You who live in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress;
my God, in whom I trust.”
Because you have made the Lord your refuge,
the Most High your dwelling place,
no evil shall befall you,
no scourge come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the adder,
the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.
Those who love me, I will deliver;
I will protect those who know my name.
When they call to me, I will answer them;
I will be with them in trouble,
I will rescue them and honor them.
With long life I will satisfy them,
and show them my salvation.
Questions
1. Before you read each day, pray to God and invite God to be present in your study and reflection. What is God showing you today in the psalms? Is there a specific verse or word that stands out to you? How will you carry this through your day in thought, word, and action?
2. What are ideas and themes that appear in the “introduction” to the Book of Psalms (Psalms 1 and 2)? Write these down. As we read in the coming weeks, take note of when they appear in other psalms and categories.
3. As you begin your Lenten devotional, try different ways of reading that will make it easy to reserve time for daily exercise. Try reading the devotional at different times of day to see what you enjoy and works in your life. You can read the psalm out loud, silently, or listen to an audio version. Invite a friend or family member to read with you and discuss what it says to you. You can use these throughout Lent.
4. When we read scripture that is very familiar to us, there is a temptation to glance at it or read it quickly. Take extra time to read these psalms and their words to us today. Try reading the psalm in a different translation or read it out loud to yourself.