Psalm 34:15-22 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 34:15-22 on biblegateway.com
Verse 15The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry.
Verse 16The face of the Lord is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
Verse 17When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles.
Verse 18The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.
Verse 19Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord rescues them from them all.
Verse 20He keeps all their bones; not one of them will be broken.
Verse 21Evil brings death to the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
Verse 22The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Devotion
I like puzzles. Like many these days, I begin my day with trying to solve “Wordle” and “Connections,” partly because they are fun, but also to give my mind a bit of a “stretch workout” in hopes of staving off the sluggishness of thought that so many fear these days.
Psalm 34 is an alphabet acrostic, a “word puzzle” of Thanksgiving to God. While the aphorisms of the psalm are confident, they also acknowledge the mystery of faith and life. God is near, but spirits can still be crushed. God rescues, but that does not mean all afflictions are removed. Life remains even for the faithful a puzzle to be continually worked on, with good days and bad ones.
What remains constant is the presence of a God who gives us thought, thanksgiving, and challenge.
Prayer
God, I do not ask that life be made easy, but rather that life remain wondrous! Be with me in its ups and downs, and gift me with insight each and every day. Amen.
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