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We are continuing our series of reflections on the Psalms. Each day we will upload a new reflection to the website. We hope and pray that you will find them helpful and that they bring hope during this season. Click on these buttons to read the text of the psalm or listen to a recording of it. You can also listen to the reflection using the audio player below. Read Psalm 71:1-11  Listen to Psalm 71:1-11 Refuge isn’t a word we use much today - we most probably talk about safety or finding comfort somewhere. The word comes from an old French word meaning to flee from, to find shelter, protection, a hiding place. When we are stressed or anxious, under pressure, facing difficulties or hard situations, where or what do we “flee” to, in order to find safety and comfort? It can be a good place or people, friends or family, an actual building, or place of belonging. It might be we run to the ice cream compartment or the wine bottle, or less helpfully other substances that can harm, or maybe we become ostrich-like and pretend that nothing is wrong, get very busy with work, spend all our time at the gym, or be less busy and watch endless box sets. Sometimes some of these things can be what is needed, but where do we go first? The psalmist clearly had plenty of major stresses in his life, but knew that the only really secure place to run to was to God. Even from birth onwards, whatever age, young or old, they learnt that God was their refuge who wants us to flee to him, where he hears our cries. The psalmist learnt this as he grew up and could look back and know from past experiences that God was his place of refuge. This resulted in exclamations of praise and worship. The children of Israel knew that it was good to remember all that God had done for them, by their many feasts and celebrations. Let’s look back and be thankful when God has been our place of refuge, or answered our prayers and use our testimony to encourage others and ourselves as we grow in faith and share God’s unfailing love. Father, thank you I can run to you any time of the day or night, you are my place of safety and deliverance, help me to demonstrate and tell this to your world, in Jesus’ name.