⁴ I lie down among lions
    that greedily devour^[a] human prey;
their teeth are spears and arrows,
    their tongues sharp swords.

⁵ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens.
    Let your glory be over all the earth.

⁶ They set a net for my steps;
    my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my path,
    but they have fallen into it themselves.Selah
⁷ My heart is steadfast, O God,
    my heart is steadfast.
I will sing and make melody.
⁸     Awake, my soul!
Awake, O harp and lyre!
    I will awake the dawn.
⁹ I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
    I will sing praises to you among the nations.
¹⁰ For your steadfast love is as high as the heavens;
    your faithfulness extends to the clouds.

¹¹ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens.
    Let your glory be over all the earth.

Reflection
This psalm speaks of such resilience in a time of great difficulty.  Relying on God’s steadfast love during adverse times sounds like the right thing to do, but it is not always easy.  We know it is the right church answer, but it is not always the easiest answer.  Even the psalmist seems to know this struggle. He seems to call on his own soul to wake up and sing praises.  Now is not the time to give up, but to get out the instruments and sing a new song.  Wake up! Remember the steadfast love of the Lord and receive the comfort and strength it brings.  Today, remember that love.  Awaken your soul if need be and hold to the promise of God’s never ending love.

Prayer:
Awaken our souls so we can witness you never ending love.  As we remember all you have done, are doing, and will do for us and your creation, help us find courage and strength to sing your praises.  Help us to encourage others, not with trite sentiment, but deep faith and trust in you.  Amen.

⁴ Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
    and give thanks to his holy name.
⁵ For his anger is but for a moment;
    his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may linger for the night,
    but joy comes with the morning.

⁶ As for me, I said in my prosperity,
    “I shall never be moved.”
⁷ By your favor, O Lord,
    you had established me as a strong mountain;
you hid your face;
    I was dismayed.

⁸ To you, O Lord, I cried,
    and to the Lord I made supplication:
⁹ “What profit is there in my death,
    if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise you?
    Will it tell of your faithfulness?
¹⁰ Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!
    O Lord, be my helper!”

¹¹ You have turned my mourning into dancing;
you have taken off my sackcloth
and clothed me with joy,
¹² so that my soul^[b] may praise you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

⁶ The heavens proclaim his righteousness;
    and all the peoples behold his glory.
⁷ All worshipers of images are put to shame,
    those who make their boast in worthless idols;
    all gods bow down before him.
⁸ Zion hears and is glad,
    and the towns^[a] of Judah rejoice,
    because of your judgments, O God.
⁹ For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;
    you are exalted far above all gods.

¹⁰ The Lord loves those who hate^[b] evil;
he guards the lives of his faithful;
he rescues them from the hand of the wicked.
¹¹ Light dawns^[c] for the righteous,
and joy for the upright in heart.
¹² Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
and give thanks to his holy name!

³ For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
⁴ Against you, you alone, have I sinned,
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you are justified in your sentence
    and blameless when you pass judgment.
⁵ Indeed, I was born guilty,
    a sinner when my mother conceived me.

⁶ You desire truth in the inward being;^[a]
    therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
⁹ Hide your face from my sins,
    and blot out all my iniquities.

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and put a new and right^[b] spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me away from your presence,
    and do not take your holy spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and sustain in me a willing^[c] spirit.

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners will return to you.
¹⁴ Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,
    O God of my salvation,
    and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.

¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
¹⁶ For you have no delight in sacrifice;
    if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.
¹⁷ The sacrifice acceptable to God^[d] is a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

¹⁸ Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,
¹⁹ then you will delight in right sacrifices,
in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

⁶ The heavens proclaim his righteousness;
    and all the peoples behold his glory.
⁷ All worshipers of images are put to shame,
    those who make their boast in worthless idols;
    all gods bow down before him.
⁸ Zion hears and is glad,
    and the towns^[a] of Judah rejoice,
    because of your judgments, O God.
⁹ For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth;
    you are exalted far above all gods.

¹⁰ The Lord loves those who hate^[b] evil;
    he guards the lives of his faithful;
    he rescues them from the hand of the wicked.
¹¹ Light dawns^[c] for the righteous,
    and joy for the upright in heart.
¹² Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
    and give thanks to his holy name!

Prayer:
Holy God, your love is higher than the heavens and your grace is wider than the sea.  Awaken our hearts to the joy of your presence and open our lips to sing your praise.
Today we thank you for (personal thanksgiving)…..
Watch over your world and those whom we love.  Address those things which weigh heavy on our hearts.  Especially we pray for….
Amen.