Faith Daily Lectio Saturday, October 24, 2026 Morning Psalm
Saturday, October 24, 2026 · Saturday in the week of the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 24)
Morning Psalm
Oratio (prayer)
O God, be merciful unto me this morning. Send Your Holy Spirit as I pray Psalm 56, that I may trust You when I am afraid, for You are for me in Jesus Christ. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Meditatio (meditation)
Psalm 56
To the chief Musician upon Jonath-elem-rechokim, Michtam of David, when the Philistines took him in Gath.
1Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he fighting daily oppresseth me.
2Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.
3What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
4In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
5Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.
6They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.
7Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the people, O God.
8Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
9When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.
10In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word.
11In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
12Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.
13For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?
Consider even rereading in another translation.
You could also consider listening to this chapter, narrated:
KJV (Max McLean) · ESV (Max McLean) · NIV (dramatized)
You might read the whole reading slowly, aloud, more than once.
Consider this verse, for example:
“put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?” (Psalm 56:8)
What other lines speak to you?
The Law David is in enemy hands at Gath, and he admits, "What time I am afraid" (v. 3). Fear comes to all of us. Yet so often we fear "what man can do unto me" (v. 11) more than we fear, love and trust in God, and we hand our days over to worry instead of to Him.
The Gospel "Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?" (v. 8). Not one of your tears is lost to God. David can say, "this I know; for God is for me" (v. 9). In Jesus, God is for you, and "thou hast delivered my soul from death" (v. 13). Christ went through death for you, so that you "may walk before God in the light of the living" (v. 13).
Prayer O God, I confess that I have feared people more than I have trusted You. Forgive me for Jesus' sake. Keep my tears in Your bottle, and let me walk before You in the light of the living. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Tentatio (trial)
Some mornings start with fear already waiting. The Psalm does not pretend otherwise. It gives words for that moment: "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee" (v. 3). Under trial it may help to pray that one line, again and again, through the day.
Prayer Lord, when I am afraid today, turn my fear into trust. Remind me that You are for me in Christ. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version.
My church home: Peace Lutheran Church, McMurray, PA. Looking for a church? See About Daily Lectio.
