Unchanging Love. Incomparable Power.

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.

1 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
    protect me from those who rise up against me;
2 deliver me from those who work evil,
    and save me from bloodthirsty men.

3 For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
    fierce men stir up strife against me.
For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,
4     for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.
Awake, come to meet me, and see!
5     You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel.
Rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
    spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah

6 Each evening they come back,
    howling like dogs
    and prowling about the city.
7 There they are, bellowing with their mouths
    with swords in their lips—
    for “Who,” they think, “will hear us?”

8 But you, O Lord, laugh at them;
    you hold all the nations in derision.
9 O my Strength, I will watch for you,
    for you, O God, are my fortress.
10 My God in his steadfast love will meet me;
    God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.

11 Kill them not, lest my people forget;
    make them totter by your power and bring them down,
    O Lord, our shield!
12 For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,
    let them be trapped in their pride.
For the cursing and lies that they utter,
13     consume them in wrath;
    consume them till they are no more,
that they may know that God rules over Jacob
    to the ends of the earth. Selah

14 Each evening they come back,
    howling like dogs
    and prowling about the city.
15 They wander about for food
    and growl if they do not get their fill.

16 But I will sing of your strength;
    I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been to me a fortress
    and a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
    for you, O God, are my fortress,
    the God who shows me steadfast love. – Psalm 59:1-17 ESV

Saul’s hatred for David was intense, and it didn’t help that he was occasionally possessed by an evil spirit that fueled his hatred. In this psalm of lament, David recalls a particularly distressful occasion when Saul sent men to his house to murder him. It was part of a series of disturbing events that began when Saul’s son Jonathan discovered his father’s plot to assassinate David. Upon discovering this distressing news, Jonathan warned his friend.

“Tomorrow morning,” he warned him, “you must find a hiding place out in the fields.I’ll ask my father to go out there with me, and I’ll talk to him about you. Then I’ll tell you everything I can find out.” – 1 Samuel 19:2-3 NLT

True to his word, Jonathan met with his father and tried to persuade him to spare David’s life.

“The king must not sin against his servant David,” Jonathan said. “He’s never done anything to harm you. He has always helped you in any way he could. Have you forgotten about the time he risked his life to kill the Philistine giant and how the Lord brought a great victory to all Israel as a result? You were certainly happy about it then. Why should you murder an innocent man like David? There is no reason for it at all!” – 1 Samuel 19:4-5 NLT

Saul listened to his son’s counsel and called off the assassination, stating,  “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be killed” (1 Samuel 19:6 NLT).

David returned to Saul’s court and participated in a battle with the Philistines, where he “attacked them with such fury that they all ran away” (1 Samuel 19:8 NLT). This victory rekindled Saul’s jealousy of David and caused him to renege on his earlier vow. One evening, while David played his harp in Saul’s presence, the king became enraged at the sight of the young warrior and attempted to pin him to the wall with a spear.

As David played his harp, Saul hurled his spear at David. But David dodged out of the way, and leaving the spear stuck in the wall, he fled and escaped into the night. – 1 Samuel 19:9-10 NLT

David must have known that Saul’s actions that evening resulted from “the tormenting spirit from the LORD” (1 Samuel 19:10 NLT). He reasoned that the king was not himself and could not control his actions. This was the second time Saul had tried to run David through with a spear (1 Samuel 18:10-11). But rather than running away, David returned home and went to bed. Saul, still enraged and determined to rid himself of David once and for all, sent troops to his home to arrest him. David’s wife, Michal, helped him escape and then arranged his bed to appear as if he were sound asleep under the covers. When Saul’s troops returned and discovered that David was not there, they informed Saul of his escape.

So David escaped and went to Ramah to see Samuel, and he told him all that Saul had done to him. Then Samuel took David with him to live at Naioth. When the report reached Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah, he sent troops to capture him. – 1 Samuel 19:18-20 NLT

This was the occasion that prompted David to write Psalm 59. I’ve had bad days, but I’ve never had someone who was out to kill me (at least that I know of). I’ve never been hunted down like a wild animal or had armed mercenaries lying in wait outside my home, just waiting for me to show up so they could take me out. But David had, and he wrote this psalm because of it.

David knew what it meant to be hated, harassed, hounded, and hunted. He had experienced what it means to fear for your life. Every time he woke up, he knew it would be another day filled with more of the same thing. But he also knew something that I too easily forget. He knew that God was with him, for him, and would rescue him, no matter what he faced that day. That is why he could say, “But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress” (Psalm 59:16 NLT).

David had experienced God's unfailing love on previous occasions, so he knew that he could trust God to show up no matter what he faced that day. He believed that God loved him and His love never failed. While his friends had turned their backs on him, David’s God was faithful and true, and would never let David down.

In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me.
    He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies. – Psalm 59:10 NLT

Not only was God unfailing in his love and unwavering in His support for David, but He was incomparable in power. In other words, God loved David, and that love was backed by a strength that could protect David from anything and everything he faced. Love alone is not enough to prevent calamity from happening to someone dear to us. Many have had to watch helplessly as their loved ones died right before their eyes. Soldiers have had to watch, powerless to help, as their comrades died on the battlefield. Their love for their brothers, while strong, was incapable of preventing their deaths. But God’s love for us is backed by a boundless power. He not only loves us, but is capable of protecting, rescuing, and saving us. His power to save us is motivated by His desire to protect and preserve us. He rescues us because He loves us. He saves us, not just because He can, but because His love demands it.

David knew about God’s love because he had experienced it. But it was more than a sentimental, sappy kind of love. It was love expressed in power, exhibited in strength, and proven in acts of divine intervention. David knew he was loved because he was still alive, despite all those who wanted him dead. His next breath was a reminder of God’s love. Seeing the sun come up in the morning was an opportunity to thank God for His love and deliverance.

But as for me, I will sing about your power.
    Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love.
For you have been my refuge,
    a place of safety when I am in distress. – Psalm 59:16 NLT

David’s problems still existed, and his enemies were still determined to end his life. But He knew that God would see him through the day, because God loved him, and that love was backed by a power to preserve and protect him from any trial he may face.

O my Strength, to you I sing praises,
    for you, O God, are my refuge,
    the God who shows me unfailing love. – Psalm 59:17 NLT

Father, how easy it is to forget that You love me – unceasingly. Somehow I know You are all powerful but I sometimes doubt that You love me enough to make that power available to me each and every day. I fail to recognize that the very fact that I am alive is proof of Your power and Your love for me. Without Your sustaining power and unfailing love, I would cease to exist. You give me the strength I need to make it through the day. You lovingly sustain me, helping me make my way through the trials of life. May I learn to sing Your praises each and every morning, grateful for another day to serve You and watch You work in my life. Amen 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Justice for the Unjust

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David.

1 Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods?
    Do you judge the children of man uprightly?
2 No, in your hearts you devise wrongs;
    your hands deal out violence on earth.

3 The wicked are estranged from the womb;
    they go astray from birth, speaking lies.
4 They have venom like the venom of a serpent,
    like the deaf adder that stops its ear,
5 so that it does not hear the voice of charmers
    or of the cunning enchanter.

6 O God, break the teeth in their mouths;
    tear out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD!
7 Let them vanish like water that runs away;
    when he aims his arrows, let them be blunted.
8 Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime,
    like the stillborn child who never sees the sun.
9 Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of thorns,
    whether green or ablaze, may he sweep them away!

10 The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance;
    he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous;
    surely there is a God who judges on earth.” – Psalm 58:1-11 ESV

David opens this psalm with a question for the “gods” [ĕlōhîm] who “judge the children of man uprightly” (Psalm 58:1 ESV). The Hebrew word ĕlōhîm is a generic title used of the God of Israel, but also of false gods and human rulers. David’s rather sarcastic question was designed to highlight the injustice of Israel’s judges and expose them as hypocrites and frauds.

Do you judge the people fairly?
No! You plot injustice in your hearts.
    You spread violence throughout the land. – Psalm 58:1-2 NLT

David compares these powerful men to venomous snakes that refuse to be charmed. He accuses them of having been born in sin and being addicted to falsehood. They were like dangerous lions that prey on the weak and innocent, and he was fed up with their deadly charade. They were a menace to society and a blot on the name of God, serving up injustice in place of justice and refusing to extend mercy, love, and grace to God’s people. The prophet Micah warned the people of Israel that God had much higher standards for them.

He has told you, O man, what is good;
    and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
    and to walk humbly with your God? – Micah 6:8 ESV

David longed to see God avenge His people by dealing with these self-proclaimed “gods” and putting an end to their wickedness.

Break off their fangs, O God!
    Smash the jaws of these lions, O Lord!
May they disappear like water into thirsty ground.
    Make their weapons useless in their hands.
May they be like snails that dissolve into slime,
    like a stillborn child who will never see the sun. – Psalm 58:6-8 NLT

They were a menace to society and had no redeeming value. Their presence among the people of God was a detriment and not a blessing. So, David begged God to pay them back for their sins and remove them from power.  

It isn’t difficult to recognize David’s frustration with these men. He has run out of patience with their antics and wants to see these purveyors of injustice get what they deserve.

There are times when injustice seems to be everywhere. The 24-hour news cycle provides a steady barrage of reports from around the world that chronicle man's inhumanity to his fellow man. We read the newspaper, watch TV, and check our social media feeds, and are appalled at what we discover. The innocent suffer at the hands of the wicked. The weak fall prey to the strong. Bigger nations take advantage of smaller ones, and nobody seems capable of doing anything about it. Governments posture and promote plans to bring about justice, but their efforts make little or no dent in the situation. Often, those very same governments perpetrate acts of injustice of their own.

As David put it, violence continues to spread through the land. Nobody seems to even know what the word justice really means anymore, except God. Even though David felt justice was a lost cause in his day, he knew he could appeal to God because He is just and righteous. God not only sees all the injustice going on, but He can do something about it.

David felt impotent to do anything about “these wicked people” who “spit venom like deadly snakes,” but he knew that God was more than powerful enough to deal with them. So in his frustration, David asked God to step in and defend the rights of the weak, innocent, downtrodden, and helpless. David wanted God to do exactly what he would do to these people if he could. His request is graphic and far from compassionate. David pulls no punches, asking God to wipe these people off the face of the earth. At first blush, a reading of David’s request to God might be disturbing. It comes across as violent and unloving, but it also reveals David’s hatred of injustice. He can’t stand to see the unjust go unpunished, because he understands that they stand in direct opposition to his God.

David refuses to tolerate or grow complacent about injustice just because he is powerless to do anything about it. That is always a temptation for God’s people. When surrounded by a tsunami of injustice, we can easily grow callous or complacent because there appears to be nothing we can do. We read the stories of injustice going on in the world, and turn a deaf ear and a blind eye. We tend to ignore what we feel like we can’t impact. We know injustice is taking place, but because we feel powerless to do anything about it, we slowly learn to tolerate it, as long as it’s not happening to us.

But David was a man after God’s own heart who loved what God loved and hated what God hated. So David hated injustice and appealed to the only one who could do anything about it. He asked God to act. He cried out to a just God and demanded that He bring justice to bear.

Despite all that was going on around him, David believed that God would intervene. He counted on God's justice and trusted that He would judge justly and rightly. He confidently asserted, “Surely there is a God who judges justly here on the earth” (Psalm 58:11 NLT).

Whether David realized it or not, he was speaking prophetically. The day is coming when justice really will prevail. God will deal with the unjust and avenge those who have suffered at their hands. When we see injustice taking place, we need to call out to God for His help. We need to ask Him what He would have us do as His hands and feet on this planet. Injustice should make us long for justice. Sin should make us long for His salvation. Wickedness should make us long for righteousness. Darkness should make us long for the light of His glorious presence. Instead of ignoring injustice or becoming callous to its presence, we should learn to see it clearly and long to watch God remove it completely.

David was the king of Israel and served as God’s vice-regent. He had the full power and authority of God at his disposal and could have dealt with these wicked judges himself. Perhaps he had tried to purge these men from their posts and failed. One gets the feeling that the problem was bigger than David could handle on his own, which is why he took the matter to God. The prophet Micah provides a blunt assessment of just how bad things eventually got in Israel.

I said, “Listen, you leaders of Israel!
    You are supposed to know right from wrong,
but you are the very ones
    who hate good and love evil.
You skin my people alive
    and tear the flesh from their bones.
Yes, you eat my people’s flesh,
    strip off their skin,
    and break their bones.
You chop them up
    like meat for the cooking pot.
Then you beg the Lord for help in times of trouble!” – Micah 3:1-4 NLT

“Listen to me, you leaders of Israel!
    You hate justice and twist all that is right.
You are building Jerusalem
    on a foundation of murder and corruption.
You rulers make decisions based on bribes;
    you priests teach God’s laws only for a price;
you prophets won’t prophesy unless you are paid.
    Yet all of you claim to depend on the Lord.” – Micah 3:9-11 NLT

Things were bad, but God is good, righteous, and just. David knew he could count on God to do the right thing and defend the weak, innocent, and helpless. He wasn't abdicating his authority as king or refusing to use his power to effect change, but he knew that true justice had to come from the throne of God. We need to take that same view and call on God to do what only He can do. Yes, we must be willing to do our part, but true justice can only come from a just and loving God. Yet, we must desire what God desires. We must have hearts that resonate with His. May we cry out like David and long to see “justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:24 ESV).

Father, there is injustice in the land. It is all around us and we are powerless to do anything about it. But You’re not, so I ask that You intervene and do what only You can do. Bring justice. Protect the innocent. Establish righteousness. Remove wickedness. Send Your Son to right all wrong and avenge all injustice. So that the righteous might rejoice. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Light in the Darkness

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.

1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
    for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
    till the storms of destruction pass by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
    to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
3 He will send from heaven and save me;
    he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah
God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

4 My soul is in the midst of lions;
    I lie down amid fiery beasts—
the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows,
    whose tongues are sharp swords.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
    Let your glory be over all the earth!

6 They set a net for my steps;
    my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my way,
    but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
7 My heart is steadfast, O God,
    my heart is steadfast!
I will sing and make melody!
8     Awake, my glory!
Awake, O harp and lyre!
    I will awake the dawn!
9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
    I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10 For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the clouds.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
    Let your glory be over all the earth! – Psalm 57:1-11 ESV

Because of Saul’s unjustified vendetta against him, David was forced to seek refuge in the wilderness. During his 13-year-long exile from Judah, David and his faithful band of men lived in constant fear for their lives, trying to stay one step ahead of Saul and his posse of well-trained mercenaries.

David wrote this psalm during this emotionally draining and confusing phase of his life. Yet despite the less-than-pleasant conditions in which he was forced to live, David remained confident in the Lord’s care and concern for him.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy!
    I look to you for protection.
I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings
    until the danger passes by. – Psalm 57:1 NLT

While caves had become a source of physical refuge, David never stopped trusting in God as his ultimate protector and provider. Even as he hid in the dark recesses of some dank and unhospitable cave, David trusted his fate to God, believing that the Almighty would one day restore his fortunes.

I cry out to God Most High,
    to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.
He will send help from heaven to rescue me,
    disgracing those who hound me. – Psalm 57:2-23 NLT

Though David was renowned for his military prowess, he viewed himself as a helpless bird huddled under the protective wing of its mother. During his extended trial, David had found God to be a constant source of strength and encouragement, showing up at just the right time and delivering him from the hands of his enemies. His escape from King Achish and the Philistines had not resulted from his award-winning acting skills, but because God had intervened on his behalf (1 Samuel 21:10-15).

David was a realist and not an overly optimistic, glass-half-full kind of guy. He knew the desperate nature of his circumstances and was more than willing to paint his conditions in realist terms.

I am surrounded by fierce lions
    who greedily devour human prey—
whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows,
    and whose tongues cut like swords. – Psalm 57:4 NLT

But as he expressed in the previous psalm, David saw no reason to fear men as long as God was on his side.

