The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed,
a refuge in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you,
for you, O LORD,
do not abandon those who search for you.
The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed,
a refuge in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you,
for you, O LORD,
do not abandon those who search for you.
Our help is from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
Those who trust in the LORD
are as secure as Mount Zion;
they will not be defeated but will endure forever.
Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the LORD surrounds his people,
both now and forever.
…The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.
Look up into the heavens.
Who created all the stars?
He brings them out like an army,
one after another,
calling each by its name.
Because of his great power
and incomparable strength,
not a single one is missing.
Yes,
the Sovereign LORD is coming in power.
He will rule with a powerful arm.
See,
he brings his reward with him as he comes.
He will feed his flock like a shepherd.
He will carry the lambs in his arms,
holding them close to his heart.
He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.
Yet I still dare to hope
when I remember this:
The faithful love of the LORD never ends!
His mercies never cease.
Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
I say to myself,
“The LORD is my inheritance;
therefore,
I will hope in him!”
The LORD is good to those who depend on him,
to those who search for him.
Always be joyful.
Never stop praying.
Be thankful in all circumstances,
for this is God’s will for you
who belong to Christ Jesus.
Blessings of practicing thankfulness
…the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly,
like a thief in the night.
So be on your guard,
not asleep like the others.
Stay alert and be clearheaded.
…protected by the armor of faith and love,
and wearing as our helmet
the confidence of our salvation.
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven
with a commanding shout,
with the voice of the archangel,
and with the trumpet call of God.
First,
the believers who have died will rise from their graves.
Then,
together with them,
we who are still alive and remain on the earth
will be caught up in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air.
Then we will be with the Lord forever.