A Psalm for those who are anxious about going to the grocery store. :)
I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!
4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
11 Come, O children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 What man is there who desires life
and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants;
none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
I found this psalm this morning after searching for verses containing the words "praise" and "mouth" hoping to combat my urge to grumble about going to the store. It's the second week of the paycheck, I have a set amount of cash in pocket which seems woefully small to me. I am tired after a long and busy week. And the last time I went to the store was a really bad trip-- my sweet baby, Mila, cried unconsolably (and loudly) for the last 20 minutes we were in the store. That may not sound so bad, but 20 minutes is LONG time in a public place with a distraught baby. I still cringe when I think of it. Anyway, it may not seem bad to you, but God knows how hard it was for me.
How readily Psalm 34 answers all my issues! Fear of not having enough, worry that God doesn't see me-- that He doesn't really care that things are tight and stressful. Fear that He won't answer me. Fear of how difficult or unpleasant it may be.
Oh my goodness, how He answers! He reminds me of Who this psalm is about. Him Whose bones were not broken, but Whose body was broken for me. Jesus! Jesus purchased my redemption. Jesus suffered for me, far greater things than fatigue or stress or crying babies. God conquered death! I have nothing left to fear. He is good and I can trust Him. None who take refuge in Him will condemned. He saves the crushed in spirit. He delivers the righteous (in Christ) out of their troubles!
I'm not saying that I expect a perfect grocery store trip, but I know that my Redeemer lives and that He will stand upon the earth. I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed to Him against that Day.
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who
shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?" (Or bills? Or grocery stores? Or crying babies?) Romans 8: 31-35
No.
NOTHING can separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now that is some good news for grocery store day.
