May 18 – God is my Fortress

Sitting at the feet of Jesus is building a divine relationship. As with any relationship, it becomes easier to trust someone when we get to know them better.  In this 3-week study, we are seeking to get to know God better through the Psalms, to grow this divine relationship as we put our faith and hope in Him and love Him with all our heart. Join our study by reading today’s scripture below and journaling about it focused on today’s truth using SOAP (click on the “What’s SOAP?” link above to learn more). Comments are always welcome on our website for questions, discussion, and accountability.

Psalm 31

For the director of music. A psalm of David.

¹ In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
    let me never be put to shame;
    deliver me in your righteousness.
² Turn your ear to me,
    come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
    a strong fortress to save me.
³ Since you are my rock and my fortress,
    for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
⁴ Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
    for you are my refuge.
⁵ Into your hands I commit my spirit;
    deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.

⁶ I hate those who cling to worthless idols;
    as for me, I trust in the Lord.
⁷ I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
    for you saw my affliction
    and knew the anguish of my soul.
⁸ You have not given me into the hands of the enemy
    but have set my feet in a spacious place.

⁹ Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress;
    my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
    my soul and body with grief.
¹⁰ My life is consumed by anguish
    and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction,
    and my bones grow weak.
¹¹ Because of all my enemies,
    I am the utter contempt of my neighbors
and an object of dread to my closest friends—
    those who see me on the street flee from me.
¹² I am forgotten as though I were dead;
    I have become like broken pottery.
¹³ For I hear many whispering,
    “Terror on every side!”
They conspire against me
    and plot to take my life.

¹⁴ But I trust in you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my God.”
¹⁵ My times are in your hands;
    deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
    from those who pursue me.
¹⁶ Let your face shine on your servant;
    save me in your unfailing love.
¹⁷ Let me not be put to shame, Lord,
    for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
    and be silent in the realm of the dead.
¹⁸ Let their lying lips be silenced,
    for with pride and contempt
    they speak arrogantly against the righteous.

¹⁹ How abundant are the good things
    that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,
    on those who take refuge in you.
²⁰ In the shelter of your presence you hide them
    from all human intrigues;
you keep them safe in your dwelling
    from accusing tongues.

²¹ Praise be to the Lord,
    for he showed me the wonders of his love
    when I was in a city under siege.
²² In my alarm I said,
    “I am cut off from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
    when I called to you for help.

²³ Love the Lord, all his faithful people!
    The Lord preserves those who are true to him,
    but the proud he pays back in full.
²⁴ Be strong and take heart,
    all you who hope in the Lord.

SOAP Note

God is my Fortress | Becky Newman

Scripture

Psalm 31:1-3

Observation

David is in a dark place in this psalm, surrounded by enemies who want to attack with no friends who want to walk with him during this dark time. So he calls to God for rescue from the darkness, but not just rescue — he asks God put his feet on His strong foundation and build walls of protection around him. And from this place of protection, he asks to be led and guided by God.

Application

Feeling alone is one of the best opportunities for evil to attack me. Earlier this school year, I was in a dark place, and I remember walking around Wal-Mart feeling like I had no one to walk with me through this darkness; everything I saw while I walked felt like an attack, and I could just feel myself sliding into a pit. You rescued me in the bread aisle that day through the encouraging words of an acquaintance who had faced a similar dark time and had gotten through it. You made it clear as day that I am not alone and that You are protecting me. Staying connected to you has been the most important thing during these attacks. Your foundation and fortress walls have protected me from depression, bitterness, hurtful words, and evil. And I know that I would much rather be led and guided from within Your fortress walls than from anywhere else.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for Your continual rescue! Keep me safe on Your foundation within Your fortress walls. Lead me and guide me always.

The Discover One Thing main website follows a reading plan that goes through the entire Bible in one year. Click HERE to check out today’s Discover One Thing post.