Slices
Prepare
When have you experienced God’s deliverance from a tough situation? Pray for someone you know who needs similar deliverance.
Bible passage
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 Blessed are those who have regard for the weak;
the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.
2 The Lord protects and preserves them –
they are counted among the blessed in the land –
he does not give them over to the desire of their foes.
3 The Lord sustains them on their sick-bed
and restores them from their bed of illness.
4 I said, ‘Have mercy on me, Lord;
heal me, for I have sinned against you.’
5 My enemies say of me in malice,
‘When will he die and his name perish?’
6 When one of them comes to see me,
he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander;
then he goes out and spreads it around.
7 All my enemies whisper together against me;
they imagine the worst for me, saying,
8 ‘A vile disease has afflicted him;
he will never get up from the place where he lies.’
9 Even my close friend,
someone I trusted,
one who shared my bread,
has turned against me.
10 But may you have mercy on me, Lord;
raise me up, that I may repay them.
11 I know that you are pleased with me,
for my enemy does not triumph over me.
12 Because of my integrity you uphold me
and set me in your presence for ever.
13 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Amen and Amen.
Explore
Some people always seem to be having a hard time, always in some kind of trouble. Yet in today’s psalm we notice that the Lord has a special concern for the weak – and if we care for others in times of need, we find ourselves included in his blessing (vs 1–3). The psalmist gently moves himself into the position of one of ‘the weak’.
Acknowledging his sin (v 4), he cries out to God about the evil of his enemies. They speak about him, wishing he would die (v 5)! They imagine and tell others that he is finished (vs 7,8). Even his close friends seem to have given up on him (v 9). As in Jesus’ experience (Mark 14:50), those close to their suffering friends may turn away. But God stays close to those who love him. Even in his deep despair and loneliness, the psalmist asserts his faith in God – who upholds him and in whose presence he has eternal confidence. Out of the depths he praises his faithful God (vs 12,13).
We, like the psalmist, are the ones who are ‘weak’. Yet we have a God who sides with those who know that they are poor.
Respond
Out of thankfulness to God for his rescue of you (v 1), how might you stand with someone else today who is suffering and alone?
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: 1 Chronicles 22,23; Galatians 2
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for SU Northern Ireland’s Base Camp training weekend which takes place next weekend praying that the young leaders will be eager to learn, grow in their gifts, and be empowered to share the good news of Jesus this summer and beyond.