…my enemies trample on me all day long,
    for many attack me proudly.
When I am afraid,
    I put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise,
    in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can flesh do to me? – Psalm 56:2-4 ESV

This I know, that God is for me.
In God, whose word I praise,
    in the Lord, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can man do to me? – Psalm 56;9-11 ESV

David was in God’s leadership training school, where he received on-the-job training in trust and obedience. His path to the throne of Israel was proving to be anything but smooth and pleasant, but his awareness of God’s power and provision increased daily. 

His life was an up-and-down, roller-coaster affair filled with constant threats to his life that required persistent reliance upon God. But even during his darkest moments, David never stopped viewing himself as a servant of God whose role was to shepherd and protect the people of God. At one point, he heard that the Philistines were stealing grain from the town of Keilah. Apalled by this act of aggression, David sought to know what God would have him do. When he asked the Lord, “Should I go and attack them?” (1 Samuel 23:2 NLT), he received a positive response.

So David and his men went to Keilah. They slaughtered the Philistines and took all their livestock and rescued the people of Keilah. – 1 Samuel 23:5 NLT

When Saul received news that David had rescued the town of Keilah, he didn’t rejoice in this unexpected defeat of the Philistines. Instead, he saw an opportunity to capture David.

“We’ve got him now! God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped himself in a walled town!” So Saul mobilized his entire army to march to Keilah and besiege David and his men. – 1 Samuel 23:7-8 NLT

Fresh off his victory over the Philistines, David soon received news that Saul was coming. What made this report so disturbing was the fact that Saul intended to destroy his own people just to capture David. So, David sought the will of God once again.

“O Lord, God of Israel, I have heard that Saul is planning to come and destroy Keilah because I am here. Will the leaders of Keilah betray me to him? And will Saul actually come as I have heard? O Lord, God of Israel, please tell me.” – 1 Samuel 23:10-11 NLT

God confirmed David’s suspicions, so rather than risk the lives of the people of Keilah, David and his men vacated the town and headed back into the wilderness.

So David and his men—about 600 of them now—left Keilah and began roaming the countryside. Word soon reached Saul that David had escaped, so he didn’t go to Keilah after all. David now stayed in the strongholds of the wilderness and in the hill country of Ziph. Saul hunted him day after day, but God didn’t let Saul find him. – 1 Samuel 23:13-14 NLT

That last line is key and explains why David had such confidence in God. He understood that God was responsible for his safety and security. Yahweh had provided every last-minute escape and led them to just the right cave to serve as their “stronghold.”  

Looking back at his circumstances, David crafted a song to tell others what he had learned about his God. He penned the lyrics to a hymn of praise that chronicled God’s goodness even in the worst of times. David was being chased and hounded. His very life was in danger. He was surrounded by enemies and facing seemingly insurmountable odds. Yet he had been anointed by the prophet Samuel and appointed by God to be the next king of Israel. That is why he kept trusting in and crying out to the one “who will fulfill His purpose for me” (Psalm 57:2 NLT). Despite all that had happened since his anointing, David continued to trust God for the future.

My heart is confident in you, O God;
    my heart is confident.
    No wonder I can sing your praises! – Psalm 57:7 NLT

When Samuel traveled to Jesse’s house to find Saul’s replacement as king, David heard the Lord say, “This is the one; anoint him” (1 Samuel 16:12 NLT). Then Samuel poured the anointing oil on David’s head, and God poured His Spirit into David’s heart. In doing so, God promised David that he would one day be the next king of Israel. Yes, Saul was still on the throne and David was hiding out in a cave in the wilderness, but despite those circumstances, God would keep His promise.

David could sing God’s praises because He had learned to trust God’s promises. He didn’t delay his praise until God had fulfilled all his promises and he was sitting on the throne of Israel. No, David sang God’s praises from the depths of a cave in the middle of the wilderness, years before he ever put a crown on his head or set foot in the city of Jerusalem. David sang of God’s love and faithfulness in anticipation of God’s future fulfillment of His promises.

I will thank you, Lord, among all the people.
    I will sing your praises among the nations.
For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens.
    Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. – Psalm 57:9-10 NNLT

David had learned to praise God in the midst of his problems, not just after they were gone. He could sing in the darkness of the cave, when the light of God’s glory was difficult to discern and the hope of His promises was hidden from view.

Like David, we can praise God for what He has yet to do, because He always comes through. He keeps His word. The Lord never lies or reneges on His commitments.

God is not a man, so he does not lie.
    He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
    Has he ever promised and not carried it through? – Numbers 23:19 NLT

David cried out to God, knowing that He would send help from heaven to rescue him. In due time, God would do what He had promised to do. And He still works the same way today. We can trust Him because He is trustworthy. We can sing in the cave because God is there. We can rejoice in the darkness because God’s light never diminishes or dims.

Father, may I be able to say, “My heart is confident in you, my heart is confident.” And may I be able to say it long before You’ve proven it true. May I praise You based on Your reputation for faithfulness, not just when I’ve seen it lived out. I tend to want to praise You when Your promises have been fulfilled in full. But David sang of Your greatness even when his circumstances painted a different picture. Strengthen my faith so that I might praise You even when I can’t see You. Amen 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God Is For Me

To the choirmaster: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths. A Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me;
    all day long an attacker oppresses me;
2 my enemies trample on me all day long,
    for many attack me proudly.
3 When I am afraid,
    I put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
    in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can flesh do to me?

5 All day long they injure my cause;
    all their thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They stir up strife, they lurk;
    they watch my steps,
    as they have waited for my life.
7 For their crime will they escape?
    In wrath cast down the peoples, O God!

8 You have kept count of my tossings;
    put my tears in your bottle.
    Are they not in your book?
9 Then my enemies will turn back
    in the day when I call.
    This I know, that God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
    in the Lord, whose word I praise,
11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can man do to me?

12 I must perform my vows to you, O God;
    I will render thank offerings to you.
13 For you have delivered my soul from death,
    yes, my feet from falling,
that I may walk before God
    in the light of life. – Psalm 56:1-13 ESV

It would be safe to say that David was well acquainted with suffering, sorrow, and setbacks. For 13 years, he lived as a fugitive, relentlessly pursued by King Saul. During those difficult days, he was forced to seek refuge in the wilderness and depend upon God for his safety and security. After seeking aid from Ahimelech, the priest at Nob, David and his men sought refuge in the Philistine city of Gath, the hometown of Goliath. This fateful decision and its less-than-flattering outcome are recorded in 1 Samuel chapter 21.

David left Nob carrying the bread of the presence to feed his men and the sword of Goliath that he used to cut off the giant’s head after killing him in battle. Bearing the holy bread dedicated to God and the sword belonging to the deceased Philistine champion, David led his men to Gath, the headquarters of Achish, the Philistine king. Everything about this decision seems poorly thought through. What was David thinking? How could he expect anything good to come from seeking refuge among the enemies of Israel, and why would they offer asylum to the man responsible for their champion’s death?

As soon as David showed up in Gath, the glaring stupidity of his decision became apparent.

So David escaped from Saul and went to King Achish of Gath. But the officers of Achish were unhappy about his being there. “Isn’t this David, the king of the land?” they asked. “Isn’t he the one the people honor with dances, singing,

‘Saul has killed his thousands,
    and David his ten thousands’?” – 1 Samuel 21:10-11 NLT

David immediately regretted his decision and was forced to devise Plan B. As his loyal men looked on in shock, David “pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard” (1 Samuel 21:13 NLT). Surrounded by hostile forces and desperate to preserve the lives of himself and his men, David feigned insanity. It must have been an Academy Award-winning performance because King Achish was convinced that David had lost his mind.

Finally, King Achish said to his men, “Must you bring me a madman? We already have enough of them around here! Why should I let someone like this be my guest?” – 1 Samuel 15:14-15 NLT

Amazingly, David left Gath alive but with his dignity destroyed. He was a humbled and humiliated man without a home and a bounty on his head. He was persona non grata in Judah and now had a growing reputation as a wild-eyed lunatic. But through it all, David continued to place his trust in God. That is what Psalm 56 is all about. He opens this psalm of lament by seeking God’s assistance in his time of need.

O God, have mercy on me,
    for people are hounding me.
    My foes attack me all day long.
I am constantly hounded by those who slander me,
    and many are boldly attacking me. – Psalm 56:1-2 NLT

Despite all life's difficulties, David refuses to turn his back on God. Instead, he declares his unwavering trust in the goodness of his ever-present, always faithful God.

But when I am afraid,
    I will put my trust in you.
I praise God for what he has promised.
    I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
    What can mere mortals do to me? – Psalm 56:3-4 NLT

David’s words remind me of a song made famous by Louis Armstrong.

Sometimes I’m up
And sometimes I’m down
Yes, Lord, you know sometimes I’m almost to the ground
Oh, yes, Lord, still
Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen
Nobody knows but Jesus
Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen
Glory, Hallelujah

These familiar lyrics could be the anthem of every believer who has ever lived. We all face troubles in life. Some are physical, others are financial. Some of our problems are self-induced, while others come at us unexpectedly and undeservedly. Some are short-term, while others hang around for years, even a lifetime. But as the lyrics state so well, even when everybody else is oblivious to our troubles, Jesus knows. He is well aware of every circumstance going on in our lives.

David found comfort in his troubles because he knew that God was aware. He boldly declared, “God is on my side” (Psalm 56:9 NLT). Amid trouble, David put his hope and trust in the Lord. But before we place David on a pedestal and elevate him to sainthood, let’s remind ourselves that this psalm was written after he ran away from King Saul and fled to his arch enemies, the Philistines, for protection. That’s not exactly trusting in God, is it? He didn’t run to God; he ran to King Achish.

At every level, this does not appear to be a bright move on David’s part. Early in his career, David had made a name for himself by killing the Philistine champion, Goliath, in a one-on-one battle. The Philistines had never forgotten or forgiven David. On top of that, David had built his reputation on being a mighty warrior. In fact, there was already a song about David with lyrics that said, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!” (1 Samuel 18:7 NLT). And many of those David had slain were Philistines. So why on earth did David run to the Philistines for protection? We’re not told, but we can guess that David hoped they would see him as some kind of secret weapon, and when they discovered he and King Saul were at odds, they would assume they could use him against the Israelites. But when David arrived in the Philistine territory, the reception he received was less than welcoming. They immediately recognized him and were ready to kill him. So David was forced to feign insanity, and had to act like he had completely lost his mind. Not willing to kill a lunatic, they allow him to leave.

It is after David got out of this sticky situation that he wrote, “You have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping” (Psalm 56:13 NLT). David realized after the fact that God had protected him even when he had refused to turn to God for protection. It wasn’t his incredible acting ability that saved his life; it was God. David had learned a valuable lesson: “But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you” (Psalm 56:3 NLT).

Troubles were going to come. Trials were just around the next corner. David was always going to have people like Saul in his life. The Philistines would always be his enemy. But he had learned that he could trust God. God knew his troubles, and God had a solution. David didn’t have to fear Saul, Achish, the Philistines, Doeg the Edomite, the Ziphites,  or any other man. He simply had to trust the promises of God.

His enemies could twist his words, seek to betray him, constantly spy on him, and even plot his demise, but God was on his side. He envisioned God as caring and compassionate, carefully monitoring his suffering and sorrows.

You keep track of all my sorrows.
    You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
    You have recorded each one in your book. – Psalm 56:8 NLT

What makes this psalm so powerful is the timing of its content. David wrote it in the heat of the battle, not after having been delivered from it. He was still a fugitive. The Philistines were still his enemy. He was living in caves and running for his life, but he knew he could rely on God.

This I know: God is on my side!
I praise God for what he has promised;
    yes, I praise the Lord for what he has promised.
I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?
    What can mere mortals do to me? – Psalm 56:9-11 NLT

David’s troubles were far from over, but he continued to rest in God’s goodness, grace, mercy, and deliverance. He found strength in God's promises. David didn’t fully understand what was happening in his life, but he knew that God had anointed him for a reason, and he was willing to trust God with the outcome. He was confident in God’s deliverance and determined to offer sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving one day.

I will fulfill my vows to you, O God,
    and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help.
For you have rescued me from death;
    you have kept my feet from slipping.
So now I can walk in your presence, O God,
    in your life-giving light. – Psalm 56:12-13 NLT

Father, sometimes I’m up and sometimes I’m down, but You are always right there with me, fully aware of my situation and ready to take care of me in the midst of them. You know what is going on. You are aware and I can trust You to help me at all times. Help me to trust in Your faithfulness and rest in Your unwavering goodness. I want to walk in Your life-giving light and find hope in Your powerful promises. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Run to the Lord

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David.

1 Give ear to my prayer, O God,
    and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!
2 Attend to me, and answer me;
    I am restless in my complaint and I moan,
3 because of the noise of the enemy,
    because of the oppression of the wicked.
For they drop trouble upon me,
    and in anger they bear a grudge against me.

4 My heart is in anguish within me;
    the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
5 Fear and trembling come upon me,
    and horror overwhelms me.
6 And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
    I would fly away and be at rest;
7 yes, I would wander far away;
    I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah
8 I would hurry to find a shelter
    from the raging wind and tempest.”

9 Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues;
    for I see violence and strife in the city.
10 Day and night they go around it
    on its walls,
and iniquity and trouble are within it;
11     ruin is in its midst;
oppression and fraud
    do not depart from its marketplace.

12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me—
    then I could bear it;
it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—
    then I could hide from him.
13 But it is you, a man, my equal,
    my companion, my familiar friend.
14 We used to take sweet counsel together;
    within God's house we walked in the throng.
15 Let death steal over them;
    let them go down to Sheol alive;
    for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart.

16 But I call to God,
    and the LORD will save me.
17 Evening and morning and at noon
    I utter my complaint and moan,
    and he hears my voice.
18 He redeems my soul in safety
    from the battle that I wage,
    for many are arrayed against me.
19 God will give ear and humble them,
    he who is enthroned from of old, Selah
because they do not change
    and do not fear God.

20 My companion stretched out his hand against his friends;
    he violated his covenant.
21 His speech was smooth as butter,
    yet war was in his heart;
his words were softer than oil,
    yet they were drawn swords.

22 Cast your burden on the LORD,
    and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
    the righteous to be moved.

23 But you, O God, will cast them down
    into the pit of destruction;
men of blood and treachery
    shall not live out half their days.
But I will trust in you. – Psalm 55:1-23 ESV

David had been betrayed by a close friend, and this psalm reflects his struggle with anger, frustration, and the desire for revenge. David does not disclose the identity of this individual but simply refers to him as “my equal, my companion and close friend” (Psalm 55:13 NLT). David had his fair share of enemies, like King Saul, Doeg the Edomite, and the entire Tishite clan, but this failed relationship with a former friend was different altogether. 

This friend turned foe had shaken David to the core. It was one thing to suffer the scorn of a sworn enemy, but to have a close associate become the source of such pain and suffering was difficult to bear. David provides an almost clinical description of the physical symptoms he suffered as a result of this unexpected conflict.

My heart pounds in my chest.
    The terror of death assaults me.
Fear and trembling overwhelm me,
    and I can’t stop shaking. – Psalm 55:4-5 NLT

David was in a state of desperation and despair, and longed to escape the relentless pressure he felt.

Oh, that I had wings like a dove;
    then I would fly away and rest!
I would fly far away
    to the quiet of the wilderness. Interlude
How quickly I would escape—
    far from this wild storm of hatred. – Psalm 55:6-8 NLT

My wife has a phrase she tends to use when things are not going well. When faced with an unpleasant situation or circumstance, she says, “I wish we could go to an island.” When those words come out of her mouth, she is expressing the same thing David did when he said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove; then I would fly away and rest!” (Psalm 55:6 NLT). Like David,  my wife occasionally finds herself in situations that cause her to want to run away and hide. She pictures a secluded island, far from the cares and troubles that confront her. For David, it was the wilderness of Judea, outside the walls of Jerusalem. I find his choice interesting because the wilderness was where David spent so many years hiding from the paid assassins of King Saul. You would think that the wilderness would be the last place David would want to go, but those barren, rocky hills had become a place of refuge, peace, and protection for him. It was in the wilderness that he found rest, safety, and a sense of well-being.

