OUR DAILY BREAD 22 JULY 2026, WEDNESDAY ODB READING MESSAGE
Call for Help!
Catherine Campbell
BIBLE IN A YEAR
Psalms 31:1-32:11; Acts 23:16-35
KEY VERSE: Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. [ Psalm 107:6 ]
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Psalm 107:4-9
INSIGHT FOR TODAY
This psalm by an unknown author is considered a hymn of national thanksgiving believed to be sung at the laying of the foundation of the second temple. Bible commentator Derek Kidner writes regarding Psalm 107: “The centre-piece of this striking psalm is the set of four word-pictures of human predicaments and divine interventions. In themselves the adventures are not characteristically Israelite situations; yet the fact that this is a piece to celebrate the return of exiles raises the possibility that these episodes are four different ways of depicting the plight from which the nation had been delivered.” Today’s passage describes how Israel was like someone lost in the desert, whom God rescued and led back home. These verses also describe our lostness before God rescued us.
Read Our Daily Bread 22 July 2026 – MESSAGE
Walking along the winding mountain pathway with my husband and son was exhilarating. But as we rounded the bend, we stopped in our tracks. Speechless. Jaws dropping at the sight before us. There—in all of its majestic splendour—stood the north face of the Eiger.
As we tucked into our picnic lunch, we couldn’t take our eyes off this rock face that the locals called Mordwand—Murder Wall. Many climbers have died in their pursuit of conquering the Eiger, while many others have been snatched from death by the bravery of the Swiss mountain rescue teams responding to their distress calls.
God’s people, including the children of Israel, experienced numerous distressing situations in Psalm 107. “Some wandered in desert wastelands”, looking for a place to live (v. 4). Some faced starvation (v. 18). Sailors almost perished at sea (v. 26).
But one phrase connects each of these adverse circumstances. When the people had reached the end of themselves, “they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress” (vv. 6, 13, 19, 28).
God is in the rescue business. He knows when you are at your wits’ end; recognises when your heart is sore and when your soul is thirsty. He sees the way ahead, even when you can’t. He bends His ear to listen for your cry for help and reaches down to lift you up.
REFLECT & PRAY
What situations are causing you distress at the moment? What might be holding you back from calling on the Lord for help?
Lord, my greatest need is You. Forgive me when I struggle on in my own strength. I’m calling on You now to help me in my need.
Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODB) is a Christian organization founded by Dr. Martin De Haan in 1938. It is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with over 600 employees. It produces several devotional publications, including Our Daily Bread. our daily bread devotional for today audio our daily bread booklet.