Looking for Some Encouragement Today

Okay, I had every plan to get up at 6 this morning to be in my Bible.  But when I don't sleep most of the night that is really difficult.  When I do sleep it tends to be between 4 and 7.  So, when my clock went off at 6, I just kept hitting the snooze.  I would pray until I fell back asleep, then hit the snooze again. Repeat.  You get the idea. I have to make sure my almost 12 year old is up by 7:15, so I got up and made sure she was up.

I opened up to the Psalms.  A place I go every morning for some encouragement, to get my praise on, to be reminded of who God is.  And I came across Psalm 5.   I've underlined what is underlined in my Bible and changed the color of what I have written in the margins.  Although I have put some of my friends into heart failure, I am big in writing in my Bible.

Psalm 5

    For the director of music. For pipes. A psalm of David.

 ¹ Listen to my words, LORD,
   consider my lament.
² Hear my cry for help,
   my King and my God,
   for to you I pray.

 ³ In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice;
   in the morning I lay my requests before you
   and wait expectantly.

God is listening. To my spoken prayers. To the times when all I can do is sigh & wait.
⁴ For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
   with you, evil people are not welcome.
⁵ The arrogant cannot stand
   in your presence.
You hate all who do wrong;
 ⁶ you destroy those who tell lies.
The bloodthirsty and deceitful
   you, LORD, detest.
⁷ But I, by your great love,
   can come into your house;
in reverence I bow down
   toward your holy temple.

Lead me, Lord. You are my only God! Help me to follow only you~even/especially when I am under attack!

 ⁸ Lead me, LORD, in your righteousness
   because of my enemies—
   make your way straight before me.
⁹ Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
   their heart is filled with malice.
Their throat is an open grave;
   with their tongues they tell lies.
¹⁰ Declare them guilty, O God!
   Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
   for they have rebelled against you.
¹¹ But let all who take refuge in you be glad;

   let them ever sing for joy.

Spread your protection over them,
   that those who love your name may rejoice in you. 

Protect me, Lord, from my enemies. From myself.

 ¹² Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous;
   you surround them with your favor as with a shield. 

A shield~ a full body protection, front and back

I am so grateful for a God who protects me like this. A parent who listens to me.