He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust."
Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.
Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.
"Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation."
1 comment:
I was just reading some African, post-colonial literature and I was amazed by the power of personal belief. From the colonialist viewpoint, the plot seems absurd: a royal servant joyfully committing suicide (as demanded by law) to accompany his king to the world of the ancestors, a woman sacrificing her family's honor by whoring her son's bride out to the soon-to-be deadman because he requests it and "how could [this mother] bear the knowledge that [she] denied him his final earthly desire and left him weighted by regret upon entering the other world?"** But regardless of reaction, the reality of similar situations is true. Yet, these people aren't ignorant, backward, and stupid. They just are convinced of what they believe.
Now, look at the promises that lie in this Psalm. This is our creed. How much do I believe this passage? How much do I claim it in every part of my life, taking risks with joy and full confidence? Oh that our faith becomes a greater and more vibrant part of our life everyday!
**death and the king's horseman
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