November 12 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Psalm 124:

¹If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel say;
²If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us:
³Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:
⁴Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:
⁵Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
⁶Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.
⁷Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.
⁸Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

Devotional

These words are very familiar; our ministers often use them in public worship. But because they are so familiar, we, perhaps, do not realize their full significance, and do not ponder them in our hearts as we should. We may sometimes imagine that we can do great things; we forget, or do not consider, how frail we are. But God does not forget. "He knoweth our frame; he remem-bereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more." Why should God concern himself about us?

In our nothingness we have God as our Helper. Our help is in the name of the Lord. The name stands for the person. The Lord is our strength and our shield. He is the almighty One. He made heavenn and earth out of nothing. He is the Creator of all. He "will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent." But He will "deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper." "How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God: therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings." "Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. The Lord that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion."

Our only help is in Jehovah's name,
Who made the earth and all the heavenly frame.

Prayer

Our Father, Creator of heaven and earth and all that in them is, we thankThee that we may trust under the shadow of Thy wings; that Thou art always a very present help in time of trouble. May we always seek our refuge in Thee. May we in our weakness rely on Thy strength; in our ignorance trust Thy wisdom, and in our sinfulness lay hold in faith on the righteous­ness of our Savior Jesus Christ. Sanctify us through Thy truth. Thy Word is truth. Pardon our sins. In Jesus' name we pray. Hear us for his sake. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Ps. 103:14-16; 28:7; 1 Cor. 1:19; Ps. 72:12; 36:7; 134:2, 3.

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