A Dark Night | Psalms Day 8 | Joe Consford

Good morning, and welcome to The Morning Meditation Podcast. I’m your host, Joe Consford, and today is Psalm Day 8, which covers Psalms 34 through 37. These Psalms remind us of trust, righteousness, and the steady faithfulness of God. Tomorrow, Lord willing, we will read Revelation chapter 8. Let’s open our hearts and our Bibles. SCRIPTURE READING — Psalm Day 8 (KJV — full text inserted during recording. Note to you: read Psalms 34–37 aloud.) STORY FROM BAPTIST HISTORY “Adoniram Judson’s Midnight Courage” In the early 1800s, Adoniram Judson, the pioneer Baptist missionary to Burma, faced one of the darkest nights of his ministry. Judson had already endured sickness, hunger, separation from his family, and the constant threat of arrest. Yet his greatest discouragement came from something far more painful: years of preaching with almost no visible fruit. After more than six years on the field, he had only one convert. One night, exhausted and discouraged, Judson sat under a small bamboo shelter during a monsoon storm. Rain poured through the roof. His books mildewed. His clothes were soaked. The flickering oil lamp barely lit the pages of the Burmese Bible he was translating. He wrote in his journal words that reveal both his humanity and his faith: “The prospects are as dark as midnight, but I believe I shall triumph.” That line—“dark as midnight, but I believe I shall triumph”—became the heartbeat of his ministry. By the time Judson died, that one convert had grown into tens of thousands of believers. Today, there are over 3 million Burmese Christians who trace their spiritual heritage to the seeds Judson planted in the darkness. Judson learned firsthand what Psalm 37 teaches us: “Fret not… trust in the Lord, and do good.” THREE-POINT REFLECTION 1. Darkness does not mean defeat. Psalm 34 says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” Judson lived through years of spiritual “midnight,” yet God was quietly building something eternal. If you’re in a dark season, remember: midnight is when God often does His best work. 2. Small beginnings can lead to great harvests. Judson’s one convert might have felt insignificant. Yet Jesus said the mustard seed is the smallest of seeds—and still becomes a tree. Never underestimate what God can do with your obedience today. 3. The Word of God keeps the soul steady. As Judson translated Scripture by candlelight, the very words he translated sustained him. Today’s Psalms—trusting, waiting, committing our ways to the Lord—are the same truths that strengthen missionaries, pastors, parents, and believers everywhere. Let the Psalms hold you steady today. OUTRO Thank you for joining me on The Morning Meditation Podcast. If this episode encouraged your heart, share it with someone who might need a word from the Psalms today. Tomorrow, Lord willing, we will read Revelation chapter 8. For more episodes, resources, and updates, visit: 👉 consfords.com/podcast May the Lord bless you and keep you.

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