“You are my rock and my fortress;
and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;
you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God…
I trust in the Lord.
I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,
because you have seen my affliction;
you have known the distress of my soul,
and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
you have set my feet in a broad place…
Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
my eye is wasted from grief;
my soul and my body also…
But I trust in you, O Lord;
I say, ‘You are my God.’
My times are in your hand;
rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
Make your face shine on your servant;
save me in your steadfast love!..
Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you
and worked for those who take refuge in you!..
In the cover of your presence you hide them
from the plots of men;
you store them in your shelter
from the strife of tongues.
Blessed be the Lord,
for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
when I was in a besieged city.
I had said in my alarm,
‘I am cut off from your sight.’
But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy
when I cried to you for help...
Love the Lord, all you his saints!..
Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the Lord!” Psalm 31:3-9,14-16,19-24
Steadfast: 1. Firmly loyal or constant; unswerving; faithful; 2. Fixed or unchanging; 3. Unmovable.
Through every up and down, yank and slip, God’s love is steadfast. Choking or breathing freely, stumbling or ascending, quaking or at rest, attacked or alone, when we know the Lord Jesus, we carry and are enveloped by a strong and steady love that knows no variance or measure. There is no Rock like our God, nor love like His love. (1 Samuel 2:2)
In Him, we are secure. In Him, we are held, intimately known, and given a wide place to roam. In deepest distress, God’s arms hold us, His hands hold our times, and His face lights our way. He stores up goodness for us, and stores us safely up with Him. He shelters from strife and delivers from doubt to bless His name.
What is our affliction? Where are we troubled? How has He wondrously shown His steadfast love in the hurt and darkness? When we falter in grace or in faith, can we trace His faithful loving hand? What wrong thinking, distractions, or lies cause us to yield to alarm instead of taking courage and waiting on Him?
The earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. Look around! Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens. He benevolently rules over all! How precious is your steadfast love, O God! Relish, rest, and take delight in Him! Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you. (Psalm 33:5b,22; 36:5a,7a)
Lord, may I ever continue in and under Your steadfast love, and spread its excellencies to the needy around me.
As the rain and snow 