July 3 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Psalm 77:

¹I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.
²In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.
³I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.
⁴Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
⁵I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.
⁶I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.
⁷Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?
⁸Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?
⁹Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.
¹⁰And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.
¹¹I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
¹²I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.
¹³Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?
¹⁴Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people.
¹⁵Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.
¹⁶The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled.
¹⁷The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine arrows also went abroad.
¹⁸The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.
¹⁹Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known.
²⁰Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Devotional

God's children often have to pass through deep and sore trials. God seems to be far off. He does not seem to hear their prayers, and all is dark around them. Then they may feel like exclaiming with the psalmist: "How long wilt Thou forget me: O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?" "Will the Lord cast off forever? and will he be favorable no more? Is his mercy clean gone forever? doth his promise fail for ever­more? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?" No, no, that cannot be. God does not forget. His mercy is always sure, and his promise does not fail. "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee." "The mercy of the Lord is from ever­lasting to everlasting upon them that fear him." His mercy endureth forever. "All the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us," and they are exceeding great and precious.

God's children do not cry unto him in vain. "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them." "Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." "The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory."

Prayer

O Lord, Thou art a great God. Thou hast done wondrous works in days of old. Thou leadest Thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron, and Thou broughtest them into the promised land. Help us to remember Thy wonders of old, and to meditate also on all Thy work. Be with us from day to day. In all trials and tribulations may we experience Thy help and comfort, and bring us safely to the heavenly Canaan, our eternal home. For Christ's sake. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Ps. 77:7-9; Isa. 49:15; Ps. 103:17; 118:14; 2 Cor. 1:20; 2 Pet. 1:4; Ps. 145:18f; 50:15.

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