Daily Devotional – Friday, November 6, 2026
Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD.
Psalms 31:24 (NKJV)
The thirty-first psalm revolves around adversity and deliverance. David was familiar with trouble in his youth and as a king. He faced peril from wild animals, King Saul, hostile nations and even family members. From these experiences, the son of Jesse developed a deep trust in God, which he shared with the readers of his psalms.
He Shall Strengthen You
It is not clear which particular distressing event motivated David to write this song. Some scholars suggest it was when the Philistines attacked a city called Keilah and David and his men went to help the inhabitants. However, Saul set a trap for David in the city. God warned David the people of Keilah would hand him over to Saul despite his heroic acts on their behalf.
This event demonstrates that David often had to deal with danger, betrayal and personal trials. His enemies were ever on the lookout for opportunities to harm him. It is remarkable, therefore, that after describing some of these personal challenges in Psalm 34, he shifts his focus to other believers and encourages them to learn to take courage in the Lord whenever they face trouble.
Finding Hope in the Face of Adversity
Our circumstances may be different from David’s, but our need for God is the same. In life, we will encounter challenges from all quarters, including direct or covert threats from enemies or the betrayal and silence of friends. In such situations, as we wait for God to intervene, we must learn to endure patiently and remember that God sustains those who hope in Him.
If you are going through distress today, and all hope for a breakthrough seems to fade, wait on Him with hope. Though He seems to delay His intervention, He never leaves those who trust in Him. Be of good courage, and God shall strengthen your heart, because you hope in Him.
Prayer
Loving Father in heaven, when problems assail me, teach me to wait on you with courage. Because my hope is in You, I know You will never disappoint me.
