Psalm 66:1-9 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 66:1-9 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth;
Verse 2sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise.
Verse 3Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! Because of your great power, your enemies cringe before you.
Verse 4All the earth worships you; they sing praises to you, sing praises to your name." Selah
Verse 5Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds among mortals.
Verse 6He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There we rejoiced in him,
Verse 7who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations- let the rebellious not exalt themselves. Selah
Verse 8Bless our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard,
Verse 9who has kept us among the living, and has not let our feet slip.
Devotion
Sometimes at our most stressed times in life our confidence in the goodness of God lacks conviction. It is not until the turmoil is over that we can look back and see the ever-present love of God which moved with us, upheld us, and sustained us. Psalm 66 reminds us of God’s steadfast love and dedication to us in the face of our enemies.
Sam was a young man who lived through a life of trauma. To some degree we all may have experienced a trauma in our lifetime. Sam was a believer, but due to the heavy load of his past trauma, he could not stop hurting himself with poor decisions in his life. Sam knew he was loved by God, but lacked conviction to bear witness due to the guilt that held him captive. It was not until he emotionally worked through the trauma that he then realized God could set him free.
Prayer
Lord, please walk with those struggling with trauma in their life. Grant those who will listen be the guide which leads them through their dry land to the other side. Amen.