Tag: Psalms

Refuge – Psalm 46:1–11

Psalm 46:1 (NIV)
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

This psalm speaks to people living in a world that feels unstable. The writer describes upheaval in the natural world and chaos among nations. Mountains fall, waters rage, kingdoms rise and collapse. None of that is minimized. Instead, the reader is called to respond by trusting God, who stands above both nature and history. Peace does not come from control or certainty, but from knowing that God remains present and powerful no matter what is happening around them.

It is easy for me to get distracted by the size and scope of world events. In our time, that distraction often comes through politics, conflict, and constant news. Those things can feel overwhelming and even decisive, as if they are the main story. This psalm reminds me that they are not. God is not reacting to history. He rules over it. The natural world and human affairs are both under his authority.

What I need to do is resist the temptation to treat my problems or the news cycle as the ultimate reality. That way of thinking places far too much weight on human power and far too little on God. Staying close to him puts everything back into proper proportion. Reading this Psalm, I am reminded of a line I had on a poster as a kid, a simple prayer asking God to “help me be a winner in his eyes first, and only then in my own.” That perspective matters. God is my refuge, despite the constant upheaval around me, and that is where my confidence belongs.

Fear & Courage – Psalm 31:19–24

Psalm 31:24 (NIV)
“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.”

David writes this psalm from a place of having come through distress. This passage is about fearing God, not man, and then taking courage because God will protect and provide. God saw, protected, and provided—even when it felt impossible. What begins as a cry of need resolves into confidence and praise.

This is not a shallow optimism. David does not deny danger or suffering. Instead, he testifies that God’s faithfulness extends even into moments where rescue seems unlikely. Because of that experience, he turns outward at the end of the psalm and calls others to be strong and courageous—not because life is easy, but because the Lord is trustworthy.

For me, this passage is a reminder that strength is not found in self-reliance or clever plans. It is found in trusting God’s character. Fearing the Lord does not mean living in anxiety or dread. It means recognizing who He is—and who I am not. God does not ask me to outmaneuver my problems. He asks me to place my hope in Him, knowing that He sees more, knows more, and can act where I cannot.

Taste & See – Psalm 34:1–10

Psalm 34:8 (NIV) – “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”

This psalm is an outpouring of praise. David is not speaking in theory. He is responding to a very real moment when he cried out to God in fear and was heard. God protected him, provided for him, and surrounded him with care. David describes the angel of the Lord encamping around those who fear God, a picture of active, personal protection. He even goes so far as to say that those who fear the Lord will not lack any good thing.

That last statement can feel bold, even uncomfortable. When I read it alongside the rest of the Psalms, it becomes clearer. David also wrote many psalms of desperation, pleading for help when things were not going well. This one shows the other side of that story. God was not ignoring him. God was (and is) at work, even when it may not have looked that way in the moment. Still, it raises honest questions when we look at people around the world who are crying out to God and seem to be lacking so much. We also need to remember that scripture does not pretend those situations don’t exist.

What this passage reminds me is that no problem is too big for God. His provision and protection are not limited by the size of the need. God cares about my fears, my needs, and my safety. Even when I do not understand how provision shows up, I am called to trust that God is bigger than the problem and that He is paying attention.

The Lord Is My Portion – Psalm 16

Psalm 16:8 – “I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

This Psalm paints a picture of steady confidence in God’s care. The writer keeps coming back to what God provides: protection, wisdom, guidance, and peace. What stands out is that the focus is not just on what God does, but on the proper response to it. Praise flows naturally from trust. God is seen not as a backup plan, but as the source of everything good.

For me, this passage is a reminder that God will never abandon his people. He is faithful to provide direction and wisdom when I ask, even when I am not seeing it, and he guards my life in ways I often take for granted. It is easy to fixate on circumstances and worry about all that I lack and the things I don’t have, but this psalm keeps pulling my attention back to God’s goodness. Whether life feels smooth or uncertain, the heart of the passage is gratitude. God himself is the gift, and everything else flows from that.