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
The psalmist recognizes God as a very present help, one in whom we can take refuge and hide out for safety. The psalmist affirms that God is with us in all times and all places, a very present help in times of trouble.
One morning as I was praying, I experienced an inspiration from God, telling me something would happen that day where I would need to depend on God completely. Later in the day, as a traumatic event unfolded, that expectation was confirmed.
When our first granddaughter was born in an emergency situation, I whispered to her right after her birth that I didn’t know exactly how, but I believed God would have us together forever through his Son, Jesus Christ. Our God surrounds us with His presence and guidance daily. God will always be our refuge and strength in times of need.
Prayer
Good and gracious God, our refuge and strength, protector from all harm, we come to you with gratitude. As we go throughout our days, we ask for your presence in all our challenging and emergency situations. Amen.
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