The joy of the Lord is your strength. That’s a promise straight out of Nehemiah in the Bible, and we’re going to tap into it today as we dive into Joy Bombs in the Psalms. If you are battling an enemy today, and it doesn’t have to be a person, it can be a fear or a doubt, let David’s words take deep root in your soul right now as we read Psalm 56.
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Transcription:
Remember, the joy of the Lord is your strength. That’s a promise straight out of Nehemiah in the Bible, and we’re going to tap into it today. Welcome to the Bible for Busy People. I’m Erica, your host, and you know it’s Friday and that means we are diving into Joy Bombs in the Psalms. If you want to open your Bible right now to Psalm 56, or find it on your phone, your laptop, however you’re listening today, and I want to give a big shout out to Emily who just hugged me with her words the other day. She listens all the time to this podcast, and I want to say thank you to Emily and to you, because this is more than a podcast. This is a community. It’s a family. You and I are bonded because we are studying God’s word together. We’re breaking bread together, and this is not just any kind of bread. This is the bread of life. So, praise the Lord for this community.
Alright, today we are going to read Psalm 56 together, but before we dive in, I want to give you the background. This is a Psalm that David wrote about a time he was captured by his enemies, the Philistines. So, keep that in mind. If you are battling an enemy today, and it doesn’t have to be a person, it can be a fear or a doubt, keep that in mind and let David’s words take deep root in your soul right now. Psalm 56.
O God, have mercy on me, for people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long. 2 I am constantly hounded by those who slander me, and many are boldly attacking me. 3 But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.
So, I want to pitch a small tent here and say, if you are battling fear right now, if you are battling that feeling that rises up when you don’t know what’s going to happen and the what ifs are attacking you, like arrows flying straight to your heart… say it right now, “Lord, I will put my trust in you.” That is active and you can feel it, don’t you? I will. You’re making the choice right now. Okay? Verse four.
I praise God for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? 5 They are always twisting what I say; they spend their days plotting to harm me. 6 They come together to spy on me— watching my every step, eager to kill me. 7 Don’t let them get away with their wickedness; in your anger, O God, bring them down.
And I just want to say here, if you are dealing with a person in your life where it feels like they’re out to get you, I want you to know that you can go to God. You can bring that person to God. When I have to do that, I always remember though, that God loves them just as much as me. That he has no favorites. But it’s okay to bring him those kinds of situations. One of the ways that Jesus taught me to pray through the Bible is, “Lord, help me to be as wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove.” That is my go-to prayer in those prickly weird situations. Okay, moving on now to verse eight, because this is one of my favorite verses in all the Psalms.
You keep track of all my sorrows.
Remember, this is the God who counts the hairs on our heads.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
How tender is that? So tender.
My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side! 10 I praise God for what he has promised; yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised. 11 I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? 12 I will fulfill my vows to you, O God, and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help. 13 For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light.
I want to wrap up our time together today and our week together with this question that David asked in verse 11, because the answer is so obvious, but sometimes that’s what we need to hear, the obvious answer.
I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
You have a God who keeps your tears in His bottle. He keeps a record of them. He misses nothing. If you lose a hair, He knows about it. That’s the kind of God who loves you. Oh, Jesus loves you. Yes, you are loved.
Thank you for making time for the Bible for Busy People today. If being part of this community is a blessing to you, it’s super easy to share this podcast with someone you love. We’re all about spreading the hope of Jesus like butter. So, if you’ve got a moment to write a review, boy, we’d really appreciate that. Maybe you need a little prayer today, or you are ready to take that next step with God. I invite you to check out our show notes. You’re going to find lots of encouragement there. This podcast is one branch on a tree called Purposely, a podcast network designed with practical podcasts to help you find and thrive in God’s purpose for your life. If you’ve got a pulse, you’ve got a purpose.
