Did you know, that “In God We Trust” is the official motto of the United States of America?
I feel like if the “United States of America” were to have a “Psalm of prayer for right now“… this one is it.
This Psalm would be the cry of the heart of America—A nation with a foundation built on “In God We Trust“… it’s who we really are, and it’s who God created us to be.
Psalm 31 How Great Is Your Goodness
For the Pure and Shining One
A song of poetic praise, by King David
1 I trust you, Lord, to be my hiding place.
Don’t let me down.
Don’t let my enemies bring me to shame.
Come and rescue me, for you are the only God
who always does what is right.
2 Rescue me quickly when I cry out to you.
At the sound of my prayer may your ear be turned to me.
Be my strong shelter and hiding place on high.
Pull me into victory and breakthrough.
3–4 For you are my high fortress, where I’m kept safe.
You are to me a stronghold of salvation.
When you deliver me out of this peril,
it will bring glory to your name.
As you guide me forth I’ll be kept safe
from the hidden snares of the enemy—
the secret traps that lie before me—
for you have become my rock of strength.
5 Into your hands I now entrust my spirit.
O Lord, the God of faithfulness,
you have rescued and redeemed me.
6 I despise these deceptive illusions,
all this pretense and nonsense,
for I worship only you.
7 In mercy you have seen my troubles and you have cared for me;
even during this crisis in my soul I will be radiant with joy,
filled with praise for your love and mercy.
8 You have kept me from being conquered by my enemy;
you broke open the way to bring me to freedom,
into a beautiful, broad place.
9 O Lord, help me again! Keep showing me such mercy.
For I am in anguish, always in tears,
and I’m worn out with weeping.
I’m becoming old because of grief; my health is broken.
10 I’m exhausted! My life is spent with sorrow,
my years with sighing and sadness.
Because of all these troubles, I have no more strength.
My inner being is so weak and frail.
11 My enemies say, “You are nothing!”
Even my friends and neighbors hold me in contempt!
They dread seeing me
and they look the other way when I pass by.
12 I am totally forgotten, buried away like a dead man,
discarded like a broken dish thrown in the trash.
13 I overheard their whispered threats, the slander of my enemies.
I’m terrified as they plot and scheme to take my life.
14 I’m desperate, Lord! I throw myself upon you,
for you alone are my God!
15 My life, my every moment, my destiny—it’s all in your hands.
So I know you can deliver me
from those who persecute me relentlessly.
16 Smile on me, your servant.
Let your undying love and glorious grace
save me from all this gloom.
17 As I call upon you, let my shame and disgrace
be replaced by your favor once again.
But let shame and disgrace fall instead upon the wicked—
those going to their own doom,
drifting down in silence to the dust of death.
18 At last their lying lips will be muted in their graves.
For they are arrogant, filled with contempt and conceit
as they speak against the godly.
19 Lord, how wonderful you are!
You have stored up so many good things for us,
like a treasure chest heaped up and spilling over with blessings—
all for those who honor and worship you!
Everybody knows what you can do
for those who turn and hide themselves in you.
20 So hide all your beloved ones
in the sheltered, secret place before your face.
Overshadow them by your glory-presence.
Keep them from these accusations, the brutal insults of evil men.
Tuck them safely away in the tabernacle where you dwell.
21 The name of the Lord is blessed and lifted high!
For his marvelous miracle of mercy protected me
when I was overwhelmed by my enemies.
22 I spoke hastily when I said, “The Lord has deserted me.”
For in truth, you did hear my prayer and came to rescue me.
23 Listen to me, all you godly ones: Love the Lord with passion!
The Lord protects and preserves all those who are loyal to him.
But he pays back in full all those who reject him in their pride.
24 So cheer up! Take courage all you who love him.
Wait for him to break through for you, all who trust in him!
We are in a time when the future seems “bleak”…
But no matter how it ever “seems”…. we belong to a God who is faithful.
We belong to a God who is trustworthy.
We belong to a God who does His part.
We can say,
“The name of the Lord is blessed and lifted high!
For his marvelous miracle of mercy protected me
when I was overwhelmed by my enemies.” (v21)
And yes, He asks us to do our part.
This is the part where we stand firmly, and trust God. And this is the part where we continue to stand and we continue to trust God, no matter what. No matter how things may seem to be playing out, no matter how bleak things appear as we come closer and closer to “the edge”…
Our God is the God of HOPE. ☀️
23 “Listen to me, all you godly ones: Love the Lord with passion!
The Lord protects and preserves all those who are loyal to him.
But he pays back in full all those who reject him in their pride.
24 So cheer up! Take courage all you who love him.
Wait for him to break through for you, all who trust in him!“
And this is my prayer for today…
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”—Romans 15:13
Thank You, Father. ? You are a God of HOPE. Jesus, You are our LIVING hope…. Lord, You are our ONLY hope. ☀️ I will stand firmly, and I will keep trusting You. How You fill us with unexplainable hope and peace.
-Heather ?