Verse of the Day 5/6

Verse of the Day 5/6

Psalm 119:114   You are my hiding place and my shield;

    I hope in your word.    English Standard Version (ESV)

We live in a busy world, in a time when stating your opinion on a topic will bring an onslaught from the opposing side.  More and more this is the case with sharing our faith, especially when considering passages such as John 14:6  "I am the way, the truth, and the life" or Acts 4:12 "there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.  In today's verses, David speaks of God as being his hiding place and shield.  In a chapter that is all about God's Word, we should notice that it is God in whom we take refuge.

Our men's Bible study group has spent weeks going through this Psalm and I've been using Charles Spurgeon's commentary as a resource for the study.  He points out that David "does not speak of God's Word as being his double defense, but he ascribes that to God Himself."  He was speaking from experience.  He had experienced the persecution of Saul.  He had hidden in caves, but ultimately it was in God that he sought refuge, and God was with him.

Spurgeon goes on to write, "it is easy to exercise hope where we have experienced help.  Sometime when gloomy thoughts afflict us, the only thing we can do is to hope, and, happily, the Word of God always sets before us objects of hope and reasons for hope, so that it becomes the very sphere and support of hope, and thus tiresome thoughts are overcome.  Amid fret, and worry, a hope of heaven has an effectual quieting effect."

If we feel like we're under some kind of onslaught, may we draw upon past experiences that we've had of His help, and hold onto Him in hope as we draw encouragement and hope in His Word.

You are my hiding place
You always fill my heart
With songs of deliverance
Whenever I am afraid
I will trust in You

I will trust in You
Let the weak say I am strong
In the strength of the Lord

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Psalm 119:114-120 The Message (MSG)

^113-120 I hate the two-faced,
    but I love your clear-cut revelation.
You're my place of quiet retreat;
    I wait for your Word to renew me.
Get out of my life, evildoers,
    so I can keep my God's commands.
Take my side as you promised; I'll live then for sure.
    Don't disappoint all my grand hopes.
Stick with me and I'll be all right;
    I'll give total allegiance to your definitions of life.
Expose all who drift away from your sayings;
    their casual idolatry is lethal.
You reject earth's wicked as so much rubbish;
    therefore I lovingly embrace everything you say.
I shiver in awe before you;
    your decisions leave me speechless with reverence.