Life as the king living within the crowded walls of Jerusalem was anything but easy. There was intrigue, infighting, money issues, family quarrels, government concerns, and the constant threat of war because of all of Israel’s enemies. In the opening verses of this psalm, David cries out to God and paints a rather bleak picture of his current state of affairs.

    I am overwhelmed by my troubles.
My enemies shout at me,
    making loud and wicked threats.
They bring trouble on me
    and angrily hunt me down. – Psalm 55:2-3 NLT

Serving as the king and shepherding the people of God was a high-pressure job. It was virtually impossible to keep everybody happy. As king, David had plenty of enemies whose sole goal in life was to bring his reign to an abrupt end. These adversaries came from within and without, posing a constant threat to his reign and placing David was under a tremendous amount of pressure. In this instance, things had taken a more difficult twist because one of his closest friends had turned on him. David states, “It is not an enemy who taunts me – I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me – I could have hidden from them. Instead, it is you – my equal, my companion and close friend” (Psalm 55:12-13 NLT).

David doesn’t disclose the details of his friend’s transgression, but it was bad enough to make David want to run away and hide. This was not a one-time reaction for David. He had a habit of running away from difficult relationships. The Book of 2 Samuel records when David’s son Absalom staged a coup to take over the kingdom. When David received word of his son’s actions, he chose to abdicate the throne and abandon the royal city.

A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, “All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!”

“Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!” David urged his men. “Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.” – 2 Samuel 15:13-14 NLT

Rather than face his son and protect his throne, David ran away. In Psalm 55, David is faced with another situation where he must choose either to flee or fight. Running is always an attractive option. Some of us literally run away from problems, while others of us do it figuratively. We may escape through busyness, drowning our problems in preoccupation with something else. We may turn to drugs or alcohol, attempting to cloud our perception that the problem even exists. We may run to some form of entertainment, hoping to distract our minds from the issue at hand. Or we may run from our problems by attempting to ignore them altogether. Whatever tactic we take, running from our problems rarely works, and it never makes them go away. David knew that.

So, instead of running away, David turned to God. He called on God and asked Him to do what only God can—provide rescue and relief.

But I will call on God,
    and the Lord will rescue me.
Morning, noon, and night
    I cry out in my distress,
    and the Lord hears my voice.
He ransoms me and keeps me safe
    from the battle waged against me,
    though many still oppose me.
God, who has ruled forever,
    will hear me and humble them. – Psalm 55:16-19 NLT

David knew from experience that his best option was to trust God. Running never solved anything.  As bad as things might have been, David knew that God could handle his problems, his enemies, his clash with his former friend, and anything else that came up in his life. His advice? “Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall” (Psalm 55:22 NLT).

David’s enemies were real. His situation was difficult and further complicated by his friend’s disingenuous words and deceitful actions. But David knew that running away might provide temporary relief from his problems, but it would never bring resolution. Only God could do that.

We can confidently face whatever comes our way by taking it to the Lord and trusting Him with the outcome. Don’t run away. Run to Him. He is where we will find peace, safety, rescue, and resolution to our problems.

The group Selah recorded the following song, and its lyrics provide a fitting summation of David’s words.

You are my hiding place
You always fill my heart
With the songs of deliverance
When ever i'm afraid
I will trust in you
I will trust in you
Let the weak say
I am strong,
With the strength of the lord
You are my hiding place
You always fill my heart
With the songs of deliverance
When ever i'm afraid
I will trust in you
I will trust in you
Let the weak say
I am strong,
With the strength of the lord

Father, I am not sure why I don’t run to You more often and more readily. You have never failed me or let me down in the past, but I still find myself running away rather than turning to You. When faced with problems, I long for escape, when what I should long for is You. You alone can help me. You alone can rescue me. You alone are the answer to every problem that confronts me. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Keep Trusting

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, “Is not David hiding among us?”

1 O God, save me by your name,
    and vindicate me by your might.
2 O God, hear my prayer;
    give ear to the words of my mouth.

3 For strangers have risen against me;
    ruthless men seek my life;
    they do not set God before themselves. Selah

4 Behold, God is my helper;
    the Lord is the upholder of my life.
5 He will return the evil to my enemies;
    in your faithfulness put an end to them.

6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you;
    I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.
7 For he has delivered me from every trouble,
    and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies. – Psalm 54:1-7 ESV

This psalm continues David’s diatribe against the godless fools who have made his life a living hell. David had been forced to live like a fugitive because of King Saul’s relentless pursuit of his death. When Ahimelech the priest aided and abetted David, Doeg the Edomite murdered all the priests of Nob, as well as their families, in an act of revenge, and in an attempt to win favor with King Saul. In this psalm, David complains to God about the Ziphites, who sold him out to King Saul. Everywhere David turned, he found himself surrounded by enemies intent on his destruction.

These weren’t the mutterings of an overwrought conspiracy theorist prone to over-exaggeration and hyperbole. David was describing real-life events that had produced less-than-ideal outcomes. He remained an exiled fugitive with a bounty on his head, and the senseless deaths of the priests of Nob would haunt him for a long time.

In this penitential psalm, David tells God the dire nature of his circumstances.

For strangers are attacking me;
    violent people are trying to kill me.
    They care nothing for God. – Psalm 54:3 NLT

The Ziphites had not personally threatened David, but their actions had put his life at risk. By informing King Saul that David was hiding out in nearby Horesh, the Ziphites increased the chances of his capture and death. Their betrayal of David was meant to win favor with King Saul, even though they knew it would likely result in David’s execution. In turning him over, they would be complicit in his death.

But David paints their actions as a blatant disregard for God’s will. He could recall the day when the prophet Samuel had anointed him with oil and the Spirit of God had come upon him (1 Samuel 16). Samuel had received a clear message from Yahweh that he would find the next king of Israel residing at the house of Jesse.

“You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.” – 1 Samuel 16:1 NLT

As Jesse paraded all his sons before the prophet, God disqualified each of them.

“Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7 NLT

When David, the young son of Jesse, was brought before the prophet, God affirmed him by stating, “This is the one; anoint him” (1 Samuel 16:12 NLT). Then Samuel “took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on” (1 Samuel 16:13 NLT).

It’s unclear how much David knew about what took place that day. The text doesn’t say that Samuel gave David all the details concerning his anointing. At no point is David told that he has just been chosen as the next king of Israel, but he knew that something significant had just taken place. He understood that there was more to Saul’s obsession with his death than mere jealousy. The king saw David as a threat to his throne, and David knew that Saul’s unjustified pursuit of his death could not be in God’s will. That’s why he begged God to protect and avenge him.

Come with great power, O God, and rescue me!
    Defend me with your might.
Listen to my prayer, O God.
    Pay attention to my plea. – Psalm 54:1-2 NLT

David viewed Saul’s actions as unjustified and undeserved. Yet, when given the opportunity to seek revenge and take Saul’s life, David refused. Chapter 24 of 1 Samuel records the story of David’s chance encounter with Saul while hiding in the wilderness of Engedi. David and Saul had been engaged in a cat-and-mouse game involving “3,000 elite troops from all Israel” (1 Samuel 24:2 NLT). These well-armed and highly experienced troops had been chasing David and his men for days. At one point, King Saul took a break from the action “to relieve himself. But as it happened, David and his men were hiding farther back in that very cave” (1 Samuel 24:3 NLT). 

David’s men saw this as a God-ordained opportunity for David to take matters into his own hand and put an end to their misery.

“Now’s your opportunity!” David’s men whispered to him. “Today the Lord is telling you, ‘I will certainly put your enemy into your power, to do with as you wish.’” – 1 Samuel 24:4 NLT

David was tempted but refused to take the life of Saul. Instead, he told his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the Lord’s anointed one, for the Lord himself has chosen him.” (1 Samuel 24:6 NLT). But while David spared Saul’s life, he did take advantage of the opportunity to declare his innocence. 

“Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the Lord’s anointed one.’ Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me.” – 1 Samuel 249-11 NLT

David had taken the high road. What appeared to his men as a divinely appointed opportunity to kill the king was actually a test of David’s allegiance and faithfulness. Was he willing to leave his fate in the hands of God? Would he trust the Almighty to settle matters between himself and King Saul?

Psalm 54 reveals that David was committed to relying on God despite what happened around him. Yes, he desperately wanted to see God step in and resolve the situation. He begged God to show up in power and rescue him. But even as Saul pursued him and the Ziphites betrayed him, David could say, “God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive!” (Psalm 54:4 NLT). When David penned this psalm, he had not experienced some grand deliverance or dramatic change in his fortunes. He had just been betrayed by the Ziphites. King Saul remained determined to take his life. His men were growing weary of living on the run. Yet, David remained confident in God’s goodness, grace, and mercy. He understood that the very fact he was still alive was proof of God’s power and presence in his life. 

Despite Saul’s best efforts to end his life, Doeg’s murderous treatment of the priests of Nob, and the Ziphites' betrayal of his location, David remained alive. And he didn’t take this point lightly. David promises that the next opportunity he has to return to Jerusalem, he will offer the appropriate sacrifices to God for His care and compassion.

I will sacrifice a voluntary offering to you;
    I will praise your name, O Lord,
    for it is good.
For you have rescued me from my troubles
    and helped me to triumph over my enemies. – Psalm 54:6-7 NLT

David’s problems were far from over, but his faith in God was far from expended. He was willing to keep trusting even though his circumstances had not changed for the better. His exile had not ended. Saul had not called off the dogs. His days of running were far from over, and his enemies were growing in number. But he knew he could trust God.

Father, what a great reminder that I should never view Your faithfulness through the lens of my circumstances. Yet, when things don’t turn out quite the way I expected, the first thing I do is begin to doubt Your goodness and grace. I question Your presence. I complain about Your apparent lack of concern for my predicament. But if I would stop long enough to think about it, I would realize that my very existence is proof of Your goodness. Even in the darkness, You are with me. When I feel all alone and abandoned, You are there. You never leave me or forsake me. No enemy is too great for me. No problem is too overwhelming for me because You are by my side — at all times. Thank you for that much-needed reminder. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Surrounded by Fools

To the choirmaster: according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.

1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;
    there is none who does good.

2 God looks down from heaven
    on the children of man
to see if there are any who understand,
    who seek after God.

3 They have all fallen away;
    together they have become corrupt;
there is none who does good,
    not even one.

4 Have those who work evil no knowledge,
    who eat up my people as they eat bread,
    and do not call upon God?

5 There they are, in great terror,
    where there is no terror!
For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you;
    you put them to shame, for God has rejected them.

6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
    When God restores the fortunes of his people,
    let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad. – Psalm 53:1-6 ESV

This psalm is a slight variation on Psalm 14, with David using the title ĕlōhîm when referring to God, instead of Yahweh or Jehovah.

God [ĕlōhîm] looks down from heaven
    on the children of man
to see if there are any who understand,
    who seek after God. – Psalm 53:2 ESV

The LORD [Yᵊhōvâ] looks down from heaven on the children of man,
    to see if there are any who understand,
    who seek after God. – Psalm 14:2 ESV

This amended version of his original psalm was placed between Psalms 52 and 54 to help make a point about David’s interactions with Doeg the Edomite and the Ziphites. In the case of Doeg, this godless man murdered innocent priests and their families to advance his own career. He exhibited no fear of God and no regret for his actions. His dastardly deed is recorded in 1 Samuel 22. 

In the very next chapter, David is hiding in Horesh in the land of Ziph. The inhabitants of Ziph learn of his presence among them and send news to King Saul.

Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon? Now come down, O king, according to all your heart's desire to come down, and our part shall be to surrender him into the king's hand.” – 1 Samuel 23:19-20 ESV

To escape Saul's wrath, David is forced to flee yet again, this time to the strongholds of Engedi.

In both cases, David had to deal with those whom he determined to be fools. His criterion for qualifying for this less-than-flattering designation was simple: they acted as if God were non-existent. 

Only fools say in their hearts,
    “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;
    not one of them does good! – Psalm 53:1 NLT

Notice that David accuses them of denying God’s existence in their hearts. This was not a verbal declaration but a silent conclusion that led to their godless actions. The Hebrew word David used for “fool” is nāḇāl, which is significant when one considers the story recorded in 1 Samuel 25. Not long after being sold out by the Ziphites, David and his men sought food from a wealthy landowner named Nabal. The text describes him as “crude and mean in all his dealings” (1 Samuel 25:3 NLT). For some unknown reason, his parents had named him nāḇāl, a Hebrew word that means “wicked, impious, or foolish.” The Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon describes this kind of individual as “the man who has no perception of ethical and religious claims, and with collateral idea of ignoble, disgraceful.” 

David sends his men to seek provisions from Nabal in return for having protected his shepherds and sheep. But this “fool” of a man lived up to his name and sent the following message to David:

“Who is this fellow David?” Nabal sneered to the young men. “Who does this son of Jesse think he is? There are lots of servants these days who run away from their masters. Should I take my bread and my water and my meat that I’ve slaughtered for my shearers and give it to a band of outlaws who come from who knows where?” – 1 Samuel 25:10-11 NLT

Enraged by Nabal’s disrespectful and ungrateful words, David was ready to end his life. But when Nabal’s wife Abigail learned of the situation, she intervened.

“I accept all blame in this matter, my lord. Please listen to what I have to say. I know Nabal is a wicked and ill-tempered man; please don’t pay any attention to him. He is a fool, just as his name suggests. But I never even saw the young men you sent.” – 1 Samuel 25:24-25 NLT

Her actions prevented David from doing something even more foolish than Nabal. He relented from his plan to wipe out Nabal’s entire clan and spared the fool's life. 

David was surrounded by fools. It seemed that everywhere he turned, there were people who acted in foolish ways, treating him with contempt, hostility, and disrespect. They never seemed to consider whether their actions were in line with God’s will. So, in that respect, they acted as if God did not exist. And by this time in his life, David’s assessment of mankind had become fairly jaded.

God looks down from heaven
    on the entire human race;
he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,
    if anyone seeks God.
But no, all have turned away;
    all have become corrupt.
No one does good,
    not a single one! – Psalm 53:2-3 NLT

Everyone was corrupt and godless, from the king all the way down to Doeg, the herdsmen, the traitorous Ziphites, and Nabal the fool. David felt all alone and under constant attack from all sides. He had difficulty understanding how these people could behave in such a way. Did they really think they would get away with their actions? David was blown away by their arrogance and seeming disinterest in God’s judgment.

Will those who do evil never learn?
    They eat up my people like bread
    and wouldn’t think of praying to God. – Psalm 53:4 NLT

Everyone David took issue with was a card-carrying Hebrew who claimed to have a relationship with Yahweh. They were supposed to be God-fearing Jews who shared his belief in Yahweh's sovereignty. But they acted as if God were nowhere to be found.

Even those who claim to know Him act as if He either doesn’t care about what they do or is too powerless to do anything about it. Some just refuse to believe in Him altogether. These people “are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!” (Psalm 53:1 NLT). This is not a very promising assessment on the character or condition of mankind. It leaves little doubt, at least from God’s perspective, that man is inherently wicked and in open rebellion against Him. Yet God is still reaching out to man, offering mercy and forgiveness. He will ultimately be forced to punish all those who refuse to accept His offer of new life through His Son, but until then, He keeps providing opportunities for them to repent and return to Him.

And while the world is a less-than-ideal place, full of people obsessed with their own agendas, consumed by their own importance, and controlled by their own sin natures, David gives us a glimpse of God’s goodness as he reminds us that God is always there for us even in the midst of all the evil that surrounds us. “But God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive!” (Psalm 54:4 NLT).

David appeals to God’s power and places himself at God’s mercy to rescue him from his enemies.

Terror will grip them,
    terror like they have never known before.
God will scatter the bones of your enemies.
    You will put them to shame, for God has rejected them. – Psalm 53:5 NLT

Those who care nothing for God were making David’s life miserable. But David knew he could call out to God, and not only be heard but answered.

Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel?
    When God restores his people,
    Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice. – Psalm 53:6 NLT

David had seen the goodness of God time and time again in his life, delivering him from troubles and trials, rescuing him from every conceivable kind of predicament. And while he firmly believed that “no one does good, not a single one,” David knew that God can and does do good for those who love Him. His response was to offer God praise and gratitude. While no one else steps in and rescues God’s people, Yahweh can be counted on to be there when needed. That is why David says, “Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice.”

