January 13, 2009

the Lord will not Abandon you.

Psalm 9

Robbi Russell
Tuesday's Devo

January 13, 2009

Tuesday's Devo

January 13, 2009

Central Truth

Even in the worst imaginable circumstances, the Lord will not abandon you. He will never leave your side.

Key Verse | Psalm 9:9–10

Consequently the Lord provides safety for the oppressed; he provides safety in times of trouble. Your loyal followers trust in you, for you, Lord, do not abandon those who seek your help. (Psalm 9:9-10)

Psalm 9

I Will Recount Your Wonderful Deeds

1 9:1 Psalms 9 and 10 together follow an acrostic pattern, each stanza beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Septuagint they form one psalm To the choirmaster: according to Muth-labben. 2 9:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term A Psalm of David.

I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart;
    I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
I will be glad and exult in you;
    I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

When my enemies turn back,
    they stumble and perish before 3 9:3 Or because of your presence.
For you have maintained my just cause;
    you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.

You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish;
    you have blotted out their name forever and ever.
The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins;
    their cities you rooted out;
    the very memory of them has perished.

But the LORD sits enthroned forever;
    he has established his throne for justice,
and he judges the world with righteousness;
    he judges the peoples with uprightness.

The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed,
    a stronghold in times of trouble.
10  And those who know your name put their trust in you,
    for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.

11  Sing praises to the LORD, who sits enthroned in Zion!
    Tell among the peoples his deeds!
12  For he who avenges blood is mindful of them;
    he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.

13  Be gracious to me, O LORD!
    See my affliction from those who hate me,
    O you who lift me up from the gates of death,
14  that I may recount all your praises,
    that in the gates of the daughter of Zion
    I may rejoice in your salvation.

15  The nations have sunk in the pit that they made;
    in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught.
16  The LORD has made himself known; he has executed judgment;
    the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. 4 9:16 Probably a musical or liturgical term Selah

17  The wicked shall return to Sheol,
    all the nations that forget God.

18  For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
    and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.

19  Arise, O LORD! Let not man prevail;
    let the nations be judged before you!
20  Put them in fear, O LORD!
    Let the nations know that they are but men! Selah

Footnotes

[1] 9:1 Psalms 9 and 10 together follow an acrostic pattern, each stanza beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In the Septuagint they form one psalm
[2] 9:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
[3] 9:3 Or because of
[4] 9:16 Probably a musical or liturgical term

Dive Deeper | Psalm 9

I had the privilege of working with kids in Africa this past summer. The experience itself was life-changing and powerful. While I was there, I got to spend time with some Nigerian children who lived in an orphanage. A small group of them gathered to sing us a song that contained these words: "I am a living project. I will not be abandoned. I am a living project. The Lord will not abandon me." As I listened, I began to weep. I thought of how the lives of these children had been filled with nothing but abandonment by their families and communities. I was amazed that, despite the hardness of their lives, they could still sing with so much faith, "the Lord will not abandon me." 

How many times have I selfishly thought the Lord was nowhere to be found in my "crisis"? How many times have I accused Him of abandoning me when I "needed Him most"? The truth is, He was always there and always will be.

Psalm 9:10 says, "Your loyal followers trust in you, for you, Lord, do not abandon those who seek your help." To trust the Lord in those times, we must do so with all our hearts (Proverbs 3:5) and believe that He will keep His promises (Hebrews 10:23). We also must seek His help (Isaiah 55:6; Matthew 6:33, 7:7-8). If we are faithful to trust and seek Him daily, we will never again question His presence in our lives.  

No matter what your oppression looks like, no matter what troubles you are facing, know that, as a believer in Christ, the Lord has not and will not ever leave your side.  He's there. Do you trust Him? Are you seeking after Him today?

Discussion Questions

1. Are you trusting God today with the everyday circumstances in your life?

2. How are you seeking after Him today?

3. Do you truly believe Him when He says He will not abandon you? Why or why not?