know me by His scars.

I read a Psalm or so a day. I don’t say that to sound super spiritual or anything, just to give some background here. It’s one of the places I always make a point to stop in as I go through my daily Bible reading. Chapter by chapter, one after the other.

This morning I found myself in Psalm 28. As I read the Word, I like to journal, take notes of my thoughts, impressions at the moment. Some days that gets more fleshed out, some days less, but I try to go verse by verse, be consistent, help myself remember what I hear and learn.

Sometimes those entries become prayers, a cry from my heart. Here’s today’s – Psalm 28 (NIV):

1 “To You, LORD, I call; You are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if You remain silent, I will be like those who go down to the pit.”

You are my Rock!! I call to You, please hear my cries! Don’t let me be like those who go to the pit!

2 “Hear my cry for mercy as I call to You for help, as I lift up my hands toward Your Most Holy Place.”

I cry to You, lift up my hands, by my Help!

3 “Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts.”

Sift us out, separate us from those who do evil.

4 “Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work; repay them for what their hands have done and bring back on them what they deserve.”

You are a just God, there will be a day of judgment.

5 “Because they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD and what His hands have done, He will tear them down and never build them up again.”

There will be a final day; He is long-suffering, but He will let us choose. 2 Peter 3:9 (“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”)

6 “Praise be to the LORD, for He has heard my cry for mercy.”

You have heard my cry for mercy! Praise be to You!

7 “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him.”

You are my Strength, my Shield – my heart trusts You! & You help me. You make my heart leap for joy!

8 “The LORD is the strength of His people, a Fortress of Salvation for His anointed one.”

You are my Strength, my Fortress of Salvation.

9 “Save Your people and bless Your inheritance; be their Shepherd and carry them forever.”

Save us! Bless us! Be our Shepherd and carry us. Not guide/lead – He will carry us. Keep us!

He is more than able. “To Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” Jude 24-25 (NIV)

We can trust Him to carry us, to keep us. He is safe.

And He does carry us. Securely, in His arms. He’s not the kind of shepherd we’re warned about in Jude 12 (CSB) – “dangerous reefs… shepherds who only look after themselves… waterless clouds carried along by winds…”

He carries us alongside Himself; He doesn’t allow us to get carried away by whatever winds may try to blow us.

He cares for us. “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep… I am the Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me.” – John 10:11, 14

He knows us, knows exactly what we need, exactly when we need it, and He is faithful to give such to us.

We know that when we ask for bread He will not give us stones – so even when what we’re chewing is hard to swallow, we know these must not be stones. We’re just missing His perspective.

“Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.” – Habakkuk 2:4 (NLT)

“Before all ages” – from the Garden and before, we know that He IS. Our hearts can trust Him.

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:37-39 (NIV)

His promises are all promises.

So take Him at his Word.

You can trust Him.

He is able to keep you!

Emily

Bonus music: “And I just wanna live for You, even when the road gets rough. ‘Cause Your Words are true, and Your love’s enough. And when I fall short, You never let me down. When I’m lost in You, Jesus, I am found.” – Dustin Ruth