I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Psalm 27:13
If we ought to save the best for last, I cannot do it with Psalm 27! I am starting at the next to the last verse.
These words live for me, and I want them to live for and live in those I love.
This one is personal; I read this Psalm twice a day for over a year. It was during a difficult time when, with help and encouragement, I preferred the Word of God to fear and despair. Good counselors helped me to do so, and I am grateful to this day.
We will make our way through Psalm 27 over the days few days, praying for someone for whom we care deeply, but I can attest to this today: it is all in here. The goodness of God, the desperation of those under attack, the wickedness of the wicked, the sweetness of His Presence, our need to seek Him, His unfailing faithfulness toward us, along with the wisdom we need to see this life through to a happy end.
Pray with me . . .
“My Father, my God, it occurs to me that among those for whom I pray, those most deeply troubled, my desperate friends, my wounded, fearful, embittered friends, they are those who cannot say, who have not yet said, ‘I believe to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.’ I ask You to repair that place in their hearts, as You have done for me, and if there is a tiny cupboard in my heart without this truth, repair me! In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Pietro Longhi, circa 1744
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