NO PLAN B
Opening Prayer
Thank You, God that You are in charge. Teach me to trust You.
Read Psalm 60
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Psalm 60[a]
For the director of music. To the tune of “The Lily of the Covenant.” A miktam[b] of David. For teaching. When he fought Aram Naharaim[c] and Aram Zobah,[d] and when Joab returned and struck down twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.
1 You have rejected us, God, and burst upon us;
you have been angry—now restore us!
2 You have shaken the land and torn it open;
mend its fractures, for it is quaking.
3 You have shown your people desperate times;
you have given us wine that makes us stagger.
4 But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner
to be unfurled against the bow.[e]
5 Save us and help us with your right hand,
that those you love may be delivered.
6 God has spoken from his sanctuary:
“In triumph I will parcel out Shechem
and measure off the Valley of Sukkoth.
7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet,
Judah is my scepter.
8 Moab is my washbasin,
on Edom I toss my sandal;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
9 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us
and no longer go out with our armies?
11 Give us aid against the enemy,
for human help is worthless.
12 With God we will gain the victory,
and he will trample down our enemies.
Footnotes:
a Psalm 60:1 In Hebrew texts 60:1-12 is numbered 60:3-14.
b Psalm 60:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
c Psalm 60:1 Title: That is, Arameans of Northwest Mesopotamia
d Psalm 60:1 Title: That is, Arameans of central Syria
e Psalm 60:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What difficulties has God allowed in your life? How should we respond to those things that don’t go the way we would prefer?Psalm 60 is focused on military complications. David was waging war in the north against the Arameans when Judah was invaded by Edom. David recognized that God is in charge, even in allowing this disaster to strike.
When things do not go the way we would prefer, it can be easy to assume either that God is not in charge or that God does not care. After all, either a weakness in God’s power, or a coldness in God’s love, would easily explain any difficulty we might face.
For David, the situation was clear: God is God. He had allowed defeat for specific reasons (1–4). Now David cries out for God to restore his people. In verses 5 to 12 David declares God’s power, love and purposes for the nation.
In his time of difficulty, David did not go after an alternative plan and seek human help. Instead, he continued to trust in God as the only help that could be trusted. David was confident that ultimate victory would only come from God.
Apply
Do you have a “plan B” for your life, contrary to God’s plans? What is it about God’s plan that concerns you? Is it fear? Pride? Comfort? What can you surrender to God today?
Closing prayer
God, I want to trust You, but I don’t always know how. Show me how to walk in Your ways.
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