Psalm Thirty-One: Rock and Fortress

I was going through some of my old posts, mainly my Psalms entries...you know...the reason I began this blog.  I stopped doing them for a while, mostly because Josiah and Molly wanted to color with my pen when they saw me drawing in my journal.  Molly still likes to color, but I'm more deliberate about giving her her own paper to color when I'm doing my devotions.  I really have been missing this precious time I used to have when I sat down to read my Bible and reflect on God's goodness found in the Psalms by illustrating the words I would read.  I would like to try to make a conscious effort to make more of these entries in hopes of encouraging others to have deliberate and daily encounters with the God of the Bible.  You can read more of these entries here.
  

"In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame, deliver me in your righteousness.
Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.  


Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.  Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge.  Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth." v. 1-5


"Be strong and take heart, all you hope in the LORD." v. 24

God, I can hide in the shelter of your truth, knowing you know what is best for me and how much you love me.  How quickly you answer me when I call out your name and declare your righteousness.  

I love the imagery of birds' nests.  For me it represents safety and refuge and complete faith.  The baby birds must trust in the home that their mother carefully and lovingly prepared for them, but the mother must trust more:  she must trust the strength of the branches in which she built her nest. 

 In this drawing, I drew the branches as hands in which the nest is held (v. 5), seven leaves to represent the number of perfection.  How temporal my world (the nest) around me is.  How flimsy and breakable and shaky things around me seem sometimes.  It is encouraging to know in whose Hands my spirit is held!  The truth in verse 24 reminds me, I can be strong and take heart if I hope in the Lord.