52 Workday Prayers: Psalm 32 - God is Your Hiding Place

Therefore let all who are faithful
offer prayer to you;
at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters
shall not reach them.
You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.

Psalm 32:6-7

Prayer

Sometimes, Lord, my work feels like more than I can handle. The more I get done, the more is piled upon me. I can spend all morning trying to empty my inbox, but by lunch it’s fuller than when I began. I feel overwhelmed and discouraged, as if I’m ready to drown in the rising waters of my workload.

At other times, Lord, the problem isn’t that I have too much to do. It’s the people. My colleagues. My subordinates. My superiors. They can be so irritable and demanding, so inattentive to me and how I’m doing. I feel like I’m just a cog in the wheel as the wheel keeps rolling along, grinding me up.

In these and so many other times, dear Lord, thank you for being my hiding place. When I turn from my troubles you are there for me. You invite me to draw near. You are my refuge, my strong fortress. In you I find rest. From you I receive comfort and protection. You give me the strength to carry on.

Thank you for being there for me, God, even when others abandon me. You will never forsake me. How grateful I am for your steadfast love! . Amen.

Ponder Throughout the Day

No matter what happens, God is your hiding place.

For Further Reflection

Read all of Psalm 32, paying attention to what the Spirit of God is stirring up in your heart, especially in relationship to your work. Talk with God about what you are thinking and feeling.

You might also reflect on the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3. In an amazing way, God was their “hiding place” even when they were in a blazing furnace.

This prayer is part of a collection: 52 Workday Prayers: Learn from the Psalms How to Pray through Your Work. To purchase this devotional and small group guide, visit the De Pree Center store.