Would you like to have an hour of sheer, purest joy?
(a) Read Psalm 31 on your knees, word by word, verse by verse.
(b) Remember what Jesus says in Matthew 6, “when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and ... shut thy door, [and] pray to thy Father which is in secret” (vs. 6). That means, shut out every worldly voice—your radio, TV, iPod, whatever.
(c) Then read this precious psalm.
(d) You will see that it is the psalm that Jesus recited when He was dying on His cross: “Into Thy hand I commit My spirit” (vs. 5; cf. Luke 23:46—and “having said thus, He gave up His spirit”).
(e) In Psalm 31:10 Jesus speaks of “Mine iniquity,” but it is not His; it is ours which He has taken upon Himself.
(f) Verses 11-13: to feel utterly forsaken both by God and by your “neighbours” and “acquaintance” is a horrible feeling; but that is what Jesus felt and what He endured on His cross.
(g) But Jesus chose to do what we can choose to do: “I trusted in Thee. ... Thou art My God” (vs. 14).
(h) The Lord will forever save you from self-humiliation (vs. 17: “Let me not be ashamed”).
(i) Verse 19 speaks of a treasure of “goodness” which the Lord has “laid up” for you—which you may not be able to see just now, for it is “laid up.” But you can rejoice now in that assurance.
(j) While you live happily in the rejoicing of his “goodness,” the Lord “hides [you] in the secret of [His] presence” (vs. 20), where you are safe.
(k) Now, what you have to repent of is the sin of doubting His fidelity to you (vs. 22); don’t let yourself “say in [your] haste, ‘I am cut off from before Thine eyes.’”
(l) Now forever more into all eternity, “be of good courage, ... He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord” (vs. 24).
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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