Daily Lesson for July 8, 2021

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from 1 Samuel chapter 16 verse 23:

And whenever the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand, and Saul would be relieved and feel better, and the evil spirit would depart from him.

In a scene in the movie Selma, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (played by David Oyelowo) makes a late-night call to Mahalia Jackson (portrayed by the versatile vocalist Ledisi) and asks her to share "the Lord's voice" with him. The "Queen of Gospel Music" then sings his favorite gospel song, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord."

The scene is based upon real-live events, as Dr. King did indeed find late-night strength and encouragement from Mahalia's powerful spirit and voice during the run-up to the Selma to Montgomery march, and many more times too. In fact, she sang before and was standing behind him when he gave his "I Have a Dream" Speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. And it was her voice that inspired Dr. King to leave his manuscript and take up his "I have a dream" refrain that momentous day.

There is a reason the Scriptures counsel us to "Sing psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs." They gird is. They inspire us. They strengthen and encourage us. And, as today's lesson says, they cause the evil spirits to depart from us.

And, as the lyrics to Precious Lord say:

"When [our] way grows drear

Precious Lord linger(s) near"

in the songs and melodies that have the power to keep us marching.

Rev. Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.