All that God does is good, even when He has to deal with those who are bad. God is righteous and always does what is right. He never does wrong. He is just in all His actions towards men and never punishes unjustly or unfairly. He is good, and it doesn’t matter whether men reject Him, ignore Him, or attempt to deny He even exists. God remains good even when things appear bad.

Father, we live in a world that is sick and dying. It is filled with people who refuse to love and serve You. Many refuse to even believe in You. And yet, You remain good. You continue to make the sun shine on all men, showering them with Your common grace. You make the crops grow, the rain to fall, and the air breathable. You constantly offer the free gift of grace available through Your Son. And You care for Your own, providing them with a listening ear and a powerful hand to rescue and restore them. You are indeed a good God. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Good By God's Standards

To the choirmaster. A Maskil of David, when Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”

1 Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
    The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
2 Your tongue plots destruction,
    like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
3 You love evil more than good,
    and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
4 You love all words that devour,
    O deceitful tongue.

5 But God will break you down forever;
    he will snatch and tear you from your tent;
    he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
6 The righteous shall see and fear,
    and shall laugh at him, saying,
7 “See the man who would not make
    God his refuge,
but trusted in the abundance of his riches
    and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

8 But I am like a green olive tree
    in the house of God.
I trust in the steadfast love of God
    forever and ever.
9 I will thank you forever,
    because you have done it.
I will wait for your name, for it is good,
    in the presence of the godly. – Psalm 52:1-9 ESV

Doeg the Edomite had done a good thing, or at least he thought so. He had done exactly what the king of Israel had commanded him to do, and he knew it was going to win him favor in the king’s eyes. The fact that he had personally killed 85 priests of God, along with all their family members, didn’t seem to bother him. He seemed unconcerned that King Saul’s personal bodyguards had each refused to kill the Lord’s priests. When the king turned to Doeg and presented him with the opportunity to prove his loyalty, he stepped up to the challenge.

This story began when David was serving in King Saul’s royal administration. He had been hired by Saul after his unexpected victory over Goliath, the Philistine warrior who had repeatedly taunted and mocked the Israelites for their unwillingness to face him in hand-to-hand combat. David, a young shepherd boy, took on the Philistine's challenge and, with God’s help, scored a decisive victory over his much larger and battle-hardened foe. David’s success over the Philistine made David famous and Saul jealous. It wasn’t long before the insecure king viewed David as a threat to his reign.

Possessed by an evil spirit and driven by jealousy, Saul attempted to take David’s life, forcing the young man to flee for his life. Desperate to escape from the demon-possessed king, David sought refuge in the town of Nob, where Ahimelech the priest provided him with food and the sword of Goliath, which had been kept there ever since David had killed the Philistine champion in battle. Little did David know that Doeg the Edomite, one of King Saul’s chief herdsmen, was there in Nob and saw the whole exchange between David and Ahimelech. He returned to Saul and reported that the priest had aided and abetted David, a fugitive from justice.

As a result of Doeg’s news, King Saul commanded the slaughter of all 85 of the priests of God living in Nob, along with their families. When Saul’s bodyguard refused to do his bidding, Doeg the herdsmen was given a chance to improve his station in life by proving his loyalty and displaying his bravery to the king. And evidently, according to David, Doeg the Edomite even bragged about his brave “exploits” against the unarmed priests of God, trying to present himself as a mighty warrior.

Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior?
    Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever?
All day long you plot destruction.
    Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor;
    you’re an expert at telling lies.
You love evil more than good
    and lies more than truth. – Psalm 52:1-3 NLT

Doeg had a knack for blowing the whole affair out of proportion, expanding the story with fanciful lies designed to justify his actions and boost his fame. David accused him of being “an expert at telling lies” (Psalm 52:3). He saw Doeg for what he was: a man who loved evil more than righteousness. He distorted reality by making evil appear as if it were good. At the end of the day, Doeg the Edomite cared more about himself than he did about God. His willingness to slaughter God’s priests reveals that he had no fear of the Almighty and no desire to do the right thing. He was obsessed with his own well-being and self-gratification. No doubt Saul rewarded him well for his “brave” handling of the whole affair.

While David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), Doeg was a man after Saul’s own heart. Like Saul, he wasn’t interested in doing what God wanted done; he was a selfish, self-centered man who longed to make a name for himself. His murder of God’s priests was probably well rewarded by Saul. More than likely, he was raised from chief herdsman to warrior status. His X-rated exploits got him a promotion, a raise, and the king's praise. But David warned Doeg about the reality of his situation.

You love to destroy others with your words,
    you liar!
But God will strike you down once and for all.
    He will pull you from your home
    and uproot you from the land of the living.  – Psalm 52:4-5 NLT

God was going to repay Doeg in full for what he had done. David says, “Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness” (Psalm 52:7 NLT). David sarcastically refers to Doeg as a “mighty warrior” and accuses him of trusting his newfound wealth instead of God. He was addicted to his fame and fortune and became increasingly wicked, looking for additional opportunities to pad his resume and expand his wealth.

But Doeg’s “good deed” was in direct opposition to God’s will. He had slaughtered innocent people just to pad his resume and improve his lot in life. He was rewarded richly for his efforts, but God would hold him accountable.

David knew that those who oppose God’s will may receive rewards and recognition in this life, but, in the end, they will always get what they deserve. David preferred to trust in God. Rather than take matters into his own hands and do what appears to be good and expeditious by the world’s standards, David preferred to obey God. He would do only what God would have him do. On two different occasions, David had the opportunity to murder King Saul, and had he done so, he could have ended his fugitive lifestyle. Even David’s companions encouraged him to kill Saul, seeing it as a God-ordained opportunity to take revenge on his enemy. But David refused, knowing that God had not given him permission to kill the king. He believed that God would take care of King Saul in His own time and according to His own terms. In the meantime, David would trust God.

Despite the anger of Saul and the efforts of men like Doeg, God came through for David. Eventually, God eliminated Saul and elevated David to the throne. David trusted, and God provided. This is what led David to say, “I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God’s unfailing love. I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will trust in your good name in the presence of your faithful people” (Psalm 52:8-9 NLT).

Doeg trusted in himself. David trusted in God. Doeg was out for himself. David was out for God. Doeg looked successful, but would eventually fail. At one time, David appeared abandoned by God and was an apparent failure in the world’s eyes. But he trusted God and was rewarded for his faithfulness. David did what was right, according to God’s standards, and enjoyed true success. Doeg did what was right in his own eyes and according to the world’s standards, but failed in the end. We aren’t told what happened to Doeg the Edomite, but we can rest assured that God repaid him in full for what he had done – either in this life or the next.

David knew that God would deal with Doeg justly. “But God will strike you down once and for all. He will pull you from your home and uproot you from the land of the living” (Psalm 52:5 NLT). David trusted God.

Father, this world is constantly tempting us to live according to its standards. It wants us to do good on its terms, but You call us to trust You and live according to Your standards. Keep reminding us that Your way is the not only the best way, it is the only way. Your will trumps our will every time. Doing what is right in our own eyes or according to the world’s standards is never a profitable path to take. Trusting in You isn’t always easy, but it is always profitable. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God’s Great Grace

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
    blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin!

3 For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
    and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
    and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
    and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins,
    and blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners will return to you.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
    O God of my salvation,
    and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
    you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;
    build up the walls of Jerusalem;
19 then will you delight in right sacrifices,
    in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;
    then bulls will be offered on your altar. – Psalm 51:1-19 ESV

In 1910, Julia H. Johnston penned the words to the hymn “Marvelous Grace of Our Loving Lord.” They reflect her understanding of the unmerited grace God made available to sinners through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount out-poured,
There where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.

Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.

That last line speaks volumes and echoes the sentiment expressed by David in this psalm. As the title of the psalm suggests, David wrote this well-known and oft-quoted song of praise after reflecting on the marvelous reality of God's grace in the face of unforgivable sin.

That God’s grace is greater than all our sins is a truth that is virtually impossible for us to comprehend. It’s difficult to fathom how a holy and completely righteous God could love us so much that He would be willing to extend us grace despite our consistent struggle with sin. But David had experienced this truth first-hand. Here in Psalm 51, he is dealing with the aftermath of his sin with Bathsheba. David was known as the man after God’s own heart and was the anointed king of Israel, yet he wrestled with the guilt and conviction of his affair with a married woman. As if that sin was not enough, when David discovered his illicit sexual tryst had produced a baby, he ordered the death of Bathsheba’s husband so that he might marry her and provide a more acceptable explanation for her pregnancy.

His was a sin of the first degree. It shocks even the most hardcore agnostic or atheist. These kinds of things are just not done in civilized society. But here is the leader of God’s chosen people confessing his guilt and willingly accepting God's just judgment.

Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
    I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
    and your judgment against me is just. – Psalm 51:4 NL

David opened his psalm with an admission of guilt and a plea for mercy. He describes the stain of his sin and the impurity of his guilt as barriers to God. He knew he was guilty, but he was counting on the fact that Yahweh was merciful and compassionate. 

Have mercy on me, O God,
    because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
    blot out the stain of my sins. – Psalm 51:1 NLT

He firmly believed that God was ready and willing to forgive his sin and restore him to a right relationship with Himself. He also knew that God was the only one who could provide restoration. So he cries out to God for mercy and appeals to God’s unfailing love. He asks God to show him compassion and begs for the stain of his sin to be removed. He pleads with God to wash him clean from his guilt and purify him from his sin.

David understood the depth of his sin and guilt. He had not attempted to excuse his actions or diminish his culpability. He owned his sin and confessed that he deserved God's just judgment. But this did not prevent him from crying out for God’s mercy and grace.

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Oh, give me back my joy again;
    you have broken me—
    now let me rejoice. – Psalm 51:7-8 NLT

David was a broken man. Ever since his lust-fueled liaison with Bathsheba, he had been plagued by guilt and shame. His role in her husband’s death only stoked the flames of the raging condemnation that consumed his joy. When the prophet Nathan confronted the king about his sin, David confessed, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:14 NLT). And while Nathan assured David that God would forgive him, he warned that his sin would still be consequences.

Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord by doing this, your child will die.” – 2 Samuel 12:13-14 NLT

The child was born but suffered from a deadly disorder. David fasted and prayed that God would spare the life of his son, but seven days later, the child died. This loss weighed heavily on David’s heart. Yet, David didn’t lash out at God in anger and resentment. He bore the brunt of God’s righteous wrath and cried out for restoration.

David knew that only God could make him clean. Time doesn’t heal all wounds, but God certainly can. Only God could renew his broken heart and restore a sense of joy through His compassionate act of salvation. Only God could give him the ability to return to a life of obedience and righteousness.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and make me willing to obey you. – Psalm 51:12 NLT

David was at the mercy of God and found comfort in that fact. The key to David’s appeal to God was his understanding that God was looking for true repentance from a heart grieved over its mistreatment of God and His Word. David knew that his sin was ultimately against God, not Bathsheba or Uriah. He also knew that God was looking for godly sorrow and not just a false sense of remorse or regret. The apostle Paul explains what godly sorrow looks like in his letter to the Corinthian church.

For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. – 1 Corinthians 7:9-10 NLT

The sacrifice God wanted from David had little to do with lambs, goats, blood, or offerings. But it had everything to do with a broken and contrite heart. A heart that is broken and crushed because it understands that it has offended a holy, yet loving and merciful God.

You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
    You do not want a burnt offering.
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
    You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. – Psalm 51:16-17 NLT

God wanted sacrifices offered in the right spirit, with the right kind of heart behind them. David’s sin had been an affront to God, and that sin needed to bother him as much as it did God. It seems clear from this beautifully worded and bluntly honest psalm that David had come to grips with the weight of his sin and built. That is what led him to come before God in sorrow, repentance, openness, honesty, and complete reliance on God’s mercy and grace.

David had full confidence that God would hear and restore him because he knew that God was gracious, kind, loving, and merciful. David’s God was forgiving. His grace was greater than all of David’s sins – from the smallest to the largest. David’s sins of adultery and murder rank high on our scale of transgressions against God, and yet David found mercy, grace, and forgiveness even for these two heinous sins against God’s holiness. God’s grace really was greater than David’s worst sins. Long before Julie H. Johnston wrote the words of he own song of praise, David learned the powerful truth they contain.

Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.

Father, thank You that Your grace truly is greater than my sin. And because of Your grace I can receive forgiveness, cleansing. restored joy, and the constant assurance of Your unfading love. Too often, I begin to believe that my sin is greater than You are. I listen to the words of the enemy and begin to doubt the reality of Your forgiveness, grace, and mercy. He convinces me that I am undeserving and You are unrelenting in Your hatred for my transgressions. Help me to understand that Your love is never based on my loveliness or loveableness. Your grace and mercy are there because I need them, not because I deserve them. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Lifting Up Those Who Are Down

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 Blessed is the one who considers the poor!
In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him;
2 theLORD protects him and keeps him alive;
he is called blessed in the land;
you do not give him up to the will of his enemies.
3 TheLORD sustains him on his sickbed;
in his illness you restore him to full health.

4 As for me, I said, “O LORD, be gracious to me;
heal me, for I have sinned against you!”
5 My enemies say of me in malice,
“When will he die, and his name perish?”
6 And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words,
while his heart gathers iniquity;
when he goes out, he tells it abroad.
7 All who hate me whisper together about me;
they imagine the worst for me.

8 They say, “A deadly thing is poured out on him;
he will not rise again from where he lies.”
9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted,
who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
10 But you, O LORD, be gracious to me,
and raise me up, that I may repay them!

11 By this I know that you delight in me:
my enemy will not shout in triumph over me.
12 But you have upheld me because of my integrity,
and set me in your presence forever.

13 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen. – Psalm 41:1-13 ESV

At first glance, this Psalm seems a bit disjointed. David starts out talking about the poor and how God blesses those who show kindness to them. Then suddenly, David is confessing his sin and crying out for mercy because of the apparent consequences of that sin. His problem seems to have nothing to do with poverty or need but is due to his own willful sin. However, a closer look at the Hebrew word dar translated as “poor” in verse one reveals that it can mean “one who is low or weak.” It is from the root word dālal, which can refer to someone weak, languishing, powerless, or who has been brought low. So, David is not necessarily talking about poverty as it relates to finances, but he is dealing with spiritual and emotional poverty. His knowledge of this topic comes from personal experience.

His poverty of spirit was real and not based on conjecture. David knew the pain that all too often accompanied sinfulness. Not only did disobedience to God bring divine judgment, but it also brought persecution and ridicule from others. While suffering conviction over his sin, David cried out to God, “Have mercy on me. Heal me, for I have sinned against you” (Psalm 41:4 NLT). But his enemies kicked him while he was down. They took advantage of his emotional distress and wished for his failure.

David imagined them wishfully crying out, “How soon will he die and be forgotten?” (Psalm 41:5 NLT). Rather than showing him kindness or compassion, they longed for his demise. 

David knew his suffering resulted from sin, and he had confessed that sin to God, but he was still experiencing the consequences of whatever he had done. God’s divine discipline was still going on, and he longed for relief. But his enemies, posing as friends, used their visits with him to gather gossip. They weren't interested in building David up but were intent on destroying what was left of his reputation by spreading salacious rumors.

They visit me as if they were my friends,
    but all the while they gather gossip,
    and when they leave, they spread it everywhere.
All who hate me whisper about me,
    imagining the worst.
“He has some fatal disease,” they say.
    “He will never get out of that bed!” – Psalm 41:6-8 NLT

These posers showed no concern for David’s spiritual poverty and did nothing to lift his spirits. Instead, they tried to discern the cause of his condition and debated how long he had to live. They displayed no empathy, compassion, or mercy. Their deep hatred for David prevented them from commiserating with his condition. They never considered the tables being turned and them being on the receiving end of God’s judgment and David’s ridicule.

There is an old proverb that states, “There but for the grace of God go I.” The author of this proverb is unknown, but some attribute it to the English Reformer, John Bradford, who said it as he watched people led to execution for their crimes.

