Thursday, June 9, 2011

Psalms

These are some of my absolute favorite Psalms.  They are like healing rain to my heart.  If you're needing a little extra encouragement at any point, try reading down through a few verses.  I've found such incredible strength and hope just by reading through the Psalms when I'm having an extra-discouraging day.

Psalm 5 
1 Give ear to my words, O LORD,
   consider my sighing.
2 Listen to my cry for help,
   my King and my God, for to you I pray.
3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;
   in the morning I lay my requests before you
   and wait in expectation.

Psalm 10
14 But you, O God, do see trouble and grief;
   you consider it to take it in hand.
The victim commits himself to you;
   you are the helper of the fatherless.
17 You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted;
   you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
   in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.

Psalm 16
7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
   even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the LORD always before me.
   Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
   my body also will rest secure,
10 because you will not abandon me to the grave,
   nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
11 You have made known to me the path of life;
   you will fill me with joy in your presence,
   with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalm 18
6 In my distress I called to the LORD;
   I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
   my cry came before him, into his ears.
16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
   he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
   from my foes, who were too strong for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
   but the LORD was my support.
19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
   he rescued me because he delighted in me.

Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
   for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
   through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Psalm 27
14 Wait for the LORD;
   be strong and take heart
   and wait for the LORD.

Psalm 31
14 But I trust in you, O LORD;
   I say, “You are my God.”
19 How great is your goodness,
   which you have stored up for those who fear you,
which you bestow in the sight of men
   on those who take refuge in you.
24 Be strong and take heart,
   all you who hope in the LORD.

Psalm 34
4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
   he delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
   their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
   he saved him out of all his troubles.
17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
   he delivers them from all their troubles.
18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
   and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
19 A righteous man may have many troubles,
   but the LORD delivers him from them all;

Psalm 40
1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
   he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.
Psalm 55
22 Cast your cares on the LORD
   and he will sustain you;
   he will never let the righteous fall.

Psalm 56
3 When I am afraid, I will trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
   in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
   What can mortal man do to me?

Psalm 62
1 My soul finds rest in God alone;
   my salvation comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
   he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Psalm 68
19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
   who daily bears our burdens.

Psalm 91
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
   and under his wings you will find refuge;
   his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
9 If you make the Most High your dwelling—
   even the LORD, who is my refuge—
10 then no harm will befall you,
   no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
   to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
   so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

Psalm 94
18 When I said, “My foot is slipping,”
   your love, O LORD, supported me.
19 When anxiety was great within me,
   your consolation brought joy to my soul.

Psalm 120
1 I call on the LORD in my distress,
   and he answers me.

Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
   where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
   the Maker of heaven and earth.
 3 He will not let your foot slip—
   he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.
 5 The LORD watches over you—
   the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
   nor the moon by night.
 7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
   he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
   both now and forevermore.

Psalm 145
14 The LORD upholds all those who fall
   and lifts up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
   and you give them their food at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
   and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
 17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways
   and loving toward all he has made.
18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
   to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
   he hears their cry and saves them.

No comments: