Your Unfailing Love

You can listen to Psalm 143 below and read the passage in the New International Version here.

“Lord, hear my prayer,
listen to my cry for mercy;
in your faithfulness and righteousness
come to my relief.
Do not bring your servant into judgment,
for no one living is righteous before you.
The enemy pursues me,
he crushes me to the ground;
he makes me dwell in the darkness
like those long dead.
So my spirit grows faint within me;
my heart within me is dismayed.
I remember the days of long ago;
I meditate on all your works
and consider what your hands have done.
I spread out my hands to you;
I thirst for you like a parched land.

Answer me quickly, Lord;
my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me
or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.
Rescue me from my enemies, Lord,
for I hide myself in you.
Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
lead me on level ground.

For your name’s sake, Lord, preserve my life;
in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble.
In your unfailing love, silence my enemies;
destroy all my foes,
for I am your servant.”

— Psalm 143

Hi friends! Thank you so much for joining us here.

We hope these journal starters spark reflection on the Psalms.

If you want to, you can share some of your thoughts in the comments section below. We would love to hear how God is working in your heart.

Journal Starter for Psalm 143

1. David showed the deep suffering he was going through in verses 3 and 4 of this psalm:
   The enemy pursues me,
       he crushes me to the ground;
   he makes me dwell in the darkness
       like those long dead.
   So my spirit grows faint within me;
       my heart within me is dismayed. 

   What suffering are you experiencing today? Is there anything you are being crushed by?
   
   How does reading about David's suffering cause you to feel or think differently about the suffering you are experiencing?

2. God helped David shift his gaze from the pain he was going through to what God had done. He wrote in verse 5, "I remember the days of long ago;/ I meditate on all your works/ and consider what your hands have done."

   What does it look like to meditate on God's works? When you hear the phrase "God's works," what comes to your mind?
   
   Spend some time resting and thinking about the amazing things God has done.

   David's meditation on the goodness of God seems to have led to an increased desire for God. He said that he thirsted for the LORD like a dry land.

   How does meditating on God's works cause your desires to change?

3. I invite you to pray these words (verse 8 through 10):
   Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
       for I have put my trust in you.
   Show me the way I should go,
       for to you I entrust my life.
   Rescue me from my enemies, Lord,
       for I hide myself in you.
   Teach me to do your will,
       for you are my God;
   may your good Spirit
       lead me on level ground. 

   Do you believe God's love is unfailing? Why or why not?
   Do you desire for God to show you how to live? How does He show you?
   What or who do you "hide" in when life is hard?

   David was bold in bringing his requests to God. He wanted God to rescue him from trouble (11) and he wanted his enemies to be silenced (12). 

   What trouble do you want to be brought out of?
   
   Which of your enemies (spritual or physical) do you desire to be silenced?