Psalm 16 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 16 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
Verse 2I say to the Lord, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."
Verse 3As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble, in whom is all my delight.
Verse 4Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names upon my lips.
Verse 5The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.
Verse 6The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage.
Verse 7I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.
Verse 8I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Verse 9Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.
Verse 10For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit.
Verse 11You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Devotion
“Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge…You show me the path of life.” (Psalm 16:1, 11)
On February 3, 1943, the U.S.A.T Dorchester carrying 902 service men, merchant seamen, and civilian workers was sunk in the cold Atlantic. Four Army chaplains, Lt. Fox, Lt. Goode, Lt. Washington and Lt. Poling, were also on board.
As the Dorchester sank on that cold February night, the four chaplains tried to calm the frightened, tend to the wounded, and guide the disoriented toward safety. Eventually, they opened a storage locker and began distributing life jackets.
When there were no more jackets in the storage room, the chaplains removed theirs and gave them to other men. As the ship went down, survivors in nearby rafts could see the four chaplains, arms linked and braced against the slanting deck. Their voices could also be heard offering prayers. Certainly, their actions communicated their love for their neighbor.
Prayer
Help me to love my neighbor as myself, Lord, even when it is hard. Amen.
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