“In a way, the attitude of ‘there but for the grace of God go I’ is an antidote to judgmentalism. When we see someone who is down and out, who is suffering hardship, or who is reaping unpleasant consequences, we can respond in two basic ways. We can say, ‘He deserves it and should have made better choices,’ or we can say, ‘There but for the grace of God go I.’ The first response is what Job’s three friends ultimately chose; the second response shows empathy as we acknowledge the kindness of God toward us and extend that kindness to the one in trouble.” – https://www.gotquestions.org/there-but-for-the-grace-of-God-go-I.html

David knows he has done nothing to deserve this kind of treatment from his friends. When the shoe had been on the other foot and David witnessed his enemies suffering, he grieved with them. He even prayed and fasted for them, feeling sadness for their condition “as though they were my friends or family” (Psalm 35:14 NLT). But now that David was down and out, his “friends” became enemies. So, David is left to seek mercy from God.

But what a reminder to those of us who claim to be Christ-followers that we are to have the same heart He had. We are to love like He loved. Jesus said of Himself, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come” (Luke 4:18-19 NLT).

We are to carry on that ministry to the down and out. The Proverbs of Solomon remind us that our words carry weight. They are powerful and can accomplish good or bring about evil in the lives of others.

The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain. – Proverbs 10:11

The words of the godly encourage many. – Proverbs 10:21 NLT

Solomon also warned that “with their words, the godless destroy their friends” (Proverbs 11:9). Rather than cheer and champion their fallen compatriots, the godless tear them down. Solomon went on to record the glaring difference between the words of the godless and the godly.

Some people make cutting remarks,
    but the words of the wise bring healing. – Proverbs 12:1 NLT

We are the hands, the feet, and the mouthpieces for Christ here on this earth. We are to have a heart for the lowly and all those who are languishing, whether it is because of their own sin or the sinful condition of the world in which we live. Some languish in financial poverty, while others suffer the effects of emotional and spiritual deprivation. Either way, we are to bring them words of encouragement and healing. We are to show them mercy and grace. We are to love them with both words and actions.

David knew that extending kindness to the “poor” could be a rewarding experience. To do so was to live a life that was pleasing to God. He rewards those who care for and encourage the down and out. He repays them in kind and “rescues them when they are in trouble” (Psalm 41:1 NLT).

Father, give me a heart for the down and out. Help me to see them all around me. It is easy to see the financially poor, but the spiritually and emotionally impoverished are all around me and they tend to hide their condition well. Don’t let me be like David’s friends, who because of their treatment of him in his time of need, were no better than enemies to him. May I be a true friend to those in need, providing words of encouragement and actions that back up what I say. Amen 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Best Advertising is a Satisfied Customer

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
    he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
    out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
    making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
    a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
    and put their trust in the LORD.

4 Blessed is the man who makes
    the LORD his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
    to those who go astray after a lie!
5 You have multiplied, O LORD my God,
    your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
    none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
    yet they are more than can be told.

6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted,
    but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering
    you have not required.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;
    in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
    your law is within my heart.”

9 I have told the glad news of deliverance
    in the great congregation;
behold, I have not restrained my lips,
    as you know, O LORD.
10 I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart;
    I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
    from the great congregation.

11 As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain
    your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
    ever preserve me!
12 For evils have encompassed me
    beyond number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
    and I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head;
    my heart fails me.

13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me!
    O LORD, make haste to help me!
14 Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether
    who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
    who delight in my hurt!
15 Let those be appalled because of their shame
    who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

16 But may all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
    say continually, “Great is the LORD!”
17 As for me, I am poor and needy,
    but the LORD takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
    do not delay, O my God! – Psalm 40:1-17 ESV

When was the last time you told someone else what God has done for you? I’m not talking about your salvation story, how you came to Christ when you were seven or eight. I’m talking about telling others how God is actively involved in your life, accomplishing things He can do.

David starts this Psalm by talking about a time in the not-so-distant past when he found himself patiently waiting for help from God. Then he testifies that “he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along” (Psalm 40:1-2 NLT). As a result of God’s gracious intervention, David sang His praises for what He had done in his life. He engaged in an orchestrated public relations campaign for God, boldly proclaiming his miraculous rescue and restoration. His goal was simple: He wanted others to learn from his experience and place their confidence in God.

Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
    They will put their trust in the Lord. – Psalm 40:3b NLT

To ensure that his audience didn’t miss the point, David recorded a very public prayer of gratitude to God that conveyed his belief in God’s trustworthiness.

Oh, the joys of those who trust the LORD,
    who have no confidence in the proud
    or in those who worship idols.
O LORD my God, you have performed many wonders for us.
    Your plans for us are too numerous to list.
    You have no equal.
If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds,
    I would never come to the end of them. – Psalm 40:4-5 NLT

Too often, the only stories we have of God’s activity in our lives are in the past tense. We can tell how we came to faith in Christ and describe the life-transforming nature of that encounter. We may even recall a time when God answered a prayer or delivered us from a difficult situation. But our stories of God’s active involvement in our lives tend to be few and far between and rarely recent in occurrence.

But for David, God was actively involved in every aspect of his life. The LORD’s actions weren’t sporadic or isolated; they were constant and commonplace. Everywhere David looked, he could see God’s handiwork, and he could stop talking about it.

I have told all your people about your justice.
    I have not been afraid to speak out,
    as you, O Lord, well know.
I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart;
    I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power.
I have told everyone in the great assembly
    of your unfailing love and faithfulness. – Psalm 40:9-10 NLT

This testimony of God’s love and faithfulness was meant to encourage others, but David also used it to bolster his own trust in God. He knew the future would be filled with ample opportunities to seek God’s help and see His faithfulness played out because sin wasn’t going away and troubles were inevitable.

LORD, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me.
    Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me.
For troubles surround me—
    too many to count!
My sins pile up so high
    I can’t see my way out.
They outnumber the hairs on my head.
    I have lost all courage. – Psalm 40:11-12 NLT

David knew from experience that difficult days would come, but he also knew that God could and would show up when he called. David viewed his life as a proving ground of God’s presence, power, and provision. When his enemies attacked, David could turn to God for help. When his own sinfulness raised its ugly head, David could seek forgiveness and restoration from the LORD. There was no difficulty or dilemma in David’s future that God couldn’t handle. His life had been a testimonial to God’s presence and power, and he wanted everyone to know it.

…may all who search for you
    be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation
    repeatedly shout, “The LORD is great!”
As for me, since I am poor and needy,
    let the Lord keep me in his thoughts.
You are my helper and my savior.
    O my God, do not delay. – Psalm 40:16-17 NLT

In the middle of this psalm, David draws an interesting conclusion that has far-reaching implications. His testimony concerning God’s faithfulness must be accompanied by a willing obedience to keep God’s commands. It doesn't do any good to go through the motions, offering sacrifices to God and displaying a ritualistic religious fervor that conveys a false sense of piety. David knew that God wanted more than lip service; He desired heartfelt obedience.

You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings.
    Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand—
    you don’t require burnt offerings or sin offerings.
Then I said, “Look, I have come.
    As is written about me in the Scriptures:
I take joy in doing your will, my God,
    for your instructions are written on my heart.” – Psalm 40:6-8 NLT

What makes this passage even more significant is its presence in the Book of Hebrews, where the author quotes it in reference to Christ and His sacrificial death on the cross

…when Christ came into the world, he said to God,

“You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings.
But you have given me a body to offer.
You were not pleased with burnt offerings
or other offerings for sin.
Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God—
as is written about me in the Scriptures.’” – Hebrews 10:5-7 NLT

According to the author of Hebrews, Jesus understood that obedience to the Father’s will superseded any adherence to the Mosaic Law. While He lived on this planet, Jesus kept the law perfectly and obeyed His Heavenly Father flawlessly. 

When he appeared in human form,
    he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross. – Philippians 2:7-8 NLT

Jesus became the perfect sacrifice—the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). During His earthly ministry, Jesus repeatedly testified to God’s presence, power, and provision. He spoke of God’s greatness and goodness and demonstrated God’s power through miracles and messages. But all that would have meant nothing if He failed to do what God had sent Him to accomplish.

David seemed to understand that obedience must accompany obeisance. In other words, feigning worship of God without obeying the will of God is hypocrisy. Testifying to God’s greatness while refusing to do His will isn’t worship, it’s the worst form of duplicity. God spoke of this duplicitous and deceitful charade on the part of His people through the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel.

“These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.” – Isaiah 29:13 NLT

“…they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain.” – Ezekiel 33:31 ESV

Testifying to God’s greatness while ignoring His will is unacceptable and untenable. David understood that the greatest form of praise was obedience. He was more than willing to sing God's praises, but he also wanted to do God’s will.

I am convinced that many more people would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ if the followers of Christ had more to say about Him. If we had more to share about what He has done in our lives lately and how Christ is transforming our lives daily, it would give credibility to our claims regarding the value of salvation. So many unbelievers are asking, “What has God done for you lately?” If they asked you that question, what would your answer be? What would you tell them? David gives us some not-so-subtle hints:

I have told all your people about your justice.
    I have not been afraid to speak out… – Psalm 40:9 NLT

I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart;
    I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power.
I have told everyone in the great assembly
    of your unfailing love and faithfulness. – Psalm 40:10 NLT

David knew first-hand what it was like to have God intervene in his life and rescue him from trouble, forgive him of sin, provide him with victory, heal him from sickness, and restore him to a right relationship with Himself. David knew that a relationship with God was not all about doing things for God to somehow keep Him satisfied and earn brownie points with Him. No, God wants His followers to take joy in doing His will because they have experienced His faithful, unconditional love and want to express their gratitude through obedience and submission to His will for their lives – because they know He loves them and has their best interests in store.

David said about God, “Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them” (Psalm 40:5 NLT). David had much to say about God because God was an active and vital part of his life. Can the same thing be said of us? If we tried to recite all the wonderful things He has done for us lately, would we run out of time before our list ran out?

David called on God because he expected God to act. David waited on God because he was confident God would respond. David told others about God because he had plenty of stories of God’s faithfulness to tell. He said, “May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, ‘The Lord is great!'” (Psalm 40:16b NLT). Maybe we have little to say about God because we so seldom turn to God for help and hope.

Oh, the joys of those who trust in the LORD. – Psalm 40:4a NLT

Father, the problem is not that You are silent in my life, it is that I don’t recognize and appreciate Your activity. I don’t see it, so I don’t acknowledge it. You are working all the time on my behalf, but I tend to be blind to it. I also don’t turn to You enough in times of trouble and trust You for deliverance. I try to solve all my own problems. In doing so, I rob You of glory and deny myself the opportunity to see Your power on display in my life. I want to be a greater witness for You by being more satisfied by You. I want to sing Your praises more and tell everyone I meet of all Your wonderful acts. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Getting Right With God

To the choirmaster: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

1 I said, “I will guard my ways,
    that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle,
    so long as the wicked are in my presence.”
2 I was mute and silent;
    I held my peace to no avail,
and my distress grew worse.
3     My heart became hot within me.
As I mused, the fire burned;
    then I spoke with my tongue:

4 “O LORD, make me know my end
    and what is the measure of my days;
    let me know how fleeting I am!
5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
    and my lifetime is as nothing before you.
Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah
6     Surely a man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;
    man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!

7 “And now, O LORD, for what do I wait?
    My hope is in you.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions.
    Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
9 I am mute; I do not open my mouth,
    for it is you who have done it.
10 Remove your stroke from me;
    I am spent by the hostility of your hand.
11 When you discipline a man
    with rebukes for sin,
you consume like a moth what is dear to him;
    surely all mankind is a mere breath! Selah

12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD,
    and give ear to my cry;
    hold not your peace at my tears!
For I am a sojourner with you,
    a guest, like all my fathers.
13 Look away from me, that I may smile again,
    before I depart and am no more!” – Psalm 39:1-13 ESV

The title of this psalm mentions a choirmaster named Jeduthun. His role and identity are not explained, but according to 1 Chronicles, Jeduthun was an appointee of David who served as a musician in his royal court.

David also appointed Heman, Jeduthun, and the others chosen by name to give thanks to the LORD, for “his faithful love endures forever.” They used their trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments to accompany their songs of praise to God. And the sons of Jeduthun were appointed as gatekeepers. – 1 Chronicles 16:41-42 NLT

As choirmaster, Jeduthun was responsible for turning David’s psalms into musical tributes to God designed to express gratitude for His faithful and never-ending love. But this psalm doesn’t seem to give Jeduthun much to work with because it is more of a lament than an expression of thanksgiving. In it, David freely voices his frustration over a less-than-pleasant circumstance he was going through. Some have suggested that David was experiencing serious health issues that threatened his life. Evidently, David believed his condition was tied to a sin he had committed, and his suffering was the result of God’s discipline.

I am silent before you; I won’t say a word,
for my punishment is from you.
But please stop striking me!
I am exhausted by the blows from your hand.
When you discipline us for our sins,
you consume like a moth what is precious to us.
Each of us is but a breath. – Psalm 39:9-11 NLT

David was clearly frustrated by the lingering effects of his condition and wondered out loud how long God would delay providing deliverance. In a sense, David saw his life passing before his eyes, reminding him of its brevity. He acknowledged God as the life-giver and sustainer, and begged to know how long his suffering would continue. For David, death would be preferable to a lingering illness and a life under the disciplining hand of God. 

“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
    Remind me that my days are numbered—
    how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
    My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;
    at best, each of us is but a breath.” – Psalm 39:4-5 NLT

Despite his difficulty, David had chosen not to complain about his circumstances in the hearing of men — especially the ungodly. He knew that to do so would cast dispersions upon God’s grace and goodness, so he remained silent. But that didn’t eleviate the emotional turmoil inside his head and heart.

But as I stood there in silence—
    not even speaking of good things—
    the turmoil within me grew worse.
The more I thought about it,
    the hotter I got,
    igniting a fire of words… – Psalm 39:2-3 NLT

When David finally spoke up, he took his grievance to the Lord, expressing his thoughts to the one who could do something about it. But instead of complaining, David asked God for perspective. His questions concerning the length of his life were meant to seek clarity. While he felt like his current condition would never end, he knew his life was nothing but a breath to God. It was here one moment and gone the next. This is less an expression of pessimism than an acknowledgement of God’s eternality and man’s temporal state.

David asked God to help him keep his life in proper perspective, never forgetting that eternity is our future, not this temporary condition we call life. In God’s grand scheme, our lives are but a breath, a fleeting moment on the eternal timeline. Yet, we put all our emphasis on the here and now and forget about the hereafter. We spend all our time rushing around, attempting to accomplish things that only end in insignificance. We work hard to accumulate wealth and then end up having to leave it behind when we go.

It’s easy to see where David’s son, Solomon, got the perspective on life he shared in the book of Ecclesiastes.

For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun? – Ecclesiastes 6:12 NLT

I came to hate all my hard work here on earth, for I must leave to others everything I have earned. – Ecclesiastes 2:18 NLT

Solomon also shared David’s perspective on wealth.

Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless – like chasing the wind. – Ecclesiastes 4:4 NLT

But long before David wrote this psalm, he decided to place his hope and trust in God. He owed his life to God, and without Him, David would have remained a shepherd herding sheep rather than serving as the king of Israel. Whatever David was going through, he knew it had passed through the hands of God. David viewed his condition as God-ordained and, therefore, he took his problem to the source. He believed his punishment was due to sin and knew that only God could forgive him and relieve his suffering.

In verse 8, David asks God to “pluck him out of” his sin, to deliver him from his own transgressions. He knew that only God could bring relief from the pain he was suffering. So he asks God to hear his cries, to restore his joy, and to give him relief so that he might spend whatever days he has left in a right relationship with Him.

Isn’t that what this life is all about? It isn’t the accumulation of toys and the gaining of fame. It isn’t about comfort and ease, earning and spending, competing and winning. It is about the joy of a right relationship with God, something money can’t buy. When we are not right with God, nothing will make sense or satisfy our longing for peace, joy, contentment, and purpose. Nothing can make life right except getting right with God.

