March 6: Psalm 61:1–4; Psalm 123:1–2; Isaiah 25:4; Isaiah 38:14; 1 Peter 2:21–23; 1 Samuel 17:45; 2 Samuel 22:33; 2 Samuel 22:35; 2 Kings 6:16–17; Psalm 34:7; 2 Corinthians 3:5; 2 Corinthians 7:5; Ephesians 6:10; 1 Timothy 6:12; Hebrews 11:32–34

Morning:

Psalm 61:1–4; Psalm 123:1–2; Isaiah 25:4; Isaiah 38:14; 1 Peter 2:21–23

O Lord, I am oppressed; be my pledge of safety!

To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God.—Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy. Let me dwell in your tent forever! Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings!—For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm.

Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

Psalm 61:1–4 (Listen)
Lead Me to the Rock
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. Of David.

61   Hear my cry, O God,
    listen to my prayer;
2   from the end of the earth I call to you
    when my heart is faint.
  Lead me to the rock
    that is higher than I,
3   for you have been my refuge,
    a strong tower against the enemy.

4   Let me dwell in your tent forever!
    Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah

(ESV)

Psalm 123:1–2 (Listen)
Our Eyes Look to the Lord Our God
A Song of Ascents.

123   To you I lift up my eyes,
    O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
2   Behold, as the eyes of servants
    look to the hand of their master,
  as the eyes of a maidservant
    to the hand of her mistress,
  so our eyes look to the LORD our God,
    till he has mercy upon us.

(ESV)

Isaiah 25:4 (Listen)

4   For you have been a stronghold to the poor,
    a stronghold to the needy in his distress,
    a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat;
  for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall,

(ESV)

Isaiah 38:14 (Listen)

14   Like a swallow or a crane I chirp;
    I moan like a dove.
  My eyes are weary with looking upward.
    O Lord, I am oppressed; be my pledge of safety!

(ESV)

1 Peter 2:21–23 (Listen)

21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

(ESV)

Evening:

1 Samuel 17:45; 2 Samuel 22:33; 2 Samuel 22:35; 2 Kings 6:16–17; Psalm 34:7; 2 Corinthians 3:5; 2 Corinthians 7:5; Ephesians 6:10; 1 Timothy 6:12; Hebrews 11:32–34

Fight the good fight of the faith.

We were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within.—“Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”—Strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

“You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”—“This God is my strong refuge and has made my way blameless…. He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.”—Our sufficiency is from God.

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.—Behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

For time would fail me to tell of [those] who through faith conquered kingdoms…. were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

1 Samuel 17:45 (Listen)

45 Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.

(ESV)

2 Samuel 22:33 (Listen)

33   This God is my strong refuge
    and has made my1 way blameless.2

Footnotes

[1] 22:33 Or his; also verse 34


[2] 22:33 Compare Psalm 18:32; Hebrew he has blamelessly set my way free, or he has made my way spring up blamelessly

(ESV)

2 Samuel 22:35 (Listen)

35   He trains my hands for war,
    so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

(ESV)

2 Kings 6:16–17 (Listen)

16 He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

(ESV)

Psalm 34:7 (Listen)

7   The angel of the LORD encamps
    around those who fear him, and delivers them.

(ESV)

2 Corinthians 3:5 (Listen)

5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,

(ESV)

2 Corinthians 7:5 (Listen)

5 For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within.

(ESV)

Ephesians 6:10 (Listen)
The Whole Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

(ESV)

1 Timothy 6:12 (Listen)

12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

(ESV)

Hebrews 11:32–34 (Listen)

32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

(ESV)