prayer away when I feel helpless to change the circumstances that I am going through. It reminds me that God provides His strength and grace to endure the situation and to persevere in faith. “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” (Cf. Isaiah 40:29) And Paul affirmed, “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.” (Cf. Philippians 4:13) And in 1 Corinthians 1:25, Paul shared, “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” Yes, “God strengthens us with all power according to His glorious might so that we may have great endurance and patience.” (Cf. Colossians 1:11)

So, when you come under duress or under attack; when you face physical, emotional, or spiritual battles; when you feel overwhelmed and anxious about things beyond your control and it seems that nothing is going right in life (at least not according to your desires or expectations); simply ask God to deliver you! Share with God your concerns … your feelings … your hurts … your disappointments … your needs. There is an overarching purpose God is using in each situation or season of your life; and His purpose is to deepen your faith in Him … to build a foundation of trust in Him … to increase your reliance upon Him. As Paul affirmed: “We know that in all things that God works for the good of those who love Him; for those who have been called according to His purpose. (Cf. Romans 8:28)

And then … remember to praise Him. Praise Him because He is your fortress … your place of refuge. Praise Him because He is your strength.  You can rely upon Him to bring you through it!  He has promised to never leave you nor forsake you.  Trust Him!  God has your back … and He loves you far beyond all you can imagine or conceive. Yes, I am thankful that David was transparent and shared his own personal experiences to encourage us. I hope each of us will seek God with the same boldness that David did. You might just be surprised at what honest prayer and joyful praise might do in your life

My friends, we do not have to be shaken with all the problems and troubles that come into our lives. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. (Cf. Romans 8:37) So, I encourage us to embrace God’s love for us; to receive His strength through the Spirit; and to express in our hearts the delight of His fulfilled promises. Yes, sing of His strength! Yes, sing of His love! He is your fortress … your refuge … your strength! The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. (Cf. Proverbs 18:10) Indeed, your very prayers to Him acknowledge His sovereignty over your life and place you in a position of submission … of trust … of faith. Yes, God is glorified when you enter His presence and seek Him for every need and aspect of your life. That is His purpose … because He does not want to be a part of your life; He desires to be your life. Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all; He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. (Cf. Psalm 34:17-20)