Thanksgiving Scripture - Nov 25

Thanksgiving Month Introduction...

Psalm 86:1-13
（Memorization Scripture 8-12）
1 Bow down Your ear, O Lord, hear me; For I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my life, for I am holy; You are my God; Save Your servant who trusts in You!
3 Be merciful to me, O Lord, For I cry to You all day long.
4 Rejoice the soul of Your servant, For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; And attend to the voice of my supplications.
7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord;
Nor are there any works like Your works.
9 All nations whom You have made, Shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
And shall glorify Your name.
10 For You are great, and do wondrous things; You alone are God.
11 Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.
12 I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
13 For great is Your mercy toward me, And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

【Reflection】Today's psalm teaches us how to pray to God in times of trouble. In the midst of adversity, David not only humbly came before God, seeking Him all day long, but also had faith that God would answer his prayers. David understood that the Lord, God, not only had the power to deliver him from trouble - for He is great and there is no one like Him among the gods - but also that this one and only true God was willing to save him. For "For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you." (verse 5).
Remarkably, in his time of trouble, David not only cried for God's deliverance but also asked Him to teach him His way, so that he could walk in God's truth and wholeheartedly fear His name! Finally, David's prayers in times of trouble turned into praise and thanksgiving to God - "I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever." (verse 12). He no longer focused on the present troubles but saw the salvation God had brought, because he knew that God's steadfast love towards him was great!
May David's prayers and praises to God in times of distress serve as a testimony and comfort for us today in our own difficulties!

【感恩月簡介】...

詩篇 86:1-13
(背誦經文:8-12)
1 耶和華啊，求祢側耳應允我， 因我是困苦窮乏的。
2 求祢保存我的性命，因我是虔誠人。我的 神啊，求祢拯救這倚靠祢的僕人！
3 主啊，求祢憐憫我，因我終日求告祢。
4 主啊，求祢使僕人心裏歡喜， 因為我的心仰望祢。
5 主啊，祢本為良善，樂意饒恕人，有豐盛的慈愛賜給凡求告祢的人。
6 耶和華啊，求祢留心聽我的禱告，垂聽我懇求的聲音。
7 我在患難之日要求告祢，因為祢必應允我。
8 主啊，諸神之中沒有可比祢的；祢的作為也無可比。
9 主啊，祢所造的萬民都要來敬拜祢；他們也要榮耀祢的名。
10 因祢為大，且行奇妙的事； 惟獨祢是 神。
11 耶和華啊，求祢將祢的道指教我；我要照祢的真理行； 求祢使我專心敬畏祢的名！
12 主－我的 神啊，我要一心稱讚祢；我要榮耀祢的名，直到永遠。
13 因為，祢向我發的慈愛是大的；祢救了我的靈魂免入極深的陰間。

【心得分享】今天的詩篇教導我們在患難中當如何向 神禱告。在患難中，大衛不僅謙卑地來到 神的面前終日求告 神，更是在信心中相信 神會應允他的呼求 。因為大衛認識到這位耶和華 神不僅能夠救他脫離患難 - 因祂為大，惟獨祂是 神，諸神之中沒有可比祂的；而且這一位獨一的真 神樂意來拯救他脫離患難。因為「祢本為良善，樂意饒恕人，有豐盛的慈愛賜給凡求告祢的人。」（5節)
奇妙的是，在患難中，大衛不僅求 神來救他脫離患難，更在禱告中求 神將祂的道指教他，使他可以照著 神的真理而行，並專心敬畏主的名！最後，大衛在患難中的求告居然轉成了向 神的讚美和感恩 - 「主－我的 神啊，我要一心稱讚祢；我要榮耀祢的名，直到永遠！」（12節) 他不再定睛於眼前的患難，而看見 神所做成的救恩，因他知道 神向他發的慈愛是大的！
甚願大衛在困境中向 神的禱告和讚美，也能夠成為我們今天在患難中的見證和安慰！