As you read Isaiah 26, remember that the people of Israel had gone through tough times. Other nations had ruled them. They had drifted far from the LORD. There was a remnant that held tight to God. Think about the joy and praise emotionally that they were feeling when He rescued them from that and restored them! Whatever you are experiencing, you can put your faith in God and trust Him.
Rejoice in the LORD! Trust in Him for protection and sing songs to glorify Him. Praise Him.
Song of Trust in God’s Protection
1In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
“We have a strong city;
He sets up walls and ramparts for security.
2“Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter,
The one that remains faithful.
3“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,
Because he trusts in You.
4“Trust in the LORD forever,
For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.
5“For He has brought low those who dwell on high, the unassailable city;
He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He casts it to the dust.
6“The foot will trample it,
The feet of the afflicted, the steps of the helpless.”
7The way of the righteous is smooth;
O Upright One, make the path of the righteous level.
8Indeed, while following the way of Your judgments, O LORD,
We have waited for You eagerly;
Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of our souls.
9At night my soul longs for You,
Indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently;
For when the earth experiences Your judgments
The inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
10Though the wicked is shown favor,
He does not learn righteousness;
He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness,
And does not perceive the majesty of the LORD.
11O LORD, Your hand is lifted up yet they do not see it.
They see Your zeal for the people and are put to shame;
Indeed, fire will devour Your enemies.
12LORD, You will establish peace for us,
Since You have also performed for us all our works.
13O LORD our God, other masters besides You have ruled us;
But through You alone we confess Your name.
14The dead will not live, the departed spirits will not rise;
Therefore You have punished and destroyed them,
And You have wiped out all remembrance of them.
15You have increased the nation, O LORD,
You have increased the nation, You are glorified;
You have extended all the borders of the land.
16O LORD, they sought You in distress;
They could only whisper a prayer,
Your chastening was upon them.
17As the pregnant woman approaches the time to give birth,
She writhes and cries out in her labor pains,
Thus were we before You, O LORD.
18We were pregnant, we writhed in labor,
We gave birth, as it seems, only to wind.
We could not accomplish deliverance for the earth,
Nor were inhabitants of the world born.
19Your dead will live;
Their corpses will rise.
You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy,
For your dew is as the dew of the dawn,
And the earth will give birth to the departed spirits.
20Come, my people, enter into your rooms
And close your doors behind you;
Hide for a little while
Until indignation runs its course.
21For behold, the LORD is about to come out from His place
To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;
And the earth will reveal her bloodshed
And will no longer cover her slain.
Be encouraged! The LORD is our protector and our savior. There is nothing and nobody that is too big or too challenging for Him to handle.
I invite you to take a few minutes to pray.
Reflect on all that God has done for you. Give Him thanks and praise in a personal and specific manner. Then share with Him whatever challenges you still face and ask for His help. Put your faith in Him.
Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ
Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.