Psalm 66:8-20 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 66:8-20 on biblegateway.com
Verse 8Bless our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard,
Verse 9who has kept us among the living, and has not let our feet slip.
Verse 10For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.
Verse 11You brought us into the net; you laid burdens on our backs;
Verse 12you let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a spacious place.
Verse 13I will come into your house with burnt offerings; I will pay you my vows,
Verse 14those that my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.
Verse 15I will offer to you burnt offerings of fatlings, with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams; I will make an offering of bulls and goats. Selah
Verse 16Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me.
Verse 17I cried aloud to him, and he was extolled with my tongue.
Verse 18If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
Verse 19But truly God has listened; he has given heed to the words of my prayer.
Verse 20Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me.
Devotion
No one goes looking for trouble. Somehow trouble seems to find us—and we want it gone as fast as possible! But let us not be rid of our troubles too quickly; they have a way of teaching us important lessons and they give us the opportunity to trust in God. Prayer and meditation at these times may be a great gift.
The Psalmist reminds us that we all have burdens, but urges us to remain strong and hold to our faith, for God is working, sometimes unseen and unfelt, but there nonetheless. God will be with you through your hard times, and that great truth will make your heart sing with thanks and praise.
Prayer
Father, help us to learn to hold on to you better. Help us to trust until we can see the light of your truth and love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.