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Preach the truth to yourself

“He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.” (Psalm 121:3)

As we read Psalm 121 gradually, you may not even have noticed, but in verse 3, something striking happens. The writer is no longer speaking in the first person (“I”) but is talking of someone else. At least that's how it seems. But probably something else is going on here: the poet is holding up to himself the truth that he needs to keep trusting the Lord God!

Although at first glance it may seem a bit strange to talk to yourself, this can be very helpful. We need God's truth as a counterpoint to everything we see around us, what others say to us or what may be going around in our own heads. We can read that truth in the Bible, it can be presented to us in a church service, or we can speak it out loud or sing it. So instead of constantly listening to ourselves and fretting, it is better to speak to ourselves with words from God. This is an important weapon against despondency and anxiety.

Many people like to decorate their homes with inspirational texts. If you had to choose such a text, which one would you take? Perhaps today's Bible verse would be appropriate?