My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my soul. 2 Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. 3 I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. 4 For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. 5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth.

If we turn and read the rest of this Psalm, we learn that it is written during a time of distress. The armies of Israel had not been successful in their battles and the Psalmist is requesting that God be with them once again. However, one of the things about the Psalmist is that he never gave up on God or doubted his love or questioned his greatness. Even during times of distress he would affirm his conviction that God is good, that he is merciful and gracious and that God, above all, is full of glory and is to be exalted.

Often we are faced with problems in our lives and we begin to doubt the ability of God to respond and take care of us. Or we begin to wonder if God really hears our cry or if he hears, does he care enough to do anything about it? One of the best tools in the devil’s arsenal is doubt. When he can add to this one the tool of fear, he can almost always win.

In Revelation 21:8, among a list of horrible sins, is mentioned the cowardly. Also, in Hebrews 10:39 we are told that those who shrink back will be destroyed. Yet the point is not that we are to stand in our own strength. But rather the verse continues that those who believe are saved. So it does not matter what the adversity we may face, we can overcome by faith in Jesus Christ. This is why Paul tells the Ephesians to stand in the power of God’s strength and to use the weapons he provides. And then as he concludes this section, he says that with prayer and petition we stand in the strength of God. In the words of Paul: “if God is for us, who can be against us?”

God is on the side of those who have put their faith (trust) in him. He has promised that he will protect his own. He has promised that he will provide every need for those who seek him. He has promised that he will never let us be tempted beyond the ability he gives to overcome.

O God, I thank you for your goodness toward me. I praise you and exalt your Holy Name above all the earth. It is beyond my ability to understand your majesty and your glory. Yet, in your greatness please remember me as your servant and use me for your good to your glory. Lord, I ask that you be with so many today who are hurting, who are sick and who are suffering the loss of those whom they love. Please heal, comfort and mend their hearts. Use me to be a comfort to each of them. I pray in the name of Jesus.

May God bless each of us as we put our confidence in him.