Daily Devotion for April 16, 2026

Morning Devotion

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice!
In the morning, I prepare a sacrifice for You and watch!
My mouth is filled with Your praise,
And with Your glory all the day!
O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall declare Your praise!
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Verse
Psalm 79:9 (ESV) — “Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake!”

Meditation
The Psalmist cries out for help not on the basis of human merit, but for the sake of God’s name. This prayer recognizes that salvation belongs to the Lord and that His glory is bound to His saving work. The plea for deliverance is joined with a request for atonement, showing that the deepest need is not merely relief from trouble, but reconciliation with God. Sin stands at the root of distress, and only God can remove it. Therefore the appeal is directed entirely toward His character—His mercy, His faithfulness, and His commitment to His own name. Such prayer is marked by humility and clarity, acknowledging both human need and divine sufficiency. In Christ, this request is fully answered, for He accomplishes the atonement that the Psalm seeks and reveals the glory of God in salvation. Thus the faithful call upon God with confidence, trusting Him to act for His name’s sake.

New Testament
Romans 3:25 (ESV) — “whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness.”

As the Psalmist pleads for atonement for sins, this is fulfilled in Christ, who is set forth as the true propitiation. God acts for His name’s sake by revealing His righteousness in the forgiveness of sinners.

Old Testament
Ezekiel 36:22 (ESV) — “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name.”

This reflects the Psalmist’s appeal to God’s name as the ground of salvation. The Lord acts not because of human worthiness, but to uphold and glorify His own holy name.

Collect
O God of our salvation, who delivers and atones for Your people for the sake of Your holy name, grant that we may call upon You in true repentance and steadfast faith; forgive our sins and uphold us by Your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Hymn Verse
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure:
Cleanse me from its guilt and power.
TLH 376, Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me