psalm-56

Choose JOY – Experiencing the Rescue and the Lift, Psalms 56 and 57 and more…

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I am under vows to you, my God; I will present my thank offerings to you. For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. Psalm 56:12-13

My Playlist of God songs including “Rescue” – and “This is how I fight my battles”, this was my ‘go-to’ yesterday morning. I woke in (TMI) hot flashes and anxiety, for no good reason, maybe a few frivolous reasons, but not ‘good’ ones. I went from powerless (but got myself going – I mean on a Friday it is easier to say ‘Hey this is Friday’) to feeling more and more empowered throughout the day, with the Lord’s raising. Yes, I was raising from bed, slowly a gaining of better and better momentum, the trickling in of small special moments of appreciation and happiness that streamed into my morning. Appreciative messages, people offering answers to work prayers, good stuff for a Friday. Then when my old boss texted to see if I wanted to go to lunch to a brand new place, a Jewish delicatessen, with 2 OG original gang coworkers, I leapt at the opportunity.

It was surely the Lord Who lifted me up, like the Josh Groban’s version of the song sings, “You Lift Me Up!” to walk on stormy seas. And His people carried me forward. That’s a Lord of Love. 

I specifically wrote a devotion about Psalm 56 that down-feeling morning, because I knew ‘if God is for you, who can be against you‘, even in one’s own doldrums or health whatever, hormonal swings and such, good reasons or ‘no good reasons’. And I even told my coworkers and the owner of that new Jewish delicatessen about Psalm 56 helping me as a pick-me-up scripture, and we both said thank God for everything. 

In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise – in God I trust and am not afraid. Ps56:10

I certainly reached for God today – HE WAS THERE.

The Lord comforts and lifts, helps and holds. He does not disappoint!

And writing this, I enjoyed decompression in a moment, outside in the car, door open, with a simple rain sprinkle and cool breeze in the evening after going for ice cream with a friend. No I did not need the ice cream but I certainly just tasted for the sweetness of the day… And the friend and the ice cream were great joy. I can say the Lord delivered ‘my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.’… YES…

(And a bonus, I got to hold a pudgy cutest soft squishy baby at the ice cream place, Now that IS JOY!!!!! JOY!!! The ice cream, so good, was still so temporary but the JOY is forever!!!)

Amen Lord – Thanks… my tears of gratitude collection is filling up.

Thank God For You are For US.

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This Psalm 57 verses 9 t0 11 is like the Nine One One call request of rescue to the Lord – and then the THANK YOU!!!!

I will PRAISE you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. Psalm 57:9-11

God is FOR us, Psalm 56

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God is FOR us

God IS for us

God is for US

GOD is for us

We should repeat this phraseology – God is for ME – and God is for US – with the emphasis of GOD. 

God is FOR us – God IS for us – God is for US – GOD is for us… 

With God, how can we not be alright – even better than alright – even if it takes endless rough spots to get through. And some people’s rough spots are tougher than others and some people are more strong – but the weakness that leads to depending upon God is the best weakness of all. For GOD IS OUR STRENGTH – and GOD is for us.

David – the king and the shepherd – he went through tough times and whether we relate and whether people have actually tormented us – the prayer can be the same – “Be merciful to me, O God…” David realized that with God and in God that he would be OK – even unto torment and death. I pray we are not there but for those times that we fear – we ALSO can cry out to the Lord – for the times we wonder – for the times we hurt… God collects our tears – God plans our steps – God doesn’t change and always carries us.

For You have delivered my soul from death.
Have You not kept my feet from falling,
That I may walk before God
In the light of the living?

If we are still here today, God has a purpose for us. We can keep going – God is FOR us.  Survive, Thrive, Be Alive.

Amen

Psalm 56 NKJV – Prayer for Relief from Tormentors
To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Silent Dove in Distant Lands.” A Michtam of David when the Philistines captured him in Gath.


Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up;
Fighting all day he oppresses me.
My enemies would hound me all day,
For there are many who fight against me, O Most High.

Whenever I am afraid,
I will trust in You.
In God (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
I will not fear.
What can flesh do to me?

All day they twist my words;
All their thoughts are against me for evil.
They gather together,
They hide, they mark my steps,
When they lie in wait for my life.
Shall they escape by iniquity?
In anger cast down the peoples, O God!

You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book?
When I cry out to You,
Then my enemies will turn back;
This I know, because God is for me.
In God (I will praise His word),
In the Lord (I will praise His word),
In God I have put my trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God;
I will render praises to You,
For You have delivered my soul from death.
Have You not kept my feet from falling,
That I may walk before God
In the light of the living?