A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE
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Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for the loving faithfulness you continually show your church. No matter what the circumstance, help it to stand as a bright beacon to your power, your grace, and mercy.
Read PSALM 20
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Psalm
Psalm 20
1 May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
2 May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.
3 May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. Selah
4 May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests.
6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.
7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
8 They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.
9 O LORD, save the king! Answer us when we call!
Reflect
How are you feeling about this new year? What worries you most? Where are you finding or seeking joy?This psalm of David refers to the life and circumstances of the king. Clearly, his world is a troubling, even frightening, place. There are powerful, dark forces everywhere lined up to crush and kill. There is so much to be afraid of, and with good reason.
This is the same David who squared off against the giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17). This is the same David who was relentlessly pursued by Saul (1 Samuel 23). He has lived experience of God’s faithfulness and power, and that changes everything.
The key message is in verses 6 and 7. There is only one place where you can safely put your trust. There is only one in whom it is safe to build your hope. He has a name: the Lord our God. Moreover, we have the astonishing privilege of calling him Father. God is not remote from our circumstances. He is not indifferent to our troubles. He is not hard of hearing. He is eternally on our side, not because of us but because of his loving kindness and inexhaustible grace toward us. He will answer when we call!
Apply
This psalm sounds assured and triumphant, yet our lives are not always like that. The big picture might be clear, but are the waters around you muddy?
Closing prayer
Lord God, I need your perspective for the year ahead; help me to step forward with my confidence firmly placed in you.
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