God Is Right Next to You (Psalm 16:8)
By: Anne Peterson
I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. - Psalm 16:8
I woke up and started reading in the Word. We’re encouraged to do this as Christ-followers. It prepares us for the day. To me, it’s like nourishment. My daily bread. Little did I know one particular day how much I would really need it.
Just a short time later, I received a phone call. Our nephew’s son was on his way to the ER. There would be surgery. Something needed to be done about an infection that was invading the body of the sweet three-year-old.
I immediately went to God’s throne room, as all the verses I had read that morning bombarded my mind. The verses assuring me that God had this under control. His control. God knew beforehand I would need his assurance. Yes, I knew he would never leave me. And he’s always made good on that promise. Psalm 16 reminds us that God is always before us, in all things. And he is also right in the thick of it with us. Because of that, we will not be shaken.
God hears us. In Psalm 16, David reminds us why he prayed to God. David tells us that he prays because he knows God will answer. God bends down to listen as we pray.
David, who is called a man after God’s own heart, tells the Lord to bend down and listen. And I know I can do the same. And the good news is, all of us can. In Matthew 10:29, God tells us that he knows when even a sparrow falls. And he uses those tiny little birds to make a point. He assures us we are worth much more than sparrows.
God cares about what we care about. We know this is true when we read about how God gave us his most precious Son. Nothing can ever compare with that, so how can we think our requests will not be acknowledged?
And yet, we sometimes hear the whispers of the enemy of our soul, who tries telling us that God is finished, tired of listening to our prayers. This is a lie. A bald-faced lie. A desperate measure Satan will use to try and get us to stop talking to God. Satan knows the power that is available when any child of God is on his or her knees.
We are living in a crazy world. People are scared, not knowing what will happen to their families and friends. But God is still sovereign. While he is up above, he is forever watching us here on earth. As Psalm 16 tells us – he is also at our right hand. He is with us and also before us in all things.
God loves his children. So much that he provided a way for us to someday live with him forever. God will never tire of hearing our prayers. He tells us we can come boldly to his throne of grace and obtain mercy when we need it.
Here is a poem a wrote about taking God’s hand. I pray it blesses you today.
Take His Hand
I do not understand my life,
it’s difficult for me.
Some questions have no answers,
at least, that I can see.
And yet, with every year I’ve grown,
there is a truth that God makes known.
I do not have to understand,
but simply take my Father’s hand. - Anne Peterson
Reflect on today’s verse with us. Share your thoughts in the Your Daily Bible Verse discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.
Anne Peterson is a poet, speaker, and published author of 16 books. Her most recent book is Always There: Finding God's Comfort through Loss. Anne has published 42 Bible Studies and numerous articles with christianbiblestudies.com. She has been a regular contributor to Crosswalk for seven years. Visit Anne’s website at annepeterson.com and sign up for a free eBook or visit her Facebook page. You can also subscribe to Anne’s YouTube channel where you can watch her recite her poems and share her heart.
Related Resource: Praying Through Psalms 60: Victory in Hopeless Ground
What do you do when the battlefield stretches in every direction, and it looks like God Himself brought the defeat?
Join Jaime on the Praying Christian Women Podcast for a devotional on Psalm 60 — a raw, honest lament born out of being surrounded on all sides, where David dares to say You did this, God — and still picks up the banner and calls Him Lord.
Jaime unpacks the historical backdrop of David fighting enemies to the north, east, and south all at once, and shares a breathtaking story from her years near Death Valley — where barren, salt-crusted flats that look permanently dead suddenly erupted into a once-in-a-century bloom of purple wildflowers. Sometimes the victory is already buried right beneath the most hopeless-looking ground, waiting for God's rain to bring it to life. If this episode helps you navigate life with prayer and intention, be sure to follow Praying Christian Women on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!