May 11 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Psalm 32:

¹Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
²Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
³When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
⁴For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.
⁵I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
⁶For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him.
⁷Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.
⁸I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
⁹Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
¹⁰Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
¹¹Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Devotional

There is much evil in this sin-cursed world. Every imagination of the thoughts of his (man's) heart is only evil continually. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, for­nications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

There is much in this world that we call evil: pain and sick­ness and sorrow and tribulation and adversity, etc. We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

But as Christ has redeemed us from all sin and delivered us from all the power of the devil through his atoning death, so He makes all things, also those things which we call evil, work together for our good. "All things must work together for my salvation" Heidelberg Catechism, 1. We know "that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called accord­ing to his purpose." "Whatever evil He sends upon me in this vale of tears, He will turn to my good; for He is able to do it, being Almighty God, and willing also, being a faithful Father." Heidelberg Catechism, 26. Of course, Satan and evil men continually seek to harm us, but we can say with the apostle Paul, "The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

Prayer

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy loving kindness; according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation. O Lord, open Thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Gen. 6:5; Matt. 15:19; Rom. 3:12; Acts 14:22; Rom. 8:28; 2 Tim. 4:18; Ps. 51:1-3, 10-12.

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