Would You? – The Presidential Prayer Team

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let him ever sing for joy. – Psalm 5:11

An Evie song, from the seventies, entitled Would You? asks a series of questions. The second verse asks, “Would you value having hope,/ If you’d never known despair?/ Would you treasure, being safe,/ If you’d never lost your way?/ Would you cherish, gentle words,/ If you’d never been afraid?”

King David wrote Psalms with passion because he had experienced sin and life-threatening situations. He knew what it was like to fail God by committing adultery and arranging for Bathsheba’s husband to be killed (2 Samuel 11). He experienced rejection on deep levels by his wife Michal (2 Samuel 6:16, 20-23) and King Saul (1 Samuel 18:10-11). When David wrote today’s verse, “Let all who take refuge in you rejoice,” he had experienced the joy of being rescued by the Lord countless times. He also experienced God’s love and forgiveness after he sinned. David made rejoicing in song an important part of his life, from the time he was a young shepherd to the time he was an elderly king.

Perhaps you pray with passion for the United States because you have experienced the Lord as a refuge and you know that hope for this country, in all of its sin, lies in Christ alone. Come to Him with singing, and acknowledge the love and forgiveness He has shown you and each soul by sending Jesus. Pray for God’s mercies on the United States and that citizens and elected officials alike will pursue God as their refuge. Ask that the joy of the Lord would become the strength of the people of this nation.

Today’s Verse: Psalm 5:11

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
    let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name may exult in you.

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: Nehemiah 8:1-10

8 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. ²So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. ³And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. ⁴And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. ⁵And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. ⁶And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. ⁷Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. ⁸They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

⁹And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. ¹⁰Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”