Wednesday, February 16, 2011

IN THE MIDST OF FEAR

O God, have mercy on me, for the enemy is hounding me.
He attacks me all day long.

I am constantly harrassed by him.
He slanders me – saying things that are false, and damaging.
He attacks me boldly.

But when I am afraid – most afraid – I will put my trust in You.

Thank you for what You have promised.

I trust You, so why should I be afraid?
What can the devil really do to me?

He is always twisting what I hear – always telling me lies.
He spends all his energy plotting to harm me.

He spies on me.
He watches my every step.
He is eager to devour me, to destroy me.

Don’t let him get away with his wickedness.
In Your righteous anger, O God, bring him down.

You are the One who keeps track of all my sorrows.
You have collected my tears in Your bottle.
You have recorded each one in Your book.

When I call to You for help, the enemy retreats.

This I know!

GOD IS ON MY SIDE!

I praise You for all that You have promised.
I know that You always keep Your word.

I trust You, so why should I be afraid?
What can the devil really do to me?

I will fulfill my vows to You, O God.
I will follow You in devotion and loyalty.
I will offer You a sacrifice of thanksgiving for Your help.

For You have rescued me from death.
And You will keep my feet from slipping in this life.

Because of You, and all You have done – now I can walk in Your presence, O God.

I can walk in Your life-giving light…


(My paraphrase of Psalm 56)


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

12 comments:

  1. Full confession time for me: Far too often, I have read and recited and prayed that psalm with a personal human adversary in mind. I justify that thinking by considering David's prompt and his never ending battle with Saul. Reading your paraphrase this morning reminded me of a simple truth. The enemy is Satan. (Hence, the name...)

    I need to hold fast to that knowledge and not personalize things to HIS exclusion.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like your paraphrase of this psalm, Sharon. I think there is so much comfort in the psalms because they speak out of the heart of people (especially David's); they speak of despair, trust, praise, etc (as you know). I think personalizing them like you do (and I've done too) really helps us remember that God is on our side and is aware of the things we are struggling with and he is faithful in his word that he will be with us, that he is in control.

    Very nicely done! raining down here today......

    betty

    ReplyDelete
  3. Amen and Amen...His word is so powerful...powerful enough to bring down all strongholds...powerful enough to remind Satan of his future!
    Praise God for His words and the victory that is already won.

    ReplyDelete
  4. this is awesome. I don't know why but I always forget we're in a battle....with things we can't see..thanks for the reminder and what hit me was....He saved me from death. He really did. Hugs to you Sharon.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Sharon -

    Hallelujah! Thank you, Sharon.

    Yea, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me...

    GOD is our fortress and our strong tower - we run to Him and are safe and secure.

    Praise His holy name!

    ReplyDelete
  6. It is so true that in times of fear God is still near. You just have to take a moment to breathe and remember that. sandie♥

    ReplyDelete
  7. Praising Him now because He is on our side!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Debbie - I just thought I'd do a little twist on it. I agree, there are plenty of people that are adversaries - and yet, how powerful "the" enemy is in using others to get under our skin - and then he uses that little opening to invade our hearts and minds with all sorts of terrible things. He's so cruel.

    Betty - If there is a theme in my life right now, it's learning to trust that God is in control. I am reminding myself in all that I read in His Word, that the greatest underlying message is that He loves me, He knows me, and He cares what happens to me. And I so appreciate David - he expresses so much of what I feel - the good and the bad. It consoles me to know that God considered him a man "after His own heart."

    Janette - Well said! God's Word can bring down strongholds - YIPPEE! We need not fear any man or any circumstance or any other thing in all of creation. If God is for us - and He is - we need not fear anything!

    Sarah - Yes, half the battle is recognizing the battle, isn't it?! Thank goodness that we don't fight on our own. (I, for one, am also so glad that God kept you safe - you are a continual blessing to me).

    Sandra - You bet! Even in the valley of the shadow of death itself, we need NOT fear!! God's life-giving light shines brightly - and we follow the lamp of His Word!

    Sandie - I love what you said. Take a moment to breathe - sometimes that is what I'm missing. Just that moment to stop, and remember, that I am not alone - God is still and always near.

    Cindy - WELCOME! Thank you for joining me on the journey! I look forward to getting to know you better. And I stand alongside you in praising God because He is on our side - and because of Him, we are on the winning side!!

    GOD BLESS!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi Sharon,
    Have been reading all your posts, at the moment, I am having "senior moments" and mind blocks when it comes to commenting, I have had a busy week, taking in facts and scriptures and commenting at bible studies, my mind at the moment is in a bit of a fog. Thank you for all your visits to me and your encouragement. I do so value your friendship and support - God Bless - Nita

    ReplyDelete
  10. Nita - How I understand that feeling. Sometimes our minds just go on "overload!" This is a time for me, too, of learning so much about the Lord - at Bible studies, church, classes, my own reading. It is a lot to take in. I'm asking the Lord to bless my new knowledge - and to give me the ability to take it all in! Thank you for taking the time to stop by. I also value your friendship more than you know.

    GOD BLESS!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Amen and amen Sharon! What a beautiful exercise of responding to God's Word and acknowledging what and how it bears out in one's life!

    This just makes me ever more thankful that God is on OUR SIDE! Because you are so right, the enemy just seems to be waiting for us to weaken, be vulnerable or push our buttons and hits attack! I'm done being tossed to and fro...

    I so love your gift of writing and when you paraphrase God's Word! makes it more alive and vivid and quite personal! This heart like David is a treasure you write with! Thank you for sharing God with us and His Word!

    Many rich blessings,
    Peggy

    ReplyDelete
  12. Peggy - I am also so prone to being tossed to and fro - it is exhausting, isn't it? What a tremendous promise we have, though...God is on our side, and His victory goes before us! I often think that I let the enemy have way too much fun with my thoughts and feelings. I'm asking God to give me a stronger spirit, and a more trusting faith. Wanting to live every day in his life-giving Light!

    GOD BLESS!

    ReplyDelete

"So [I] have been greatly encouraged in the midst of [my] troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith. It gives [me] new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord. How [I] thank God for you!" (1 Thessalonians 3:7-9)

Thanks for your comments - it is such a joy to be sharing my journey with friends like YOU!

(NOTE: Anonymous comments will be removed. Thank you for understanding.)