Psalm 31:1-5 (30:2-6 LXX)

In You, O Lord, I hope; may I not be ashamed forever;
In Your righteousness deliver and rescue me.
Incline Your ear to me;
Rescue me speedily;
Be to me a God who protects me,
And a house of refuge to save me.
For You are my strength and my refuge,
And for Your name’s sake You will guide and sustain me;
For You will bring me out from the snare they hid for me;
For You are my protector.
Into Your hands I shall entrust my spirit;
You redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

Encouraging Words

Life has a way of closing in on us and convincing us that there is nothing or no one that can rescue us or protect us. So we often give in to the pressure and let the world take over. But this is not true. God is our deliverer and rescuer. He does protect us. He provides for us a place of refuge. He provides us strength and guidance. It is so much easier to recognise this in the hard times when we have spent the good times under His protective wings. Then when the hard times hit, His place of refuge is familiar and comforting to us. It is never God that distances Himself from us. We are always the ones who walk away from Him and then wonder where He is in our times of need. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Psalm 62:6-7 (61:7-8 LXX)

For He is my God and my savior,
My protector; I shall never be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory;
He is the God of my help, and my hope is in God.

Personal Challenge

We often think of humility only in the terms of what we do to/for others, however, humility also plays out in how we receive that which someone else is doing to/for us. I so easily resort to living my life as a self-sufficient, self-reliant, independent kind of guy. I believe I can do anything that I can put my mind to. But being humble is a critical part of being a follower of Christ. I must learn to be a humble receiver. God is my savior, not me. God is my protector, not me. God is my glory, my help, and my hope, not me! I can do nothing without Him! Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Psalm 4:2

You heard me when I called, O God of my righteousness.
You strengthened my heart when I was in distress;
Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.

Encouraging Words

God hears me when I call out to Him. He strengthens my heart, especially in those times when I am down and distressed. He has mercy on me and hears my prayers. Glory be to God!

Psalm 4:2

You heard me when I called, O God of my righteousness.
You strengthened my heart when I was in distress;
Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.

Encouraging Words

God hears me when I call out to Him. He strengthens my heart, especially in those times when I am down and distressed. He has mercy on me and hears my prayers. Glory be to God.

Psalm 51:1-4 (50:3-6 LXX)

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy;
And according to the abundance of Your compassion, blot out my transgression.
Wash me thoroughly from my lawlessness
And cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my lawlessness,
And my sin is always before me.
Against You only have I sinned
And done evil in Your sight;
That You may be justified in Your words,
And overcome when You are judged.

Psalm 71:1-3 (70:1-3 LXX)

O God, in You I hope; may I never be put to shame.
Deliver me in Your righteousness, and set me free;
Incline Your ear to me and save me.
Be to me a God for protection
And a strong place for salvation,
For You are my foundation and my refuge.

Encouraging Words

No matter how good of a life I try to live, my works will never be enough to give me true righteousness. My attempts at righteousness will never deliver me. But, it doesn’t have to! It is the righteousness of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that delivers me. It His works that were perfect and set me free. It is Him that I put my hope in for He is my protector, my foundation, and my refuge. Glory be to God!

Psalm 34:12-15 (33:13-16 LXX)

Who is the man who desires life,
Who loves to see good days?
Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.
Shun evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous,
And His ears are open to their supplications.

Personal Challenge

Don’t we all want to see good days and live a full life? Well, the psalmist gives us some guidelines to do this. Keep my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking deceit. That which comes out of my mouth can either build up or tear down. Regardless of what the popular opinion is today, there is still good and evil in this world, whether we call it that or not. So we are to shun evil and do good. So, I stop talking about doing good thins and actually do them. And while I am living my life this way I add the pursuit of peace, seeking reconciliation in all that is around me. Living life this way, and focusing on the good of others rather than on what I want, will lead to good days and a full life. Glory be to God! Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Psalm 24:8-11

Good and upright is the Lord;
Therefore He will instruct sinners in His way.
He will guide the gentle in judgment;
He will teach the gentle His ways.
All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth
For those who seek His covenant and His testimonies.
For Your name’s sake, O Lord,
Pardon my sin, for it is great.

Encouraging Words

God is gentle, merciful, and full of truth. He asks thatI live my life in the same way. Through living my life this way, He will instruct me in the way of living my life, He will guide me, and He will teach me His ways. He desires a gentle spirit within me, for He is gentle. Glory be to God!