Father, what a wonderful reminder that life is all about living for You and with You. The pain and suffering we experience is nothing more than a reminder of our dependence upon and need for You. Keep me focused on You and nothing else. May I desire a right relationship with You more than anything else in the world. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Sin, Sorrow, and Confession

A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering.

1 O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger,
    nor discipline me in your wrath!
2 For your arrows have sunk into me,
    and your hand has come down on me.

3 There is no soundness in my flesh
    because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones
    because of my sin.
4 For my iniquities have gone over my head;
    like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

5 My wounds stink and fester
    because of my foolishness,
6 I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
    all the day I go about mourning.
7 For my sides are filled with burning,
    and there is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and crushed;
    I groan because of the tumult of my heart.

9 O Lord, all my longing is before you;
    my sighing is not hidden from you.
10 My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
    and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
11 My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague,
    and my nearest kin stand far off.

12 Those who seek my life lay their snares;
    those who seek my hurt speak of ruin
    and meditate treachery all day long.

13 But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,
    like a mute man who does not open his mouth.
14 I have become like a man who does not hear,
    and in whose mouth are no rebukes.

15 But for you, O LORD, do I wait;
    it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
16 For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me,
    who boast against me when my foot slips!”

17 For I am ready to fall,
    and my pain is ever before me.
18 I confess my iniquity;
    I am sorry for my sin.
19 But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,
    and many are those who hate me wrongfully.
20 Those who render me evil for good
    accuse me because I follow after good.

21 Do not forsake me, O LORD!
    O my God, be not far from me!
22 Make haste to help me,
    O Lord, my salvation! – Psalm 38:1-22 ESV

We are not told what David’s sin was, but he clearly articulates what he believes to be the consequences for that sin. David is suffering greatly, both physically and emotionally. He sees his circumstances as directly related to his sin and as a rebuke from God. Crying out to God, he says, “Because of your anger, my whole body is sick; my health is broken because of my sins. My guilt overwhelms me – it is a burden too heavy to bear” (Psalm 38:3-4 NLT).

David clearly understands that sin has consequences and that God, because He is just, must punish sin. There is discipline involved when sins are committed. As children of God, we are not allowed to sin freely and without repercussions. If we belong to God, our sin produces guilt. His Spirit convicts us of our sin and creates within us those same feelings that David had. He speaks of God’s rebuke and discipline. He uses words like crushing, broken, grief, crushed, anguish, and pain. And he attributes it all to his “foolish sins” (Psalms 38:5 NLT).

Speaking of this conviction of sin, C. H. Spurgeon states, “God’s law applied by the Spirit to the conviction of the soul of sin, wounds deeply and rankles long; it is an arrow not lightly to be brushed out by careless mirthfulness, or to be extracted by the flattering hand of self righteousness” (C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David – Volume 3)

David could not escape God's loving discipline by simply finding something to distract him. He could avoid it for a time, but his unconfessed sin would continue to haunt him, leaving him longing for relief. Conviction is designed to lead to confession. If conviction is ignored, it will only lead to continued sorrow. It will eat away at you from the inside out.

My guilt overwhelms me—
    it is a burden too heavy to bear.
My wounds fester and stink
    because of my foolish sins. – Psalm 38:4-5 NLT

That’s why confession is so important. It is the anecdote for conviction, guilt, and shame. John reminds us, “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9 NLT). In Psalm 38, the word that David uses, which is translated as “confess” in the New Living Translation, is actually the Hebrew word for “tell or declare.” He claims to avow, acknowledge, or confess the sins for which he has been convicted. He gets them out in the open with God. The truth is, God already knows what David has done and is only waiting for David to acknowledge or confess his guilt. He must openly admit and agree with God that what he has done is wrong. Spurgeon says that this process of confession is therapeutic and healing.

”Open confession is good for the soul. When sorrow leads to hearty and penitent acknowledgment of sin it is blessed sorrow, a thing to thank God for most devoutly. I will be sorry for my sin. My confession will be salted with briny tears. It is well not so much to bewail our sorrows as to denounce the sins which lie at the root of them. To be sorry for sin is no atonement for it, but it is the right spirit in which to repair to Jesus, who is the reconciliation and the Saviour. A man is near to the end of his trouble when he comes to an end with his sins.” – C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David – Volume 3

But an essential part of confession is sorrow. David states, “I am deeply sorry for what I have done” (Psalm 38:18 NLT). Confession without sorrow is nothing more than regret or remorse. You may regret your sins because they have produced pain and discipline, but that is not what God is looking for. Confession as a means of escaping coming punishment is not enough. There must be sorrow for the sin we have committed and not just sorrow for the discipline our sins have incurred. A child may express sorrow for something he has done, but it may be motivated by a desire to escape further punishment. It might have nothing to do with sorrow for having offended his parents. The same can be true with us.

In his letter to the Corinthian church, Paul mentioned another letter he had sent that addressed a sin with which they were struggling.

I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. – 2 Corinthians 7:8-10 NLT

The kind of sorrow God wants us to experience is intended to lead us away from sin and result in salvation. David was deeply sorry for his sins. He confessed them to God and asked for forgiveness and restoration. He knew only God could bring the physical, emotional, and spiritual healing he needed. He cried out to God, “Do not abandon me, O LORD. Do not stand at a distance, my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord may savior” (Psalm 38:21-22 NLT).

David’s pain and sorrow were real. His suffering was intense, and so was his desire for relief. But David knew that confession must precede restoration. He needed to own what he had done and recognize that his pain and suffering were a just and righteous consequence for his disobedience to God. God was not being vengeful or vindictive. David’s suffering was not an overreaction on God's part. The punishment fit the crime, and David knew it. But he also knew that his only hope for relief and restoration was in God.

Do not abandon me, O LORD.
    Do not stand at a distance, my God.
Come quickly to help me,
    O Lord my savior. – Psalm 38:21-22 NLT 

Father, they say confession is good for the soul, and nothing could be more true than when it comes to sin in the life of a believer. When we sin, the Spirit convicts our soul and creates in us a holy discontentment and discomfort. Like David, we grow increasingly unhappy with our condition, feeling guilt and shame for what we have done. But You are simply using that conviction to lead us to confession, in order that You might forgive and restore us. Give us an increasing hatred for sin and a willingness to acknowledge its presence in our lives as soon as it shows up. Help us respond quickly to the Spirit’s prompting and confess our sin with godly sorrow because we have offended You, our heavenly Father and holy God. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Don’t Worry About the Wicked

A psalm of David.

1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
    be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass
    and wither like the green herb.

3 Trust in the LORD, and do good;
    dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the LORD,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;
    trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
    and your justice as the noonday.

7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
    fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
    over the man who carries out evil devices!

8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
    Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,
    but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
    though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
11 But the meek shall inherit the land
    and delight themselves in abundant peace.

12 The wicked plots against the righteous
    and gnashes his teeth at him,
13 but the LORD laughs at the wicked,
    for he sees that his day is coming.

14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
    to bring down the poor and needy,
    to slay those whose way is upright;
15 their sword shall enter their own heart,
    and their bows shall be broken.

16 Better is the little that the righteous has
    than the abundance of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
    but the LORD upholds the righteous.

18 The LORD knows the days of the blameless,
    and their heritage will remain forever;
19 they are not put to shame in evil times;
    in the days of famine they have abundance.

20 But the wicked will perish;
    the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures;
    they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
    but the righteous is generous and gives;
22 for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land,
    but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

23 The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
    when he delights in his way;
24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
    for the LORD upholds his hand.

25 I have been young, and now am old,
    yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
    or his children begging for bread.
26 He is ever lending generously,
    and his children become a blessing.

27 Turn away from evil and do good;
    so shall you dwell forever.
28 For the LORD loves justice;
    he will not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
    but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land
    and dwell upon it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
    and his tongue speaks justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart;
    his steps do not slip.

32 The wicked watches for the righteous
    and seeks to put him to death.
33 The LORD will not abandon him to his power
    or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.

34 Wait for the LORD and keep his way,
    and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
    you will look on when the wicked are cut off.

35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
    spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
36 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
    though I sought him, he could not be found.

37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
    for there is a future for the man of peace.
38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
    the future of the wicked shall be cut off.

39 The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
    he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
40 The LORD helps them and delivers them;
    he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
    because they take refuge in him. – Psalm 37:1-40 ESV

It’s hard not to worry about the wicked. They’re all around us. Many of them are in positions of power and influence in our country. Others are considered celebrities and stars. They write books, have their own TV shows, create music and art, and define what is in when it comes to everything from clothing to hairstyles. The wicked come in all shapes and sizes, and their wickedness is not always readily apparent or easily recognized. They seem to live lives marked by success, happiness, affluence, and popularity. So it’s sometimes easy to envy or desire to be like them. But David tells us not to worry about the wicked or to covent their lifestyles, because their days are numbered. Yet, we often find ourselves getting angry over the apparent lack of justice in a world where the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer.

Some of these people prosper despite lifestyles marked more by sin than anything else. David reminds us that “it is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich” (Psalm 37:16 NLT). To drive the point home, David provides a running contrast between the wicked and the godly. He paints a clear and memorable picture of the stark difference between these two lifestyles.

The wicked will soon fade.
But the godly will find shelter in Him.

This life is temporal, and its rewards are fleeting and ephemeral. While the wicked may appear to enjoy the good life in this life, they face a future judgment. The righteous may suffer in this life, but they have the assurance of God’s presence, protection, and provision — right here, right now.

The wicked will soon wither.
But the godly will never slip from His path.

Things are not always what they seem. What appears to be prosperity and unbridled success is often accompanied by discontentment and dissatisfaction. Wealth and fame cannot immunize anyone from disease, disappointment, or death. The wicked can hide behind the temporal trappings of worldly success, but their sins will find them out (Numbers 32:33). Yet, the righteous will find security and safety in this life by faithfully following the ways of God.

The wicked will be destroyed.
But the godly will be rescued by God.

The wicked stand opposed to God, and He has a way of holding them accountable for their actions. Their present prosperity and seeming immunity from justice will not last. God will have the last word when it comes to their eternal judgment. In the meantime, the righteous must maintain their confidence in God and trust that His eternal reward is far greater than any temporal treasure or pleasure a life of wickedness may offer.

The wicked will disappear.
But the godly will trust in the Lord and do good.

Leave the fate of the wicked up to God. He knows what He is doing and is not fooled by the deceitful ways of those who ignore His will and reject His sovereignty. Their cleverness and covertness make them feel invincible, but their fate is sealed. Nothing is hidden from the eyes of God and no sin goes unpunished. So, rather than worry about the wicked, the righteous need to spend their time doing what pleases God.

The wicked will be gone.
But the godly will never fall.

The righteous must maintain an eternal perspective. This life is not all there is. We are eternal creatures who have a long future ahead of us. This present life is just a blink of the eye in God’s plan for His children’s prosperity. While there will be trials and tribulations in this life, the one to come will be free from sin, suffering, sorrow, and loss. 

The wicked plot against the godly.
But God will take care of the godly because they are innocent.

This world is not always fair, and things don't always turn out how we think they should. But God is in control at all times, and His ways are always just and righteous — even when circumstances paint a very different picture. Because we are finite creatures living in a temporal world, we can't see the big picture. Present pain has a way of clouding our future perspective. But we must rest in knowing that God sees all and knows all. He has a firm grasp on what is going on in His world and has a flawless plan to mete out justice and reward the righteous — in His time.

The wicked snarl at them in defiance.
But God will expose the justice of the cause of the godly.

The prosperity of the wicked won't last forever. It may appear that they get away with murder and escape any form of justice, but God is not done yet. We can’t see what He is doing behind the scenes, but we can know that He will leave no sin unpunished and no wicked individual free from His judgment. 

The wicked draw their swords and string their bows.
But God is the fortress of the godly.

The wicked may appear to be powerful and unstoppable. Their string of victories over the righteous seems endless, but they are no match for Jehovah-Sabaoth, the LORD of Hosts. They may win their fair share of battles, but the war between the righteous and the wicked has already been decided. 

The wicked kill the poor and oppressed.
But the godly live in peace and prosperity.

Despite all the injustice and inequities in this world, those who place their hope and faith in God can rest assured that He is with them and fights on their behalf. They are not alone and far from defenseless. Yes, evil exists, and atrocities happen, but that does not mean God is powerless or impotent. His ways are not our ways. His methodologies may confuse and confound us, but we must trust that He always knows what He is doing and His ways are always just, righteous, and good.

The wicked slaughter those who do right.
But the Lord directs the steps of the godly.

There are two opposing forces at work in the world. Satan, the prince of this world, has aligned himself against all that is good, righteous, and godly. He and his demonic minions stand in opposition to God and pour out their hatred on His children. The wicked of this world are in Satan’s grip and do his bidding, but their actions are limited by the sovereign power of God. As they do their worst, God is directing the steps of His people, guiding, protecting, and blessing them even as the enemy attempts to destroy them.

The strength of the wicked will be shattered.
But the godly will be taken care of by God.

Give God time. Let Him finish what He began and complete the plan of redemption He put in place before He laid the foundations of the world. Our victory is assured. The future is secure. God’s plan has an end, and the outcome has never been in question.

David continues his comparison between the wicked and the godly, pointing out the glaring differences between the two.

The wicked will die.
But the godly will possess the land.

The wicked will disappear like smoke.
But the godly will never be abandoned.

The wicked borrow and never repay.
But the godly give generous loans to others.

The children of the wicked will die.
But the children of the godly are a blessing.

The wicked wait in ambush for the godly.
But God will honor the godly by giving them the land.

The wicked look for an excuse to kill the godly.
But God teaches the godly right from wrong.

The wicked will not succeed.
But the godly will live safely in the land and prosper.

The wicked will be destroyed.
But a wonderful future awaits the godly.

The wicked will appear to flourish, then are gone.
But the godly will not be disgraced in hard times.

The wicked have no future.
But a wonderful future awaits the godly.

David wasn't a glass-half-full, perpetual optimist who refused to acknowledge the disparities and difficulties of life. He was painfully aware of the presence of the wicked. He struggled with their apparent success and seeming immunity from judgment. But he trusted God and knew that justice would be served. The wicked would get what they deserved and the godly would be blessed — in time and according to God’s perfect plan.

As believers, we are to put our hope in God. We are to confidently and faithfully trust the path He has chosen for us to follow and not worry about what might appear to be the unfair advantages of the ungodly. God is just, and He will deal with them in His own way and time. I can leave them in God’s hands and concentrate on honoring Him with my life and trusting Him with my future. He will not let the wicked succeed or the godly be condemned. He has it all under control. So don’t worry.

Father, thanks for this timely reminder from the pen of David. The wicked have always been around and they have always given Your people cause for consternation and concern. They appear so happy and so together. They seem to be getting away with their lifestyle of open rebellion to You, but You are not done yet. You are a just and righteous God who will make sure that all things are taken care of rightly and justly. They will not escape Your notice or Your judgment. I can leave them in Your hands and rest in the knowledge that You have me securely in Your loving grasp as well. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

In Times of Trouble, Turn to God

A psalm of David.

1 Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;
    fight against those who fight against me!
2 Take hold of shield and buckler
    and rise for my help!
3 Draw the spear and javelin
    against my pursuers!
Say to my soul,
    “I am your salvation!”

4 Let them be put to shame and dishonor
    who seek after my life!
Let them be turned back and disappointed
    who devise evil against me!
5 Let them be like chaff before the wind,
    with the angel of the LORD driving them away!
6 Let their way be dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!

7 For without cause they hid their net for me;
    without cause they dug a pit for my life.
8 Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it!
And let the net that he hid ensnare him;
    let him fall into it—to his destruction!

9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD,
    exulting in his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say,
    “O LORD, who is like you,
delivering the poor
    from him who is too strong for him,
    the poor and needy from him who robs him?”

11 Malicious witnesses rise up;
    they ask me of things that I do not know.
12 They repay me evil for good;
    my soul is bereft.
13 But I, when they were sick—
    I wore sackcloth;
    I afflicted myself with fasting;
I prayed with head bowed on my chest.
14     I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother;
as one who laments his mother,
    I bowed down in mourning.

