Trust and Strength Through Psalm 28:7

James Brown

Psalm 28:7 says, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him." This verse paints such a vivid picture of trust and protection, doesn’t it? It reminds us that, even in moments of fear or uncertainty, there's this unwavering source of strength we can rely on.

James Brown

You know, strength is one of those things we don't always notice until—well—until we feel like we've run out of it. I mean, in my own life, there were points during my cancer journey when I felt completely drained, physically and emotionally. And and that's when, you know, this idea of God as my strength became more than words on a page. It became real. It became my lifeline.

James Brown

I remember this one night, sitting in the hospital room after another round of treatment. By then, I was pretty worn down, and honestly, I I just wanted to give up. But I closed my eyes, and it was almost like—I don’t wanna sound dramatic here—I knew God was there with me, I wanted the pain to end, I did not care how, God must have given me the strength as I had none.

James Brown

It doesn’t necessarily stop the challenges from coming your way, but it gives you what you need to stand your ground and let go let God. It's a reminder that Prayer and resilience go hand in hand. We crave that sense of security—every one of us does. The Holy Spirit calms your heart and keeps the fear from swallowing you whole, that’s found in trusting God to guide and protect you.

James Brown

You know, faith has this way of filling those gaps where our strength falls short. It steps in when we've done all we can and need something bigger than ourselves to hold us up. And that's what makes this verse so powerful. It doesn’t just promise strength; it also promises protection. A shield. Something tangible, something you can trust to be there in your hardest moments.

James Brown

And and honestly, it’s a humbling thing to know that we don’t have to go through it all alone. I mean, life—it's unpredictable, it can be heavy, and yeah, scary at times. But Psalm 28:7 reminds us that we’re not left to face those challenges on our own. There’s a shield. There’s strength in Him.

James Brown

When Psalm 28:7 talks about the heart trusting in God, and then it leaps for joy, it’s such an incredible image, isn’t it? It’s saying, there’s this really deep connection between trusting God and experiencing joy, even when life feels overwhelming. You can’t break those two apart—trust and joy—they go hand in hand.

James Brown

And, you know, Trusting God creates joy in the lives of others, even in the middle of some tough, tough situations. When life is down you can feel joy by helping others This takes your mind off your issues and lets you experience the joy of putting others first.

James Brown

And that's the thing about trusting God—it opens up space for joy that otherwise wouldn’t be there. It’s not a fleeting happiness, either. It’s a joy that, I don’t know, just sticks with you because it’s rooted in something bigger than the situation you’re facing. It doesn’t depend on the outcome of what’s happening around you.

James Brown

And and this joy, it’s not just for our sake—it’s for the people around us too. Because when we're filled with that peace and confidence from trusting God, it flows out. It kinda becomes contagious. You can’t help but influence those around you in a positive way.

James Brown

It's like it takes the weight off your shoulders and reminds you: there’s more to this life than what’s right in front of us. There’s hope, there’s joy waiting for us when we let go of our doubts and lean into Him.

James Brown

You know, there's something deeply, deeply powerful about praise. When Psalm 28:7 says, "With my song I praise him," it isn’t just about the act of singing or the words we say. It’s about what happens inside us—and and around us—when we choose to truly praise from the heart. It's like, praise connects us to God in this really special way.

James Brown

And here's the thing—praise isn't just about you. It’s a shared gift. When you praise, whether it’s in song, in words, or in the way you live, it has this ripple effect. It’s like tossing a stone into a pond; the ripples go out farther than you’d ever expect. When your heart is lifted, when your spirit is filled with abundant joy, it overflows onto others. That joy, that hope you experience, lifts up the people around you.

James Brown

I’ve seen this so many times, especially in community settings. Take a church choir, for example. When they sing—not just with their voices, but with that joyful, heart-deep praise—you can feel the atmosphere shift, It’s contagious. The joy flows from them into the congregation, and pretty soon you’ve got this room full of people who all feel a little lighter, a little more uplifted, because one person—or one group—decided to express their praise.

James Brown

And it’s not always about music, either. Sometimes praise shows up in the way you encourage someone, or when you stop to thank God even during hardships. The Holy Spirit can also give you that joy especially when you stop pray and praise.

James Brown

Honestly, one of the most beautiful things about praise is how it strengthens our bonds. It’s like—it creates this bridge between us and God, yes, but also between us and each other.

James Brown

So maybe, that's the challenge for us—how can we use our praise to get us through terrible? Praise isn’t just for us. It’s for God. It's us acknowledging God's presence in our lives and the joy through the Holy Spirit he can provide.

James Brown

And that’s all for today. Thank you for joining me as we explored Psalm 28:7—its strength, trust, and joy. God bless.