Psalm 27:1-2, 13-14 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 27:1-2, 13-14 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Verse 2When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh- my adversaries and foes- they shall stumble and fall.
Verse 13I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Verse 14Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!
Devotion
This song of confident praise stirs the heart: Be of good courage! This is no saccharine sweet tune based on wishful thinking but a melody arising from the land of the living that captures us with its beauty and passion. As we learn to sing this song, we learn what it means to wait with expectant hope, trusting in God's deliverance not as some future event off in the distance, but living with an awareness of God's caring presence with us right now. God, our Emmanuel, is always ready to come to us. In this season of Advent, may this song of courage and hope cultivate within us open hearts to God's presence and activity in our midst.