Daily Devotional Thought--From the Psalms

Collect of the Week

Lord of all power and might, author and giver of all good things, graft into our hearts the love of Your name and nourish us with all goodness that we may love and serve our neighbor; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Psalm 16

¹ Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

² I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."

³ As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.¹

⁴ The sorrows of those who run after¹ another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.

⁵ The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

⁶ The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

⁷ I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.¹

⁸ I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being¹ rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.

¹⁰ For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.¹

¹¹ You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Devotion (Taken from Reading the Psalms with Luther: CPH, 2007, p. 42)

“The 16^th psalm is a prophecy of the suffering and resurrection of Christ, as the apostles themselves powerfully indicate (Acts 2:25 and 13:35). It clearly gives witness that Christ has discarded as idolatry the old Law with its sacrifices and worship, and has chosen other saints and another people to be His heirs. This psalm belongs to the First, Second, and Third Commandments, for it announces the new praise, work, Word, and worship that would come into the world in Christ, and the passing of the old worship. It is in the First and Second Petitions (of The Lord’s Prayer).”

Prayer

Thanks be unto You, Lord Jesus, for Your bitter sufferings, Your shameful death, and Your joyous resurrection. Enlighten our eyes to see in You the way unto life. Uphold us by Your truth, so we may not fall into idolatry and false worship, and preserve us in the true faith unto eternal life. Amen (Reading the Psalms with Luther, p. 43).