Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Psalms 40
Set – Deuteronomy 30; Psalms 40; 1 Corinthians 1
Go! – Deuteronomy 30-31; Psalms 40; 1 Corinthians 1
Psalms 40
1 I waited a long time for the Eternal;
He finally knelt down to hear me.
He listened to my weak and whispered cry.
2 He reached down and drew me
from the deep, dark hole where I was stranded, mired in the muck and clay.
With a gentle hand, He pulled me out
To set me down safely on a warm rock;
He held me until I was steady enough to continue the journey again.
3 As if that were not enough,
because of Him my mind is clearing up.
Now I have a new song to sing—
a song of praise to the One who saved me.
Because of what He’s done, many people will see
and come to trust in the Eternal.
4 Surely those who trust the Eternal—
who don’t trust in proud, powerful people
Or in people who care little for reality, chasing false gods—
surely they are happy, as I have become.
5 You have done so many wonderful things,
had so many tender thoughts toward us, Eternal my God,
that go on and on, ever increasing.
Who can compare with You?
6 Sacrifices and offerings are not what You want,
but You’ve opened my ears, and now I understand.
Burnt offerings and sin offerings
are not what please You.
7 So I said, “See, I have come to do Your will,
as it is inscribed of me in the scroll.
8 I am pleased to live how You want, my God.
Your law is etched into my heart and my soul.”
9 I have encouraged Your people with the message of righteousness,
in Your great assembly (look and see),
I haven’t kept quiet about these things;
You know this, Eternal One.
10 I have not kept Your righteousness to myself, sealed up in the secret places of my heart;
instead, I boldly tell others how You save and how loyal You are.
I haven’t been shy to talk about Your love, nor have I been afraid to tell Your truth
before the great assembly of Your people.
11 Please, Eternal One, don’t hold back
Your kind ways from me.
I need Your strong love and truth
to stand watch over me and keep me from harm.
12 Right now I can’t see because I am surrounded by troubles;
my sins and shortcomings have caught up to me,
so I am swimming in darkness.
Like the hairs on my head, there are too many to count,
so my heart deserts me.
13 O Eternal One, please rescue me.
O Eternal One, hurry; I need Your help.
14 May those who are trying to destroy me
be humiliated and ashamed instead;
May those who want to ruin my reputation
be cut off and embarrassed.
15 May those who try to catch me off guard,
those who look at me and say, “Aha, we’ve trapped you,”
be caught in their own shame instead.
16 But may all who look for You
discover true joy and happiness in You;
May those who cherish how You save them
always say, “O Eternal One, You are great and are first in our hearts.”
17 Meanwhile, I am empty and need so much,
but I know the Lord is thinking of me.
You are my help; only You can save me, my True God.
Please hurry.
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
David prayed and I rescued him. But he also shared an important principle that I sometimes use in preparing you for your earthly journey. In the very first of David’s song, he thought I didn’t hear him for a long time. It’s not true. I heard him, I just delayed answering him. I needed him to realize he could do absolutely nothing to get himself out of the desperate position he was in before I came to his rescue.
He had faith that I would rescue him. I had before and he prayed and asked for My help. I delayed My coming for a couple of reasons, though. First, I wanted to make sure David knew I was the one providing his rescue. I didn’t want him to think he was getting out of his troubles by means of his own strength and wisdom. I wanted him to understand clearly I provided his need and answered his prayer. Sometimes I have to let you get to the end of your strength before you realize it’s Me that gives you the answer.
I don’t enjoy watching you suffer. It hurts Me to see My children in pain just as it does to see your earthly children suffer. But as you have come to understand, sometimes the suffering is necessary for healing. So it is with some of the circumstances in which you find yourself. I come to your aid when you call, but I don’t always answer in the time or way you desire because I know what is best for you. Just like the specialists that treat your illnesses, I know how best to get you out of the troubles you experience. But you must trust Me as David did.
Second, I might be letting you go through something now to prepare you for something that you must face later. Or I might let you experience some difficulty so you can witness to someone you will encounter in the future. You might need the experience to empathize with a brother or sister to help strengthen them in their time of need.
I know that when I ask you to wait it will always seem the toughest answer. Yes is what you want to hear and no might disappoint you, but answers your prayer quickly. Waiting always seems to cause additional stress in an already stressful situation. Trust Me, though. I know what I’m doing. I’ve been at this business of answering prayer a long time. I know when to answer quickly and when it is best for you to delay My answer. Draw strength from Me and know that I will always hear you and I will always answer.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.