Today’s Reading: Psalm 6, 7, 10, 11
I trust in the Lord for protection.
So why do you say to me,
“Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!
The wicked are stringing their bows
and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings.
They shoot from the shadows
at those whose hearts are right.
The foundations of law and order have collapsed.
What can the righteous do?” – Psalm 11:1-3
It would be easy to react to the schemes of the wicked and run from the threats of those who want to silence our faith, but God does not want us to live in fear. When we say that we trust in the Lord for protection, that faith can be evidenced in our reactions to the firestorm around us. While others are throwing their hands up in panic and asking where God is when we need Him most, we can have a calm assurance that our God is responding on our behalf. Our God is faithful and we can stand confidently and say — I trust in the Lord for protection!
THE LORD IS MY DEFENSE!
God is my shield,
saving those whose hearts are true and right.
God is an honest judge.
He is angry with the wicked every day.
If a person does not repent,
God will sharpen his sword;
he will bend and string his bow.
He will prepare his deadly weapons
and shoot his flaming arrows. – Psalm 7:10-13
When we are faced with the criticism of the culture around us, it is easy to get discouraged and feel alone. When we are persecuted for our faith and friends start walking away, we feel the weight of our losses. Emotions rush in and we grieve the loss of our reputation and favor. But the Lord, our protector, is also our comforter. He knows our struggles, hears our prayers, and responds to our broken hearts.
THE LORD IS MY COMFORTER!
Go away, all you who do evil,
for the Lord has heard my weeping.
The Lord has heard my plea;
the Lord will answer my prayer. – Psalm 6:8-9
The Lord is king forever and ever!
The godless nations will vanish from the land.
Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless.
Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.
You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed,
so mere people can no longer terrify them. – Psalm 10:16-18
I am so grateful that God is in control. He knows our hearts and He knows the hearts of our enemies. He is the One who searches our heart and examines our intentions. We can trust Him to bring justice and to shine truth on all the false allegations and untruths. Being a follower of Christ is not always going to win us popularity, but we can rest knowing that God is our Defender, our Comforter, and our Judge.
THE LORD IS MY JUDGE!
End the evil of those who are wicked,
and defend the righteous.
For you look deep within the mind and heart,
O righteous God. – Psalm 7:9
But the Lord is in his holy Temple;
the Lord still rules from heaven.
He watches everyone closely,
examining every person on earth.
The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked.
He hates those who love violence.
He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked,
punishing them with scorching winds.
For the righteous Lord loves justice.
The virtuous will see his face. – Psalm 11:4-7
Lord, we trust in you for protection. Thank you for being a Faithful Defender of your children. We feel your compassion and thank you for hearing our prayers. May truth be revealed and may you be glorified in our lives. Reveal in us anything that needs corrected, and give us peace when we are innocent of all the world tries to accuse us of. Examine our hearts and lead us in paths of righteousness for your name’s sake. Amen.