Today’s Reading: Psalms 17, 55, 61 & 93
Listen to my prayer, O God. Do not ignore my cry for help!
Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles. – Psalm 55:1-2
O Lord, hear my plea for justice.
Listen to my cry for help.
Pay attention to my prayer,
for it comes from honest lips. – Psalm 17:1
In his distress, David often cried out to God for help. When he was troubled, his first response was to pray to the God He knew was both capable and willing to rescue him. If your heart is heavy this morning, I pray that these scriptures will remind you that we serve the God who saves. Over and over again He is there to be our shelter during moments of uncertainty or distress.
O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer!
From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed.
Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge,
a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.
Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings! – Psalm 61:1-4
What are you going through right now? What challenges is this season of life bringing? Are you struggling with a decision, hurting from a broken relationship, or conflicted on what action you are supposed to take next? God created you for a relationship, and he wants you to cry out to Him. He is listening to you seven days a week, 24 hours a day!
But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me.
Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice. — Psalm 55:16-17
I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God.
Bend down and listen as I pray.
Show me your unfailing love in wonderful ways.
By your mighty power you rescue
those who seek refuge from their enemies.
Guard me as you would guard your own eyes.
Hide me in the shadow of your wings. – Psalm 17:6-8
Father God, we thank you for hearing our cries for help. Not only are you there to listen to our worship and to receive our confession, you are there to comfort us when the circumstances of life are weighing heavy. You invite us to pour out our hearts to you, and then you remind us that you are BIG! You are mightier than the waves crashing in on us; You are higher than the biggest mountains we must climb. Thank you for spreading your wings to create a plate of shelter and protection. Thank you for being the unshakable God who consistently steadies us when the ground around us feels unsafe. We love you!
Your throne, O Lord, has stood from time immemorial.
You yourself are from the everlasting past.
The floods have risen up, O Lord.
The floods have roared like thunder;
the floods have lifted their pounding waves.
But mightier than the violent raging of the seas,
mightier than the breakers on the shore—
the Lord above is mightier than these! – Psalm 93:2-4