“In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. For the sake of your name, Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great. Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you.” (v1,4-6,8-11,16-17,20-21)
This is a humbling Psalm of great hope and trust in the Lord for deliverance. David, who poetically writes this Psalm in an acrostic pattern, is in a repentant posture, pleading for God to forgive Him and Israel and have mercy on them. Though we’re not sure of the time period of this Psalm, we know that David was frequently troubled for Israel and their well-being so he did the one thing he knew best – cried out to God.
There are many verses/passages in the Bible that place trust and hope in God during times of trouble, not just the Psalms. I can only list a few of them because there are so many: Isa 41:10, Dt 31:6-8, Isa 26:3-4, Jn 14:27, Jer 17:7-8, Rom 8:24-25, Rom 15:13, Heb 3:6, Isa 40:31, and one of my favorites: “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phi 4:6-7)
I am reminded that when times of trouble come (and they will come), all of my hope and trust needs to be firmly placed in God. The world cannot deliver us from itself any more than a dentist can fix their own cavity – only God, who is outside the limitations of this world can deliver us from the troubles of this world, and/or walk through those troubles with us.
Father God, as we learn to hope in You, would You please renew our strength, delivering us from weariness. Jesus, please guard our hearts and minds with Your peace that surpasses all understanding. In You and through You we are filled with joy and peace by the power of the Holy Spirit. Even though we cannot physically see You, or know the future, we have faith, a confidence in Your presence and the assurance of Your promises. Thank you for freeing our us from needless worry as we praise You and make this request known. (Isa 40:31, Rom 15:13, Heb 11:1, Phi 4:6-7 par)
~ Conqueror in Training