1 00:00:02,730 --> 00:00:12,820 Speaker 1: Life Audio Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture, 2 00:00:13,780 --> 00:00:18,380 Speaker 1: a calming, scripture-centered devotional podcast designed to help you end 3 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:21,759 Speaker 1: each day with God's Word in your mind and on 4 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:26,770 Speaker 1: your heart. Right after this short word from our sponsors, 5 00:00:27,170 --> 00:00:42,239 Speaker 1: we'll reflect on tonight's scripture. Psalm 146. Tonight's scripture reflection 6 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:46,160 Speaker 1: is written by Sophia Bricker and read by Leah Gerard. 7 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:54,650 Speaker 1: Psalm 146. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, my soul. 8 00:00:55,390 --> 00:00:58,740 Speaker 1: I will praise the Lord all my life. I will 9 00:00:58,780 --> 00:01:01,500 Speaker 1: sing praise to my God as long as I live. 10 00:01:02,550 --> 00:01:05,750 Speaker 1: Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings 11 00:01:05,810 --> 00:01:10,210 Speaker 1: who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to 12 00:01:10,250 --> 00:01:13,970 Speaker 1: the ground. On that very day, their plans come to nothing. 13 00:01:15,620 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, 14 00:01:18,860 --> 00:01:22,839 Speaker 1: whose hope is in the Lord their God. He is 15 00:01:22,900 --> 00:01:26,530 Speaker 1: the maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything 16 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:32,390 Speaker 1: in them. He remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause 17 00:01:32,450 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The 18 00:01:36,300 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 1: Lord sets prisoners free. The Lord gives sight to the blind. 19 00:01:42,060 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 1: The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down. The 20 00:01:45,810 --> 00:01:50,890 Speaker 1: Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the foreigner 21 00:01:51,310 --> 00:01:54,990 Speaker 1: and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but He frustrates 22 00:01:55,090 --> 00:02:00,030 Speaker 1: the ways of the wicked. The Lord reigns forever. Your God, 23 00:02:00,230 --> 00:02:10,220 Speaker 1: O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord. As a child, 24 00:02:10,740 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: I remember asking my parents for reassurance after getting hurt 25 00:02:14,500 --> 00:02:18,109 Speaker 1: or becoming ill. Are you sure I'll get better? Do 26 00:02:18,150 --> 00:02:22,750 Speaker 1: you promise? Usually, my mother would nod her head before 27 00:02:22,810 --> 00:02:27,010 Speaker 1: assuring me that I would feel better soon. Only later 28 00:02:27,060 --> 00:02:29,520 Speaker 1: did I learn that I was wrong to ask my 29 00:02:29,580 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 1: parents to promise something they could never keep. Protect me 30 00:02:34,520 --> 00:02:39,359 Speaker 1: from every harm and disaster? That's something no human can do. 31 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:44,900 Speaker 1: Children naturally seek this protection, but the need for security 32 00:02:44,980 --> 00:02:49,299 Speaker 1: remains as adults. We can often make the same mistake 33 00:02:49,340 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 1: by misplacing our hopes. We cling to friends, spouses, governments, 34 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:59,070 Speaker 1: and rulers. thinking they can provide the safety we crave, 35 00:02:59,130 --> 00:03:01,870 Speaker 1: the promise that nothing bad will touch us or those 36 00:03:01,910 --> 00:03:06,210 Speaker 1: we love. Only with time and experience do we learn 37 00:03:06,310 --> 00:03:08,750 Speaker 1: not to put our hopes in people, for they will 38 00:03:08,850 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 1: inevitably let us down. Scripture tells us not to put 39 00:03:13,310 --> 00:03:16,859 Speaker 1: our trust in humans, since they have no ability to 40 00:03:17,060 --> 00:03:21,020 Speaker 1: ultimately save us. And they will face an end like 41 00:03:21,220 --> 00:03:28,580 Speaker 1: everyone else. See Psalm 118, 8-9? and Isaiah 2.22. Instead, 42 00:03:29,100 --> 00:03:32,019 Speaker 1: we are to look to the Lord, who is maker 43 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,620 Speaker 1: of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. 