Good morning…

She wrote: “Sue, with Paris on my heart, I was reading Psalm 64 today. See if God leads you to write a devotional concerning the Paris massacre & the hope of Psalm 64. I especially love the Amplified version of this scripture.”

So, I prayerfully ponder her request and am drawn back to God’s gift of the Holy Spirit …the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world, 1 John 4:4 (NIV). In the Amplified Bible translation, Psalm 64 sounds like this:

Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; Guard my life from the terror of the enemy.
Hide me from the secret counsel and conspiracy of the ungodly,
From the scheming of those who do wrong, Who have sharpened their tongues like a sword.
They aim venomous words as arrows, To shoot from ambush at the blameless [one];
Suddenly they shoot at him, without fear.

They encourage themselves in [their pursuit of] an evil agenda; They talk of laying snares secretly;
They say, “Who will discover us?”
They devise acts of injustice, saying, “We are ready with a well-conceived plan.”
For the inward thought and the heart of a man are deep (mysterious, unsearchable).

But God will shoot them with an [unexpected] arrow;
Suddenly they will be wounded.
So they will be caused to stumble; Their own tongue is against them;
All who gaze at them will shake the head [in scorn].

Then all men will fear [God’s judgment];
They will declare the work of God, And they will consider and wisely acknowledge what He has done.
The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him;
All the upright in heart will glory and offer praise.

Hear us, God. Guard us from terror. Hide us from schemes of those who do ungodly wrong. They shoot from ambush at the blameless. They pursue an evil agenda. With secret snares and acts of injustice, they are ready with a well-conceived plan. They conceal the deepest, darkest recesses of the human heart, mysterious, unsearchable.

But God will shoot unexpected arrows into their hardened core. Those orchestrating terror will be wounded, stumbling and scorned. Their own tongue will turn against them and the world will gaze at them, shaking its head in disgust. In the end, all people will fearfully respect the LORD and together we will declare the mighty works of God. In wisdom, we will consider and acknowledge how our Creator saves. Righteous, rejoice. Take refuge in the LORD. Upright, praise the God of ultimate glory.

“Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged…for there is a power far greater on our side!” 2 Chronicles 32:7 (NLT),

Sue