Slices
Prepare
As you read today’s psalm, notice how many things the psalmist asks God to do for him. He is clearly deeply suffering and isn’t afraid to tell God exactly how he feels and what he needs.
Bible passage
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
2 Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
3 Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
4 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.
6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols;
as for me, I trust in the Lord.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
for you saw my affliction
and knew the anguish of my soul.
8 You have not given me into the hands of the enemy
but have set my feet in a spacious place.
9 Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and body with grief.
10 My life is consumed by anguish
and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction,
and my bones grow weak.
11 Because of all my enemies,
I am the utter contempt of my neighbours
and an object of dread to my closest friends –
those who see me on the street flee from me.
12 I am forgotten as though I were dead;
I have become like broken pottery.
13 For I hear many whispering,
‘Terror on every side!’
They conspire against me
and plot to take my life.
14 But I trust in you, Lord;
I say, ‘You are my God.’
15 My times are in your hands;
deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
from those who pursue me.
16 Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
17 Let me not be put to shame, Lord,
for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
and be silent in the realm of the dead.
18 Let their lying lips be silenced,
for with pride and contempt
they speak arrogantly against the righteous.
19 How abundant are the good things
that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,
on those who take refuge in you.
20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them
from all human intrigues;
you keep them safe in your dwelling
from accusing tongues.
21 Praise be to the Lord,
for he showed me the wonders of his love
when I was in a city under siege.
22 In my alarm I said,
‘I am cut off from your sight!’
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.
23 Love the Lord, all his faithful people!
The Lord preserves those who are true to him,
but the proud he pays back in full.
24 Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the Lord.
Explore
Most of us have probably never been the ‘utter contempt of [our] neighbours’ or an ‘object of dread to [our] closest friends’ (v 11) or had people conspiring to kill us (though in some parts of the world this is still a reality for those who dare to acknowledge their faith publicly). Though the specifics of the psalm may not be relatable, we do, however, all have things we need from God.
The psalmist asks for God’s attentiveness, deliverance, salvation, security, guidance, protection, mercy, blessing and justice. Unlike the ‘worthless idols’ others turn to (v 6), God can provide those things for his people and does so willingly. He does listen to us. He leads and guides us. He is merciful and just. He can save us from immediate dangers and has given us the means of our eternal salvation.
Therefore, the psalmist rightly turns to praise, glorifying God for all that he is and the things he has done. We can put our hope in the Lord, because he has proved himself worthy, throughout the generations and in our own lives in so many ways.
Respond
Which of these things do you need God to be or provide for you? Ask him again, and give praise and thanks for all he has done in the past, and for his character.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Deuteronomy 17,18; Romans 3
Pray for Scripture Union
SU Malawi asks for prayer for the recruitment of writers and editors for the 2026 Yao Bible devotional in the eastern region of Malawi. Pray for guidance in bringing together a team with a heart for the Bible, skilled in writing and editing.