44 00:03:36,020 --> 00:03:43,690 Speaker 1: He remains faithful forever. Psalm 146.6. He alone is the 45 00:03:43,810 --> 00:03:47,670 Speaker 1: one who can give us the security and salvation we seek. 46 00:03:48,590 --> 00:03:52,290 Speaker 1: Not only does he sustain us, but he provides us 47 00:03:52,810 --> 00:03:56,210 Speaker 1: with more blessings than we could ever deserve or imagine. 48 00:03:57,340 --> 00:04:02,020 Speaker 1: Instead of looking to something or someone to help us 49 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:06,620 Speaker 1: feel safe or reassured, may we look to the One 50 00:04:07,100 --> 00:04:11,710 Speaker 1: who is the author and sustainer of life. He breaks 51 00:04:11,810 --> 00:04:16,010 Speaker 1: the chains of the oppressed and protects the vulnerable. Out 52 00:04:16,050 --> 00:04:20,870 Speaker 1: of anyone in our lives, even the most trustworthy, the 53 00:04:20,990 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 1: Lord is the only one Hebrews 13, 5-6. He won't 54 00:04:28,220 --> 00:04:32,180 Speaker 1: promise that nothing bad will ever touch us or our 55 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:37,270 Speaker 1: loved ones again, but He does promise to always be 56 00:04:37,330 --> 00:04:43,990 Speaker 1: with us. And our future in Christ is secure. All 57 00:04:44,029 --> 00:04:47,490 Speaker 1: will be well when we walk with Him in eternity. 58 00:04:51,700 --> 00:04:54,740 Speaker 1: Lord of every promise, I offer my voice to the 59 00:04:54,820 --> 00:04:58,600 Speaker 1: many throughout time who have praised you. Forgive me for 60 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:02,500 Speaker 1: the times I've turned to others or to institutions for 61 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:08,150 Speaker 1: assurance and help that only you can provide. They cannot 62 00:05:08,270 --> 00:05:13,510 Speaker 1: save me or keep me from suffering. So I proclaim 63 00:05:13,870 --> 00:05:16,930 Speaker 1: with all the other saints that my trust is in 64 00:05:17,010 --> 00:05:20,650 Speaker 1: you as my help and hope. May I not look 65 00:05:20,690 --> 00:05:24,219 Speaker 1: to rulers or May I not look to money. May 66 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 1: I not look to family. May I not look to friends. 67 00:05:28,260 --> 00:05:33,620 Speaker 1: For only you remain steadfast when all is unsteady and unsure. 68 00:05:34,779 --> 00:05:37,839 Speaker 1: You will never leave me, not even when I walk 69 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 1: through the valley of the shadow of death. You formed 70 00:05:42,339 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: the sky and the sea and are Lord over all creation. 71 00:05:48,580 --> 00:05:51,300 Speaker 1: If I can trust you to keep my heart beating 72 00:05:51,710 --> 00:05:55,830 Speaker 1: and the sun rising, then I trust that you will 73 00:05:55,870 --> 00:05:58,770 Speaker 1: be with me in this moment of need as one 74 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 1: closer than a friend or sibling. In your name, Christ, 75 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 1: I pray. Amen. How did tonight's scripture speak to you? 76 00:06:11,500 --> 00:06:15,550 Speaker 1: Share your thoughts in the Your Nightly Scripture discussion forum. 77 00:06:24,300 --> 00:06:28,859 Speaker 2: Thank you for listening to Your Nightly Scripture. Tonight's scripture 78 00:06:29,300 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 2: was read from the New International Version by Biblica. All 79 00:06:34,180 --> 00:06:40,070 Speaker 2: rights reserved. Be sure to follow our sister show, Your 80 00:06:40,130 --> 00:06:45,390 Speaker 2: Daily Bible Verse, on Apple or Spotify. By following Your 81 00:06:45,490 --> 00:06:49,790 Speaker 2: Daily Bible Verse and Your Nightly Scripture, you can be 82 00:06:49,870 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 2: sure that your day begins and ends today. centered on 83 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 2: the Word of God.