I confess that during the past three weeks, I fell a bit behind in my goal to memorize a Psalm every week. My husband and went took an extended road trip. We traveled to Michigan to visit his siblings and then to Texas to visit my siblings, making various stops on the way to see other friends and relatives. 

While in Texas, I celebrated my birthday, which is at the end of July, with my twin sister. The thermometer registered  113 degrees Fahrenheit when we arrived in Texas. I said to John, “I wish that my mother would have waited until September to give birth to my sister and me; that’s when we were supposed to be born!” 

“It wasn’t her fault; it was yours!” he replied. “You came out first!” 

First I was in being physically born, but first I was not in experiencing a spiritual birth. When my dear sister heard the message of Jesus’ love and forgiveness, she quickly believed it and urged me to place my faith in him. She had a voracious appetite for Scripture, memorized much of it, and has retained it in her mind. Now, she has some problems with vision and is especially thankful for the Scripture she has memorized.

The Scripture I’ve picked for this week is the first 10 verses of the 34th Psalm. I copied it and am memorizing it in the New Living Translation, which has some very beautiful phrases. I’ve resumed my usual morning walk and discovered that this is the best time to meditate and memorize. 


I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will constantly speak his praises.
I will boast only in the Lord;
let all who are helpless take heart.
Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;
let us exalt his name together.

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.
    He freed me from all my fears.
Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
    no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;
    he saved me from all my troubles.
For the angel of the Lord is a guard;
    he surrounds and defends all who fear him.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.
    Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
Fear the Lord, you his godly people,
    for those who fear him will have all they need.
10 Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
    but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.

14 Responses

  1. Hi Jane. Glad you are back on track. I love the picture of you and your sister. Happy Birthday to both of you. I have recently gotten back in touch with my sibs. I especially enjoy my email conversation with my older brother Eric. He hit some mighty stumbling blocks in his faith walk and now he thinks he is an atheist. Well, at least we had a place to start our conversation. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end.”

    1. Hi Judy, Thanks for the birthday greeting! My niece gave my sister and I the matching hats and scarfs and took our picture. We were having fun! So glad to hear that you are connecting again with your sibs. Oh, yes, we may run from the Lord but he never gives up in his “chase of grace.”

  2. Your post and the psalm touched my heart. It was exactly what I needed today. Thank you so much for listening to God and following His directions. You are a blessing.
    Debbie

  3. Dear Jane, happy birthday to you and your sister! Since we have a mutual friend who is also a twin, I’ve become more aware of twins–kind of like when you buy a new car, you notice how many others like yours are on the road. I appreciate the sweet encouragement to memorize Scripture, and am convinced that knowing God’s word deeply, keeping it somehow stored up, is essential for a life lived the way God wants. I’m lazy about memorizing, so any encouragement on this is (I think) welcome!

    1. Dear Jean, Thanks for the birthday greeting and for your comments on my post. I am finding that this challenge to memorize Scripture is giving me the accountability I need to stick with it because I tend to be lazy about doing so, myself.

  4. Jane (and John) you are always a blessing to those who read and hear you. I like psalms that seem to give a cadence to the sentences. I guess that it is good translation skills. The Scottish Psalter is in rhyming verse. One should encourage the musically gifted to rework the words and set them to music. Blessings on your birthday and the coming year.

    1. Oh my Stephanie, that is a quite a compliment! The Lord is our true oasis of truth and wisdom. “In him [Jesus] lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:3 NLT

  5. Dear Jane,
    I love that picture of you and your sister. What a sweet and happy memory to hold on to. What a wonderful thing to be able to celebrate your birthdays together!

    I love your encouragement. I need to start memorizing again. Psalm 34 has alot of great promises to remember.
    Thanks for the challenge of storing away Scripture. It’s a great habit to work on.

    1. Dear Sandy,
      Thanks for your comment. It was wonderful to celebrate my birthday with my sister.

      I’m encouraged that you are continuing to memorize Scripture. May the Holy Spirit fill your heart with joy as you meditate on and memorize Psalm 34.

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