Psalms to Counteract Fear & Stress

I've been away from the computer for some time due to my husband's health issues. This month he had triple by-pass surgery. He is doing well, but it will be a three-month recovery. The past several weeks have been very stressful, and I've been leaning on the Lord and His Word. Today, I rediscovered the Navigators Discipleship Tool: Psalms to Counteract Fear and Stress, by Peter Trautmann. It was a pdf that is no longer offered. I thought I'd post the verses here. God is faithful to His promises, and His Word, the Bible, is living and active. 

Ps 3:5-6 “I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.”

Ps 6:2-4 “Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint; heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long? Turn, Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.”

Ps 9:18 “But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish.”

Ps 10:14 “But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.”

Ps 11:3-4a “‘When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?’ The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne.”

Ps 16:1-2,5,8 ““Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.’” “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.” “I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

Ps 22:1-2 (Think of Jesus saying this on the Cross) “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.”

Ps 23 (the whole psalm)

Ps 25:1 “In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.”

Ps 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”

Ps 29:11 “The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.”

Ps 34:4 “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”

Ps 35:1 “Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.”

Ps 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble .

Ps 46:10 “He says, ‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’”

Ps 55:16, 22 “As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me.” “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.”

Ps 56:3-4 “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

Ps 63:8-9 “I cling to you; your right hand upholds me. Those who want to kill me will be destroyed; they will go down to the depths of the earth.”

Ps 68:5-6,19-20 “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” “Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.”

Ps 80:3 “Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.”

Ps 91:1-3 “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’ Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.”

Ps 94:18-19,22 “When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.” “But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.”

Ps 108:12 “Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless.”

Ps 112:7-8 “They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.”

Ps 118:5-6 “When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

Ps 119:50,67,71 “My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.”

Ps 138:3 “When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me.”

Ps 142:5 “I cry to you, Lord; I say, ‘You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.’”

 

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. 

 

Merry Christmas!

 

                                                                                 

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Luke 2:11-14, KJV

"I have come as a light into the world." John 12:46, NKJV  

And leaving Nazareth He went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matt. 4:12-17, ESV

 

The 23rd Psalm, The LORD is My Shepherd

 

Photo by Gabriele Agrillo on Unsplash

A psalm of David.

¹ The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have all that I need.
² He lets me rest in green meadows;
    he leads me beside peaceful streams.
³     He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
    bringing honor to his name.
⁴ Even when I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
    for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
    protect and comfort me.
⁵ You prepare a feast for me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
    My cup overflows with blessings.
⁶ Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
    all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
    forever.

This popular psalm, and one of my favorites, tells us a lot about God.

God provides. God protects. God shelters and restores. God leads. God is with him who trusts in Him. God comforts. God nourishes. God is fair and just. God vindicates. God makes us holy. God blesses abundantly. God is good. God is loving. God is eternal. With God is everlasting life.  

In my humble opinion, Psalm 23 is a great one to memorize and meditate on to ease anxious minds. Also, copying it down in your favorite translation will help slow your racing thoughts and redirect your mind to the Father who loves you and is always with you.

 

 

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Lord, Our Shepherd

 

Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash

 

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. Psalm 23:1, NIV

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. Micah 5:4, NIV

He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. Isaiah 40:11, ESV

Even to your old age I will be the same, And even to your graying years I will carry you! I have done it, and I will bear you; And I will carry you and I will save you. Isaiah 46:4, NASB

As a shepherd seeks out his flock when some of his sheep have been scattered abroad, so will I seek out my sheep; and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. Ezekiel 34:12, RSV 

I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep. Ezekiel 34:15, ESV 

I am the good shepherd. John 10:11, NLT 

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me. John 10:14, ESV

Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—through the blood of the everlasting covenant, equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21, CSB

Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls. 1 Peter 2:25, NLT

And when the chief Shepherd is manifested you will obtain the unfading crown of glory. 1 Peter 5:4, RSV

  

   

Anxious for Nothing

Good advice from Max Lucado:

Anxiety is an out of control thought pattern. It settles over the mind like a severe weather system, spewing  thunderclouds and casting lightning bolts. Life feels like an airplane in a tailspin. It feeds on what-ifs and worst case scenarios. Don’t give in... Take a deep breath and then… 

1. Pray about it. At the first hint of an anxious thought, Take the thought captive. Don’t tolerate the devil, not  even for a second. Lasso the anxious thought with a word of prayer. Lord, there is an intruder at the door! Please  take over! 

2. Identify the culprit. Generalities are not permitted. None of this: “I’m worried.” Get specific: Lord, I’m worried  about the layoffs at work. Now, that’s better. But even more detailed: I’m worried that I will lose my job. Will I be  able to find more work? Will we have to move? Specificity disarms anxiety. 

3. Take a reality check. Is this a legitimate concern? Or is this a vague, ill-defined, rumor-fed possibility? They say  layoffs are inevitable. Who are they? 

4. Take an action step. Assuming the concern is legitimate, what can you do? Make a list of two or three steps  you can Resist the urge to try to solve everything immediately. 

5. Ask: “Can God solve this?” Is this challenge within his skill set? Is he overwhelmed by this setback? Are the  angels pounding on the door of heaven trying to convince him to come out of hiding? Is he resisting? I can’t handle this challenge It is too great. I don’t know what to do! I’m stumped, stuck, and stalled out.

No… I don’t think so either. God is never baffled or belittled. Take the problem to him. 

Reflect on this verse: “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in  judgment, You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,  says the Lord” (Isaiah 54:17). 

And, pray it through:  

Lord, 

Thank you that “before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely” (Psalm 139:4). Thank you  that there are no surprises with you. Help me find deep comfort in the fact that you are unshockable and  nothing is too great, too terrible, too large, or too heavy for you. Help me see the problems that I face  today in light of how big you are. Amen.

                

© Max Lucado (adapted from Anxious for Nothing, Thomas Nelson, 2017)

When We Have No Strength

 

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  

Psalm 46:1

 

“Are we oppressed by troubles? Have we work to do and enemies to grapple with? God is our strength, to bear us up under our burdens, to fit us for all our services and sufferings; he will by his grace put strength into us, and on him we may stay ourselves. Are we in distress? He is a help, to do all that for us which we need…whatever it is, he is a very present help; we cannot desire a better help, nor shall ever find the like in any creature.”

--Matthew Henry

An Invitation

"Come to terms with God and be at peace; in this way good will come to you. Receive instruction from his mouth, and place his sayings in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be renewed....Then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God. You will pray to him and he will hear you." 

Job 22:21-23;26-27, CSB

Pause for a moment. Read these words slowly. Then read them again.

They aren’t just lines on a page—they are an invitation. An invitation to real peace. An invitation to renewal. An invitation to live in such close fellowship with God that prayer becomes not just speaking, but also knowing He hears.

When we receive His Word deep into our hearts—when we align our minds, souls, and lives with Him—we find what the world can never offer.

This is peace that lasts.
This is life that overflows.

 

 

 

Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.