Psalm 118:8 Better to take Refuge in the Lord.

 Better to Trust

Psalm 118:8 Extended

It is better to take refuge in the Lord

Than to trust in the shifting words of man.

For the arm of flesh will fail you,

But the arm of God will hold you to its plan.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. (Psalm 118:8, NIV)

I have trusted in the promises of mortal tongues,

In the assurances of those who walk on clay.

I have leaned on strength that wavered,

On love that faded with the passing of the day.

They meant well, those who offered me their hand.

They spoke with honest hearts and pure intent.

But they are dust, as I am dust,

And dust cannot prevent

The storms that come, the winds that blow,

The trials that rise and swell.

They wanted to be there for me—

They simply could not quell

The forces that are greater than the strength of mortal men.

Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. (Psalm 146:3)

But You, O Lord—You are not bound by weakness.

You do not grow weary, nor do You forget.

Your love is not a passing emotion,

Your promises are not a debt

That You might fail to pay when circumstances change.

You are the same yesterday, today, forever—

Unchanging, unshakeable, beyond all mortal range.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord

Than to put confidence in any earthly thing.

For the earth will pass away, the mountains will crumble,

The stars will fall, the seas will cease to sing—

But You remain. You are the Rock,

The Fortress, the Deliverer, the Tower.

In You, I find my safe abode,

My shelter and my power.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)

I have learned this lesson in the valley,

In the night when no one heard my cry.

I learned it in the fire, in the flood,

When every human hope had withered and gone dry.

It was then that You drew near,

When no one else could come.

It was then I learned that trusting man

Leaves the soul empty and numb.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord.

I say it now, and I will say it again:

Better to rest in His unchanging love

Than to lean on the fragile arm of men.

Better to hide beneath His wings

Than to seek shelter in a human tent.

For man's protection is temporary,

But God's embrace is permanent.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. (Psalm 20:7)

So I will place my trust in You alone,

My Refuge, my Strength, my Shield.

No human hand can hold me like Your own,

No mortal love can match what You have revealed.

You are the God who never fails,

Who never leaves, who never lies.

And in the shelter of Your grace,

My soul forever finds its paradise.

It is better—far better—to take refuge in the Lord.

This I know. This I proclaim.

Not because I've never trusted man,

But because I've learned the shame

Of leaning on a broken reed,

And found that only You

Are worthy of my complete trust—

My whole heart, through and through.

Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh... But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. (Jeremiah 17:5, 7)

So here I stand, and here I'll stay,

Rooted in Your love alone.

For it is better to take refuge in the Lord

Than to trust in anything but His throne.

Amen.