I love the Lord for he heard my voice.
He heard my cry for mercy.
Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call on him as long as I live.
The cords of death entangled me.
The anguish of the grave came over me.
I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Lord.
Lord save me.
The Lord is gracious and righteous.
Our God is full of compassion.
The Lord protects the unwary.
When I was brought low,
He saved me.
Return to your rest,
My soul.
For the Lord has been good to you.
For you Lord have delivered me from death.
My eyes from tears.
My feet from stumbling.
That I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
I trusted in the Lord when I said I am greatly afflicted.
In my alarm I said everyone is a liar.
What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me?
I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.
I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.
Truly I am your servant Lord.
I serve you just as my mother did.
You have freed me from my chains.
I lift up my eyes to the mountains.
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
The maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip.
He who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed,
He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you.
The Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The Sun will not harm you by day nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm.
He will watch over your life.
The Lord will watch over your coming and your going both now and forevermore.
It's amazing how the psalmist seemed to be speaking our language even though they were written so many years ago.
They remind us that people have been facing similar battles throughout all of history.
We can feel the depths of the sorrows and many times we're all too familiar with the low places that they speak from.
But there's something to be learned from the psalmist.
No matter what,
They praised the Creator.
In their praise and in their thanksgiving,
Hope began to grow.
In their faithfulness,
Faithfulness was shown to them.
All that God is is compassionate towards us even when we feel as though we're falling into the dark,
When it feels like we're experiencing death on earth.
But breakthrough is a promise fulfilled through a heart of gratitude and of praise.
