Psalm 34:12-22
12 Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
and desires to see many good days,
13 keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
14 Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16 but the face of the Lord is against those who do
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
16 but the face of the Lord is against those who do
evil, to blot out their name from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the Lord delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
but the Lord delivers him from them all;
20 he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
21 Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him
will be condemned.
Reflection
Yesterday, we explored what good things we don’t lack as we are rescued by God. (Do note that verse 17 mirrors the poetic rhythm of 4 and 6 from yesterday.) Reread verse 18. God draws close to the brokenhearted. God is always listening to our prayers. God draws closer in our times of trouble not to make the problem disappear but as a good friend who sits with us in our time of trouble. Jot down some ideas about how God could possibly save us and
deliver us simply by being present in the midst of our struggles. How could God give us the good things we should not lack through struggles and hurts?
