Dr Paul Allen

At the end of Psalm 86, David even fears for his existence, and the main message of the psalm is how to lay hold of God in times of personal need. The key to the whole psalm is the last phrase of verse 11: “Unite my heart to fear your name.” There is nothing like pressure to show how divided our hearts are. It is as if the circumstantial pressure exposes the spiritual fault lines of our hearts. The structure of the psalm is like a sandwich; verses 1–7 and verses 14–17 are a cry for help, and in between, in verses 8–13, is the meat with a section on the praise of God. The psalm begins with David pleading for God to answer him:  “Incline your ear . . . answer me . . . be gracious . . . gladden my soul” (Ps. 86:1, 3, 4). He addresses himself to the “LORD,” using the name that God revealed to His covenant people. David recognizes that he is in a relationship with God. It is as if he is saying: “This is who I am, and this is who You are, so Lord, be all that You are to me.” As we move into

As Christians, we can remain calm in the face of chaos because we can trust in the sovereignty of God over all things. Find reminders of what is true and be encouraged how to pray for yourself and others in times of unrest. 8 Reminders in the Face of the Coronavirus Pandemic  (Dane C. Ortlund) A Christian Doctor Answers Questions about COVID-19  (Bob Cutillo, MD) 4 Prayers to Pray for the Sick 4 Prayers to Pray When You're Anxious 10 Key Bible Verses on God’s Sovereignty 12 Truths for Depressed and Anxious Christians  (Richard Baxter and Michael S. Lundy) God Is Still in Control  (Bob Cutillo, MD) 5 Questions that Seal or Steal Your Hope  (Paul David Tripp) Why Believing that God Is Sovereign Makes All the Difference  (Erik Raymond) Chasing Certainty in an Uncertain World  (Bob Cutillo, MD) 7 Passages to Read about God’s Protection Our Health and Salvation  (Bob Cutillo, MD)