October 23 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Psalm 34:

¹I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
²My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
³O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
⁴I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
⁵They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
⁶This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
⁸O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
⁹O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
¹⁰The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.
¹¹Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
¹²What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
¹³Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
¹⁴Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
¹⁵The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
¹⁶The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
¹⁷The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
¹⁸The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
¹⁹Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
²⁰He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
²¹Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
²²The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

Devotional

In our day, it seems, we do not think much about angels. But the Bible often speaks of the angel of the Lord, or of angels in general. In the letter to the Hebrews we read of the angels "as ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation." In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus told Peter who drew a sword in defense of his Lord, that He could pray the Father, and He would give him thousands of angels to defend him. But how would the Scriptures be fulfilled? When the proph­et Elisha was at Dothan, the city was surrounded by a great host of the Syrians with horses and chariots to capture the prophet; but the Lord sent his host—chariots and horses of fire—which surrounded Elisha, that the enemies could not hurt him, and the Lord gave a wonderful deliverance. When Daniel was thrown into the lions' den, the Lord sent his angel, and shut the lions' mouths, and Daniel came out unhurt. The angels of God met Jacob on his way, when he was afraid of Esau his brother. In the prophet Zechariah we read; "I will encamp about mine house . . . no oppressor shall pass through them anymore." And of Jerusalem (the people of God) God speaks thus: "For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her." Surely a strong deliverer is our God. "Whoso puttest his trust in the Lord shall be safe."

Prayer

Our Father, how dependant we are upon Thee. We cannot protect ourselves against those who would swallow us up. But Thou art our Strength and our Shield. We thank Thee that Thou hearest the cry of Thy children, and deliverest them out of all their distresses. O, may those, whom Thou hast delivered, continually praise Thy name and magnify Thy grace, and glorify Thee our Father in heaven. Be pleased to glorify Thyself in us and through us, that Thou in all things mayest be glorified through Jesus Christ; to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Heb. 1:14; Matt. 26:51-54; 2 Kings 6:13-23; Dan. 6:16-23; Gen. 32:1ff; Zech. 9:8; 2:5; Prov. 29:25.

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