HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 863
PSAL M 28
page 493
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Their hands are dirty with evil schemes,
and they constantly take bribes.
But I am not like that; I live with integrity.
So redeem me and show me mercy.
Now I stand on solid ground,
and I will publicly praise the Lord.
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A psalm of David.
The Lord is my light and my salvation—
so why should I be afraid?
The Lord is my fortress, protecting me
from danger,
so why should I tremble?
When evil people come to devour me,
when my enemies and foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.
Though a mighty army surrounds me,
my heart will not be afraid.
Even if I am attacked,
I will remain confident.
The one thing I ask of the Lord—
the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the Lord all the
days of my life,
delighting in the Lord’s perfections
and meditating in his Temple.
For he will conceal me there when troubles
come;
he will hide me in his sanctuary.
He will place me out of reach on a
high rock.
Then I will hold my head high
above my enemies who surround me.
At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with
shouts of joy,
singing and praising the Lord with
music.
Hear me as I pray, O Lord.
Be merciful and answer me!
My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk
with me.”
And my heart responds, “Lord, I am
coming.”
Do not turn your back on me.
Do not reject your servant in anger.
You have always been my helper.
Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me,
O God of my salvation!
Even if my father and mother abandon me,
the Lord will hold me close.
Teach me how to live, O Lord.
Lead me along the right path,
for my enemies are waiting for me.
Do not let me fall into their hands.
For they accuse me of things I’ve
never done;
with every breath they threaten me
with violence.
13
Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s
goodness
while I am here in the land of the living.
14
Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
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A psalm of David.
I pray to you, O Lord, my rock.
Do not turn a deaf ear to me.
For if you are silent,
I might as well give up and die.
Listen to my prayer for mercy
as I cry out to you for help,
as I lift my hands toward your holy
sanctuary.
Do not drag me away with the wicked—
with those who do evil—
those who speak friendly words to their
neighbors
while planning evil in their hearts.
Give them the punishment they so richly
deserve!
Measure it out in proportion to their
wickedness.
Pay them back for all their evil deeds!
Give them a taste of what they have
done to others.
They care nothing for what the Lord
has done
or for what his hands have made.
So he will tear them down,
and they will never be rebuilt!
Praise the Lord!
For he has heard my cry for mercy.
• Courage
PS A LM 27:1
Fear of the unknown is like fear of
darkness—we are afraid because we
cannot see what is ahead. We worry more
about what we cannot see than what we
can see. The psalmist, however, shows us
our real source of courage: We can rest in
the knowledge that God will give us the
light we need, when we need it. God also
throws light on the distant future, in which
we can see an eternal place of rest and
safety. God’s care is not always visible
to us when we are on that dark path, but
we can trust that it never fails. When you
are afraid, remember the final destination
toward which God is moving you, and
relax, even in the dark.