Worship: My Hope Is In You by Aaron Shust
I meet with You
And my soul sings out
As Your word throws doubt far away (Ps 56: 3-4)
I sing to You
And my heart cries holy
Hallelujah! Father, You’re near (Deut 4:7)
(chorus)
My hope is in You Lord
All the day long (Ps 25:5)
I won’t be shaken by drought or storm (Ps 62:6)
A peace that passes understanding is my song (Phil 4:7)
And I sing
My hope is in You alone (Ps 62:5)
I wait for You (Ps 38:15)
And my soul finds rest (Ps 62:1)
In my selfishness, You show me grace (Rom 5:8)
I worship You
And my heart cries glory
Hallelujah! Father, You’re here (Matt 28:20)
(chorus)
(bridge)
I will wait on You (Ps 38:15)
You are my refuge (Ps 62:8)
I will wait on You
You are my refuge
(chorus)
My hope is in You Lord
All the day long (Ps 25:5)
I won’t be shaken by drought or storm (Ps 62:6)
My hope is in You Lord
All the day long
I won’t be shaken by drought or storm
The peace that passes understanding is my song (Phil 4:7)
And I sing
My hope is in You alone (Ps 62:5)
My hope is in You alone
My hope is in You alone
(c) 2010 Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing (, ASCAP)
Video: https://youtu.be/XNZFctND4jY
Witness:
Well, here I am sitting before my computer feeling a little frustrated at the time. It’s 8:20 pm and I am just getting started in journaling. A lot has gone on in the past few days. My daughter, who has worked a lot of hours with little rest, locked her keys in the car. The day before she lost her tip money. She has been dealing for a while with depression over a lost relationship. The car keys incident sent her over the edge, and she snapped and cursed God. I tried to comfort her at the time this happened. I then paid 40 bucks to get the door open. The next day I sent her an email to encourage her. Praise the Lord she is better now, but keep praying for her – she is not entirely out of the woods yet.
All this has taken a toll on my spirit. Lately, my time has been taken up in extra sleep because I am exhausted. I also have been dealing with getting used to a CPAP machine and I think it has made things worse, not better. This is the first day in about a week that I have been able to sit down and share some thoughts.
Yesterday morning at work, I was getting frustrated by the interruptions as I was cleaning the restrooms. Every time I tried to enter the Woman’s restroom I was interrupted by a customer needing my assistance or a woman needing to use the restroom. With each interruption, my frustration grew. Then it hit me...again. Something that I have realized before and written about in the past.* Words that I sometimes begin my prayer time with:
“My times are in Your hands.” Psalm 31:15
I had to remind myself that my life was in God’s hands and He is in control.
Of course, this does not absolve me of my responsibility to be a good steward of my time or getting priorities right. Like when I spent too much time doing something like shopping which keeps me from having any time for study or meditation. And when I find the time to study, I spend too much time in research and not enough time meditating over what I have written or learned.
However, when things are out of my control, I need to relax and realize that God is in control and I need not be frustrated by the little interruptions that occur in my life every day. I must not respond sinfully, but pray:
Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.Ps 119:133 KJV
Today, I had a chance to put this in practice. I said earlier that I felt that my sleep quality has gotten worse. On the way home I was struggling to stay awake. My body finally gave out as I was rounding a slight curve in the road just before you turn into my street. I fell asleep and ran up over the curve. The impact popped my front right tire. This afternoon I had to spend money that was not in the budget for a new tire. Though not executed perfectly, my attitude was much better. Yes, there was a tinge of concern over my finances.
However, I told myself:
God is in control. He kept me safe. He will provide. He is God. He is Good!
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11 Teach me your way, O LORD;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
breathing out violence. *
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
NIV (1984)
* spouting malicious accusations
NIV (2011)
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Ps 27:11-14
11 Teach me how to live, O Lord.
Lead me along the right path,
for my enemies are waiting for me.
12 Do not let me fall into their hands.
For they accuse me of things I've never done;
with every breath they threaten me with violence.
13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord's goodness
while I am here in the land of the living.
14 Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.
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Ps 27:11-14
11 Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.
KJV
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Ps 27:11-28:1
11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.
12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.
in the land of the living!
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!
ESV
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As David is working through his predicament and wrestling with fear and discouragement he remembers who God has been, is, and will be. In faith, he declares his confidence in the Lord and hope arises amidst the present turmoil in his soul. Many a saint face trials and struggles and wrestle with fear but overcome them by faith. This is the mark of the believer (1 John 5:4). And they are not too proud to petition for more faith (Luke 17:5) and admit their weakness in faith (Mark 9:4).
David realizes that storms in life are often long, and a persevering waiting is necessary. A hope that persists in spite of a protracted presence of evil or persecution or problem in his life. Therefore, he exhorts himself to wait or hope, and be strong in the face of them.
I have wrestled with this exhortation “be strong and let your heart take courage (ESV).” After all, the Apostle Paul said he will “boast in his weakness, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (see 2 Cor. 12:9). David is telling himself to be strong. Paul is telling himself to be weak. What shall I do with this seeming contradiction?
The dilemma is solved quickly when we look at what Paul actually says. I believe that Paul gives the answer in the same passage where he speaks of his weakness.
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Cor 12:9-10 NIV
Our strength comes from the Lord! Even in the passages in the Old Testament where we are commanded to be strong or courageous or both, it is clear that it is only because of the Lord that we can do this.
Let’s look at some passages where these two words appear together (I will discuss their meaning more in-depth in my next study).
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
Deut 31:6 NIV
7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, "Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their forefathers to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. 8 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
Deut 31:7-8 NIV
The Lord gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: "Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you."
Deut 31:23 NIV
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Josh 1:9 NIV
23 Love the Lord, all his saints!The Lord preserves the faithful,but the proud he pays back in full.24 Be strong and take heart,all you who hope in the Lord.
Ps 31:23-24 NIV
From these verses we gather that the Lord promises to be with us, never forsake us, preserve us, and fulfill all that he promises to do for us. In Psalm 27 David’s hope, strength, and courage are based on all that God has been and will be to him.
Thus, even as the Lord is the source of our hope, so is He the source of our strength.
Therefore:
Be weak
Be strong
Though trials prolong
He will strengthen the meek
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