15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered;
    they gathered together against me;
wretches whom I did not know
    tore at me without ceasing;
16 like profane mockers at a feast,
    they gnash at me with their teeth.

17 How long, O Lord, will you look on?
    Rescue me from their destruction,
    my precious life from the lions!
18 I will thank you in the great congregation;
    in the mighty throng I will praise you.

19 Let not those rejoice over me
    who are wrongfully my foes,
and let not those wink the eye
    who hate me without cause.
20 For they do not speak peace,
    but against those who are quiet in the land
    they devise words of deceit.
21 They open wide their mouths against me;
    they say, “Aha, Aha!
    Our eyes have seen it!”

22 You have seen, O LORD; be not silent!
    O Lord, be not far from me!
23 Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication,
    for my cause, my God and my Lord!
24 Vindicate me, O LORD, my God,
    according to your righteousness,
    and let them not rejoice over me!
25 Let them not say in their hearts,
    “Aha, our heart's desire!”
Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

26 Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether
    who rejoice at my calamity!
Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor
    who magnify themselves against me!

27 Let those who delight in my righteousness
    shout for joy and be glad
    and say evermore,
“Great is the LORD,
    who delights in the welfare of his servant!”
28 Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness
    and of your praise all the day long. – Psalm 35:1-28 ESV

This is a difficult psalm to read because to contains harsh language that seems out of place and inappropriate for a child of God. It is one of four imprecatory psalms in which the writer asks God to pour judgment out on his enemies. The words are vindictive in nature and don’t seem to fit in with the New Testament concept of loving your enemy and turning the other cheek. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught a new way of treating one's enemies.

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” – Matthew 5:44-48 ESV

In his account of this same sermon, Luke records Jesus delivering yet another rule-bending lesson on enmity with one’s enemies.

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.” – Luke 6:27-31 ESV

Yet, in Psalm 35, David calls down curses from God on those who oppose him. He asks God to destroy them. So what are we supposed to do with this information? Are we to use this Psalm as a pattern for our own prayer lives? Does the content of this psalm provide us with a pattern for responding to those who oppose us or try to do us harm? I think the answer is no.

The real lesson of this psalm is that life can be difficult. Even David, the king of Israel and the man who was known as a man after God’s own heart, found himself facing trying situations. He had been falsely accused, unjustly attacked, and was under constant threat of betrayal from both within and without. He minced words in expressing the actions of his enemies.

Bring shame and disgrace on those trying to kill me;
    turn them back and humiliate those who want to harm me. – Psalm 35:4 NLT

I did them no wrong, but they laid a trap for me.
    I did them no wrong, but they dug a pit to catch me. – Psalm 35:7 NLT

Malicious witnesses testify against me.
    They accuse me of crimes I know nothing about.
They repay me evil for good. – Psalm 35:11-12 NLT

It seems unlikely that David exaggerated his claims or used hyperbolic language. The threats against him were real, and he was legitimately concerned for his well-being.

We must never forget that David was writing as the king of Israel. He was the anointed, God-appointed leader of the nation and was responsible for opposing all those who stood against God and His people. David’s job as king was to defeat the enemies of Israel and defend the people of God. As the king, he represented God and was the primary target for attack by all those who refused to acknowledge Yahweh as the one true God. David was obviously frustrated, fearful, and weary of the constant attacks on his leadership and person. He was tired of all the false accusations and clandestine attempts to dethrone and defeat him. Unable to hide his frustration with the ill treatment he received from those he had shown mercy and grace, David cried out to God to turn the tables and give these individuals a taste of their own medicine.

The key to understanding this Psalm is not based on what David asks to be done but on who he asks to do it. David was the king, and he could have taken matters into his own hands and given these people exactly what they deserved. He was a warrior and had a powerful army at his disposal. He was the ultimate judge in the land and could have enacted judgment and meted out justice as he saw fit. David was fully capable of solving all these problems in his own way. But instead, he called out to God.

O LORD, oppose those who oppose me.
    Fight those who fight against me.
Put on your armor, and take up your shield.
    Prepare for battle, and come to my aid. – Psalm 35:1-2 NLT

Wake up! Rise to my defense!
    Take up my case, my God and my Lord.
Declare me not guilty, O LORD my God, for you give justice. – Psalm 35:23-24 NLT

He appealed to the ultimate judge of all men and asked Him to act as his advocate and protector. This psalm is brutally honest and paints a clear picture of David's pain and frustration. It provides an accurate glimpse into the life of this man who tried to love and serve God all his life. He shared his heart with God, honestly opening up about his feelings. He holds nothing back. But in the end, David placed all of his pain, frustration, and confusion in the hands of God. He knew the solution to his problems could only come from one source: The LORD. He understood that victory over his enemies would be up to God and that the timing and nature of that victory might differ from what he desired.

Ultimately, his rescue and release from his trials would be up to God, who was fully aware of his suffering and capable of doing something about it. So he asked God to come to his defense, take up his case, and declare him innocent. David was willing to wait on God. Yes, he struggled with what appears to be God’s apparent delay in answering, but he waited nonetheless. He gave God his cares and concerns and trusted Him to do the right thing. Why? Because he knew that “Great is the LORD, who delights in blessing his servant with peace? (Psalm 35:27 NLT).

Father, life can be hard. People can be difficult. Sometimes I am tempted to take matters into my own hands in an attempt to solve my problems. But help me to turn to You instead. You are my advocate, protector, and rescuer. You know what is best and You always do what is right. May Your Spirit give me patience as I wait and an overwhelming sense of peace as I contemplate Your love, justice, mercy, and power. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Goodness of God

Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

1 I will bless the LORD at all times;
    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
    let the humble hear and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
    and let us exalt his name together!

4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me
    and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
    and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
    and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps
    around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
    Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints,
    for those who fear him have no lack!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;
    but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

11 Come, O children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 What man is there who desires life
    and loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Turn away from evil and do good;
    seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous
    and his ears toward their cry.
16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
    to cut off the memory of them from the earth.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears
    and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted
    and saves the crushed in spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
    but the LORD delivers him out of them all.
20 He keeps all his bones;
    not one of them is broken.
21 Affliction will slay the wicked,
    and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.
22 The LORD redeems the life of his servants;
    none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. – Psalm 34:1-22 ESV

The goodness of God. We read about it, hear sermons about it, and are encouraged to believe in it. But the truth is, sometimes doubts about God’s goodness set in when trouble shows up. We may find it easy to sing, “God is so good,” but in times of trouble, we question the validity of that statement. We wonder whether God will come through for us. We waffle and waver in our belief that God has our best interest at heart, and then we try to take care of the problem on our own.

David had moments like this, and Psalm 34 was written after such an experience. He found himself at odds with King Saul. Things were so bad that the king had tried to kill David with his own hands. Then, when the king’s own son, Jonathan, questioned his actions, Saul tried to kill him as well. So, David was forced to run from Saul and go into hiding. This was a difficult time because he had to leave everything he knew and loved behind. Doubt and confusion plagued David as he considered his unexpected circumstances. He had been anointed by Samuel the prophet to be the next king of Israel, and God had given him a great victory over Goliath, the Philistine warrior. In recognition of his defeat of Goliath, Saul made him a member of his court, where David gained a reputation as a mighty warrior. He even married the king’s daughter and became best friends with his son. Now, he was running for his life. None of this must have made sense to David. He must have questioned the goodness of God.

In his fear and panic, David sought refuge from Saul in the city of Gath, the hometown of Goliath, the Philistine he had killed with his sling and a stone. It’s unclear what David was thinking when he made this less-than-ideal decision, but it reveals the depth of his despair and fear of Saul. The Book of 1 Samuel provides the details behind David’s arrival in the Philistine stronghold.

So David escaped from Saul and went to King Achish of Gath. But the officers of Achish were unhappy about his being there. “Isn’t this David, the king of the land?” they asked. “Isn’t he the one the people honor with dances, singing,

‘Saul has killed his thousands,
    and David his ten thousands’?”

David heard these comments and was very afraid of what King Achish of Gath might do to him. So he pretended to be insane, scratching on doors and drooling down his beard.

Finally, King Achish said to his men, “Must you bring me a madman? We already have enough of them around here! Why should I let someone like this be my guest?” – 1 Samuel 21:10-15 NLT

David knew he was in trouble, so to save himself, he devised the idea of feigning insanity. His ploy was effective because the king of Gath allowed David to leave unharmed. David ended up hiding in a cave in the wilderness, where he was joined by his family and other disenchanted and disenfranchised individuals who were chaffing under the reign of King Saul. It was sometime during this period of David’s life that he penned Psalm 34.

At this challenging moment of his life, David exhibited doubts about the goodness of God. He allowed his circumstances to influence his belief in God’s inherent goodness and unfailing love. Even though he had been chosen by God and anointed as Saul’s successor, David had a hard time comprehending any good coming out of all that was happening to him. He could not see the hand of God behind the difficulties he was experiencing. So he panicked and came up with his own plan. But David would learn that God is good – all the time.

It is only through our experiences that we truly discover the goodness of God. As a result of his experience in Gath, David would discover that “The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time” (Psalm 34:19 NLT). This wasn't pious-sounding rhetoric but the words of a man who had experienced the truth of this statement in his own life. This difficult situation proved to be life-changing and faith-building, leaving David a changed man with a dramatically altered outlook on God’s goodness.

I will praise the LORD at all times.
    I will constantly speak his praises. – Psalm 34:4 NLT

In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened;
    he saved me from all my troubles. – Psalm 34:6 NLT

Taste and see that the LORD is good.
    Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! – Psalm 34:8 NLT

The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help.
    He rescues them from all their troubles. – Psalm 34:17 NLT

Those are the words of a man who has discovered the truth about God’s goodness. He is not speculating or trying to convince himself that God might show up; he has seen the goodness and greatness of God in real time and can’t help but sing about it.

I will praise the Lord at all times.
    I will constantly speak his praises.
I will boast only in the Lord;
    let all who are helpless take heart.
Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;
    let us exalt his name together. – Psalm 34:1-3 NLT

David would have plenty of times in his life when things would make no sense. There would be more than a few occasions when he found himself under attack, overwhelmed, out of his league, and down on his luck. But he would learn to trust God and endeavor to share this life-changing lesson with others.

Fear the LORD, you his godly people,
    for those who fear him will have all they need.
Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
    but those who trust in the LORD will lack no good thing. – Psalm 34:9-10 NLT

David’s fateful trip to Gath had threatened his life, but it also ended up strengthening his reliance upon God. His unwise decision put him in a dangerous predicament, but it also provided God with a chance to prove His goodness and power to provide for His own.

David was learning to rely on God’s goodness. No matter what he encountered along the way, he knew God would hear his cries for help and rescue him out of trouble. God would meet all his needs regardless of what was happening to him. This assurance in God’s goodness led David to write:

The righteous person faces many troubles,
    but the LORD comes to the rescue each time.
For the LORD protects the bones of the righteous;
    not one of them is broken! – Psalm 34:19-20 NLT

Through life's experiences, David learned the reality and reliability of God’s goodness.

Father, You are good. You have never shown Yourself to be otherwise in my life. There have been plenty of times when I have doubted it and, like David, I have come up with my own solution to my problems. But my plans always prove to be a bad substitute for Your goodness. Continue to teach me to trust You regardless of what I see happening around me or to me. Troubles are going to come, but so is help, because You are good. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Praise Him Because You Can Trust Him

1 Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous!
    Praise befits the upright.
2 Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre;
    make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
3 Sing to him a new song;
    play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

4 For the word of the LORD is upright,
    and all his work is done in faithfulness.
5 He loves righteousness and justice;
    the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.

6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
    and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap;
    he puts the deeps in storehouses.

8 Let all the earth fear the LORD;
    let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
9 For he spoke, and it came to be;
    he commanded, and it stood firm.

10 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
    he frustrates the plans of the peoples.
11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
    the plans of his heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
    the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!

13 The LORD looks down from heaven;
    he sees all the children of man;
14 from where he sits enthroned he looks out
    on all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 he who fashions the hearts of them all
    and observes all their deeds.
16 The king is not saved by his great army;
    a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.
17 The war horse is a false hope for salvation,
    and by its great might it cannot rescue.

18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him,
    on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 that he may deliver their soul from death
    and keep them alive in famine.

20 Our soul waits for the LORD;
    he is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart is glad in him,
    because we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,
    even as we hope in you. – Psalm 33:1-22 ESV

While the author of this psalm is unnamed, the men who translated the Hebrew Bible into Greek (the Septuagint) believed David to be its source. It has all the hallmarks of David’s literary style. The majority, if not all, of the first 72 psalms were attributed to David because of the last line of Psalm 72: “The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended” (Psalm 72:20 ESV). 

This entire psalm is a song of praise to God, declaring His righteousness, justice, faithfulness, and love. In lyrical prose, God is portrayed as a just and righteous judge, the all-powerful creator of heaven and earth, the sovereign Lord over the nations, and the merciful Savior of His chosen people. From His vantage point in heaven, God looks down on the world He made and the people to whom He gave life, justly judging their behavior and carrying out His will for their lives.

The LORD looks down from heaven
    and sees the whole human race.
From his throne he observes
    all who live on the earth.
He made their hearts,
    so he understands everything they do. – Psalm 33:13-15 NLT

Despite the plans of men and the machinations of the nations, God’s “plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken” (Psalm 33:11 NLT). His will cannot be thwarted. His sovereign strategies for His creation can be resisted but never overthrown. 

The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations
    and thwarts all their schemes. – Psalm 33:10 NLT

This psalm is a powerful reminder of God’s invincible power and indomitable will. He can be doubted, rejected, ignored, and dismissed as irrelevant or nonexistent, but He will never be defeated or dethroned. Even the most powerful armies in the world are no match for Jehovah-Sabaoth: The LORD of Hosts. He is the all-powerful Sovereign commander of all the armies of heaven and earth.

The best-equipped army cannot save a king,
    nor is great strength enough to save a warrior.
Don’t count on your warhorse to give you victory—
    for all its strength, it cannot save you. – Psalm 33:16-17 NLT

Since the beginning of time, mankind has attempted to overthrow His Kingdom and supplant His authority over their lives. But their efforts have consistently failed, and His will has always been done. 

No human wisdom or understanding or plan
    can stand against the Lord.

The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
    but the victory belongs to the Lord. – Proverbs 21:30-31 NLT

These reminders of God’s glory and greatness are intended to produce hope and faith in the lives of His people. His unwavering power, providence, provision, and protection are meant to instill trust among “those who fear him” and “rely on his unfailing love” (Psalm 33:18 NLT).

We put our hope in the Lord.
    He is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
    for we trust in his holy name. – Psalm 33:20-21 NLT

Do you trust God? I mean really trust Him? If we’re honest, we have to admit that there are many things in our lives that we either refuse to trust God with or fear trusting to His care. But David reminds us that we can trust God with anything and everything. After all, He made everything in the universe, from the solar system to the earth itself. He created the land, the oceans, and all life, including you and me. He is greater than the most powerful nation on the planet. He can easily frustrate their best-laid plans and bring to nothing all their schemes for glory and power. And this powerful God loves righteousness and justice and is determined to see that it is carried out in the world He created.

However, the key to comprehending and appreciating the power and justice of God is to have a right relationship with Him. David knew that the Hebrew people had been chosen by God, not because of anything they had done or because they had earned His favor. No, God had chosen them and made them His own. He had blessed them with His presence and prospered them with His power, often despite their own stubbornness and stupidity.

So when David considers the greatness and the graciousness of God, he can’t help but say “Sing for joy to the LORD!” (Psalm 33:1 NLT). He tells us to praise and rejoice in God because HE has chosen us. We are to fear, honor, and respect Him and dutifully rely on His unfailing love. We are to put our hope in Him, understanding that He alone is who we can trust. Only God can save. Only God can rescue. Only God can deliver. So we put our trust in Him.

Hope is anticipatory and eagerly expectant because hope is based on truth – the reality that God is faithful, powerful, merciful, and fully capable of accomplishing His will on our behalf. Hope flows from a knowledge of His unfailing, unceasing, unquenchable love for us. He loves us. We belong to Him, and He will not abandon or forget about us. We can trust Him to do what is just and right on our behalf, even when we might not understand or like what is going on at the moment. We can praise Him preemptively because we KNOW He will come through for us eventually.

Father, I praise You now for what You are going to do, not just for what You’ve already done. Your grace and mercy to me is guaranteed by Your own character. Your love for me never fails. Your power on my behalf is never limited. So I can praise You now for what You have yet to do. Because You will always do what is right and just. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Joy of Forgiveness

A Maskil of David.

1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,
    whose sin is covered.
2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,
    and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
    through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
    my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah

5 I acknowledged my sin to you,
    and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
    and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

6 Therefore let everyone who is godly
    offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;
surely in the rush of great waters,
    they shall not reach him.
7 You are a hiding place for me;
    you preserve me from trouble;
    you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
    which must be curbed with bit and bridle,
    or it will not stay near you.

10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
    but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous,
    and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! – Psalm 32:1-11 ESV

This is a didactic psalm, one that is intended to share a hard-learned life lesson with others. In this psalm, David uses his personal experience with sin, confession, repentance, and forgiveness to encourage others to follow his example. He describes the joy that comes with living openly and honestly with God.

“…what joy for those
    whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt,
    whose lives are lived in complete honesty! – Psalm 32:2 NLT

At the same time, David shares the far more painful experience of refusing to admit his guilt. Failure to repent results in the easily avoidable discipline of God.

When I refused to confess my sin,
    my body wasted away,
    and I groaned all day long.
Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. – Psalm 32:2-4 NLT

David provides only two alternatives when it comes to dealing with sin: Confess and receive God’s gracious forgiveness or stubbornly refuse God’s conviction and bear the consequences. For David, the choice was a simple one.

Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
    and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the LORD.”
    And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. – Psalm 32:5 NLT

David used his life experiences as a teaching tool, hoping to spare others the painful lesson of trying to deny their sin and ignore their guilt. That way of life was unproductive and painful. Yet, the unpleasant consequences of unrepentance could be avoided by heeding David’s gracious advice. In a prayerful aside to God, David offers his desire that all men could discover the joy of confession and forgiveness. 

…let all the godly pray to you while there is still time,
    that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. – Psalm 32:6 NLT

Turning back to his human audience, David begs them to heed his words.

Do not be like a senseless horse or mule
    that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control. – Psalm 32:9 NLT

Stubbornness is not a virtue. An unwillingness to admit guilt is not the same thing as innocence. Denying one’s sin does not make it go away. Refusing to accept God’s conviction does nothing to avoid condemnation. David offers the choice between sorrow and joy, suffering and blessing, denial and divine forgiveness.

One of the sad realities of human life is sinfulness. It is unavoidable and inevitable. We have inherited a sin nature, and it shows up uninvited and without warning on a regular basis in all of our lives. Sometimes, our sins are small and appear relatively harmless. Other times, even we are appalled at the extent of our own capability to commit sins that are offensive to most men, let alone God. Our sinful natures are constantly doing battle within us, fighting with the indwelling influence of the Holy Spirit. Paul put it this way:

The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. – Galatians 5:17 NLT

The battle within us is real, and the presence of our sinful nature is easy to recognize. We see it in the sins we commit daily, both sins of commission and omission. We don’t do the things we should do, and we do those things God has forbidden us to do. But here is the good news: God is fully aware of our sinful nature. He knows that we are sinners, so He sent His Son to serve as our sin substitute.

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. – 2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT

God has set us free from slavery to sin. We no longer HAVE to sin, because we have been given a new nature. He has provided His Spirit to indwell us, fill us, and empower us to live a life that is no longer sin-saturated, but Christ-centered. We now have the capacity to NOT sin. We can say no to sin.

We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. – Romans 6:6-7 NLT

But the truth is, we still sin because we still have three things contending against us: Satan, the world, and our own sinful natures. John reminds us, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth” (1 John 1:8 NLT). So sin is still inevitable but avoidable. When we do sin, there is hope. We have forgiveness available to us. We need only confess or admit our sin to God, and He offers complete forgiveness. Confession is not telling God something He doesn’t already know about us. He knows everything. He sees all our sins. Confession is agreeing with God on the presence of that sin in our lives and acknowledging our need for His forgiveness. David said, “I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt” (Psalms 32:5 NLT). The Hebrew word for “confessed” is yada, and it carries the idea of both knowing something and making it known. As God makes us aware of our sin, we are encouraged to agree with HIs assessment and acknowledge our guilt to Him. That is confession.

Attempting to hide or deny our sin is ridiculous because God already knows all about it. When we refuse to confess, we miss out on His forgiveness. As part of His sanctifying process in our lives, God is always exposing our. He shines the flashlight of His divine omniscience into the dark recesses of our lives to point out the unconfessed sins that reside there. When He reveals our sins to us, all He asks is that we acknowledge or confess their presence to Him and ask for His forgiveness. The good news is that is exactly what we receive. David says, “what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!” (Psalms 32:2 NLT).

David loved the forgiveness of God because he knew how much he needed it. He was a sinner just like you and me. He didn’t always do what God wanted him to do, and he sometimes did those things God didn’t want him to do. But David knew the reality and blessing of confession and forgiveness. So, he reminds us to live a life of confession as well.

David knew that God guides and directs His children on how to live. Part of that process requires the exposure of the sin in our lives so that we might be made aware of it and then confess it to Him. It is for our own good. To refuse to see it, acknowledge it, and admit it would make us like a senseless horse or mule that needs the pain of a bridle and bit to make it do what it is supposed to do. Confession is meant to be comforting because it leads to forgiveness. It frees us from guilt, restores our relationship with the Father, and brings us joy. So why wouldn’t we confess our sins readily and regularly?

Father, I confess to You that I do not confess often enough. I sometimes try to ignore my sins as if they are not that great. But I know that I need to see them and confess them to You. They are a constant reminder to me of my need for You. I cannot cleanse myself. I cannot sanctify myself. I cannot get rid of my sin by myself. Only You can remove the sin that remains within me. Only You can conquer the sin nature that still does battle with me daily. So I want to learn to confess more regularly and readily, so that I might enjoy the blessing of Your forgiveness.. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Hope in the Lord

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame;
    in your righteousness deliver me!
2 Incline your ear to me;
    rescue me speedily!
Be a rock of refuge for me,
    a strong fortress to save me!

3 For you are my rock and my fortress;
    and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me;
4 you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,
    for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit;
    you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

6 I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols,
    but I trust in the Lord.
7 I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,
    because you have seen my affliction;
    you have known the distress of my soul,
8 and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
    you have set my feet in a broad place.

9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
    my eye is wasted from grief;
    my soul and my body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow,
    and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my iniquity,
    and my bones waste away.

11 Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach,
    especially to my neighbors,
and an object of dread to my acquaintances;
    those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I have been forgotten like one who is dead;
    I have become like a broken vessel.
13 For I hear the whispering of many—
    terror on every side!—
as they scheme together against me,
    as they plot to take my life.

14 But I trust in you, O Lord;
    I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hand;
    rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
16 Make your face shine on your servant;
    save me in your steadfast love!
17 O Lord, let me not be put to shame,
    for I call upon you;
let the wicked be put to shame;
    let them go silently to Sheol.
18 Let the lying lips be mute,
    which speak insolently against the righteous
    in pride and contempt.

19 Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
    which you have stored up for those who fear you
and worked for those who take refuge in you,
    in the sight of the children of mankind!
20 In the cover of your presence you hide them
    from the plots of men;
you store them in your shelter
    from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the Lord,
    for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
    when I was in a besieged city.
22 I had said in my alarm,
    “I am cut off from your sight.”
But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy
    when I cried to you for help.

23 Love the Lord, all you his saints!
    The Lord preserves the faithful
    but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
    all you who wait for the Lord! – Psalm 31:1-24 ESV

Why do we fear? Why do we worry and doubt? When we serve a mighty God who loves us like He does, what would ever cause us to distrust or doubt Him? The simple answer is that we are weak and sinful. In our limited understanding, we know of no one or nothing as strong as God is. We have no experience with anyone as reliable and trustworthy as He is. Yet, we tend to judge God based on human standards and our own limitations. If we truly believed God was all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving, would we fear and doubt dominate our lives like they do? 

Over the course of his life, David had learned to turn his bouts with doubt into opportunities to see God display His power, grace, and mercy. He came to God for protection, salvation, and encouragement. He viewed God as his “rock of refuge” and “strong fortress” (Psalm 31:2 ESV). In times of trouble, David had learned to run to the One who could provide safety, comfort, guidance, and deliverance.

This Psalm seems to have been written amid a time of crisis. David found himself in the middle of a difficult season of life in which some sin he had committed had left him discouraged, despondent, and deeply depressed. He doesn’t elaborate on the circumstances or disclose the nature of his indiscretion, but he painfully describes his troubled emotional state.

Tears blur my eyes.
    My body and soul are withering away.
I am dying from grief;
    my years are shortened by sadness.
Sin has drained my strength;
    I am wasting away from within.
I am scorned by all my enemies
    and despised by my neighbors—
    even my friends are afraid to come near me. – Psalm 31:9-11 NLT

Whatever sin he committed left him feeling attacked from within and without. His guilt weighed heavy on his heart, and the scorn of his friends and enemies deepened his discouragement and despair. The rumor mill had generated all kinds of salacious gossip and motivated his enemies to take advantage of his diminished popularity and weakened position. He was vulnerable and feeling exposed.

But while David was feeling down and out, he didn’t feel abandoned by God. He knew he could find refuge and rest in the arms of his loving, faithful, and all-powerful God.

But I am trusting you, O Lord,
    saying, “You are my God!”
My future is in your hands.
    Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.
Let your favor shine on your servant.
    In your unfailing love, rescue me. – Psalm 31:14-16 NLT

David had learned that Yahweh was a reliable and trustworthy source of strength and sustenance to all those who feared Him and placed their trust in Him.

You hide them in the shelter of your presence,
    safe from those who conspire against them.
You shelter them in your presence,
    far from accusing tongues. – Psalm 31:20 NLT

David could praise God in the midst of the current storm because he had experienced Yahweh’s deliverance in the past. David used God’s track record of divine deliverance to bolster his faith.

He kept me safe when my city was under attack.
In panic I cried out,
    “I am cut off from the Lord!”
But you heard my cry for mercy
    and answered my call for help. – Psalm 31:21-22 NLT

Recalling God’s past actions helped to strengthen David’s resolve and led him to declare, “Be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!” (Psalm 31:24 NLT).

It seems that a big part of the journey for Christ's followers is to learn to trust God more and to fear life less. In this Psalm, David seems to ebb back and forth between a strong confidence in God and a wavering doubt. He says, “Save me, for you do what is right” (Psalm 31:1 NLT). He calls God his rock and his fortress and talks of His unfailing love and mercy. But then, David seems to change tones because he faces the daily reality of living in a fallen world. He has to confront wickedness and the influence of sinful people who make it hard to live the life of faith. There is a constant battle between trusting God and living amid difficult circumstances, constantly attempting to shake our faith in Him.

Knowing and serving God does not guarantee us an easy road or a life free from difficulty. It promises us a God who loves us enough to care about what is happening to us and is powerful enough to do something about it. David seemed to know that from experience. Despite his difficulties, he turned to God. He knew where the source of his help and hope was to be found — in God alone. David states confidently, “But I am trusting you, O LORD, saying, ‘You are my God!’ My future is in your hands” (Psalm 31:14-15a NLT). All David had to do was remember the countless times God had rescued him before. God had proven Himself faithful in the past, and David knew God would prove Himself faithful in the future. He could be trusted because the Lord preserves the faithful.

Father, thank You that You can be trusted. And because You can be trusted, I can be brave and strong. May my courage increase daily as I learn to rely on and trust in You. May I increasingly learn to put my hope in You. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Deeply Dependent

A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple.

1 I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up
    and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
    and you have healed me.
3 O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
    you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,
    and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment,
    and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
    but joy comes with the morning.

6 As for me, I said in my prosperity,
    “I shall never be moved.”
7 By your favor, O Lord,
    you made my mountain stand strong;
you hid your face;
    I was dismayed.

8 To you, O Lord, I cry,
    and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
9 “What profit is there in my death,
    if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
    Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!
    O Lord, be my helper!”

11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
    you have loosed my sackcloth
    and clothed me with gladness,
12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
    O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever! – Psalm 30:1-12 ESV

David wrote this Psalm as a song to be sung at the dedication of the Temple – an event he would never live long enough to personally witness. But the words of this Psalm reflect David's heart toward his God. He loved God and had a desire to worship and honor Him with his life. He recognized God's hand in his life over the years and had a unique vantage point to look back and put his life in perspective. He could see the countless times God had rescued him from his enemies. He could recall the many times he had called out to God in sickness or weakness, and God had answered with healing and strength. There had even been occasions when David’s life hung in the balance, and God restored him.

You brought me up from the grave, O Lord.
    You kept me from falling into the pit of death. – Psalm 30:3 NLT

He remembered the many times in his life when his actions had angered God, but he also recalled how God quickly extended mercy whenever he repented.

For his anger lasts only a moment,
    but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may last through the night,
    but joy comes with the morning. – Psalm 30:5 NLT

David could vividly recall the sleepless nights when he was in tears because of hopelessness and helplessness. But morning always seemed to bring joy and a sense of peace because God was there.

Then there were those times when all was going well in David’s life. His world was trouble-free, and this idyllic state produced a false sense of security.

When I was prosperous, I said,
    “Nothing can stop me now!”
Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain.
    Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered. – Psalm 30:6-7 NLT

In those moments, David tended to get cocky and begin to take himself a little too seriously. He became dangerously independent from God – an ever-present danger for God’s people. David could probably recall the words Moses spoke to the people of Israel as they prepared to enter the land of promise for the very first time.

“Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today. For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God…” – Deuteronomy 8:11-14 NLT

David knew he had been guilty of not heeding this warning. In the good times, he had tended to take credit for his successes and ignored his need for God’s power and provision. Bolstered by his achievements, David proudly proclaimed, “Nothing can stop me now!” He was invincible, or so he thought. In retrospect, David realized that it was only the favor of God that allowed him to prosper and thrive. If God ever removed His unmerited favor, David’s seeming successes would quickly become glaring failures. David spoke from personal experience, having repeatedly discovered the truth behind the Proverb: “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18 NLT). In those moments, David cried out to God to protect him from self-destruction. 

 I begged the Lord for mercy, saying,
“What will you gain if I die,
    if I sink into the grave?
Can my dust praise you?
    Can it tell of your faithfulness?” – Psalm 30:8-9 NLT

Whenever we get brash and bold enough to believe that we don’t need God, He allows us to understand what that kind of life will look like. Prosperity without God’s presence is joyless, meaningless, and in the end, a waste of time. Success without God’s favor is like eating cotton candy; it tastes great but provides no long-term value for sustaining life.

At those moments when David realized he had begun to take himself too seriously and God too lightly, he repented and cried out for mercy. He begged God to forgive him and restore Him. “Hear me, LORD, and have mercy on me. Help me, O LORD” (Psalm 30:10 NLT). Those are words that our heavenly Father loves to hear from His children. He longs to be there for us, to help us, protect us, give us direction, and lovingly provide for us.

David knew from experience that God was always there to pick him up when he was down, to meet needs he couldn’t meet, to win battles he had no strength to fight, let alone win, and to forgive him when he repented. God is faithful in replacing our sadness with joy. All He asks is that we replace our independence with dependence and our self-sufficiency with a total reliance upon Him. When we do, we will be able to say along with David, ” O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever!” (Psalm 30:12b NLT).

Father, forgive me for my arrogant independence. Far too often i want to live my life my way and take credit for the successes. But then I want to turn around and blame You for the failures. May I grow increasingly more aware of just how much I need You for everything in my life. And may I never forget that I can take no credit for anything good that happens in my life. It is all a result of Your good favor. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.