I Stretch Out My Hands to You A Psalm of David.
“O LORD, hear my prayer. In Your faithfulness, give ear to my plea; in Your righteousness, answer me. Do not bring Your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous before You. For the enemy has pursued my soul, crushing my life to the ground, making me dwell in darkness like those long since dead.
My spirit grows faint within me; my heart is dismayed inside me. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I consider the work of Your hands. I stretch out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land. Selah (Pause and calmly think on that)
Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide Your face from me, or I will be like those who go down to the Pit. Let me hear Your loving devotion in the morning, for I have put my trust in You. Teach me the way I should walk, for to You I lift up my soul.
Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD; I flee to You for refuge. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. For the sake of Your name, O LORD, revive me. In Your righteousness, bring my soul out of trouble. And in Your loving devotion, cut off my enemies. Wipe out all who afflict me, for I am Your servant.”
“O LORD, hear my prayer. In Your faithfulness, give ear to my plea; in Your righteousness, answer me. Do not bring Your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous before You. For the enemy has pursued my soul, crushing my life to the ground, making me dwell in darkness like those long since dead.” David is under attack, probably from Saul and possibly from other directions as well. Sometimes leaders may feel as if they have giant targets all over them and everybody around them is shooting at them. Whatever is going on, David feels he is caught in a dark place with no protection. God doesn’t need reminding about His nature; however, David is desperately trying to remind himself of God’s faithfulness and righteousness. If God fails David, David will die quickly and painfully.
“My spirit grows faint within me; my heart is dismayed inside me. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I consider the work of Your hands. I stretch out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land. Selah (Pause and calmly think on that)” Which “days of old” is David thinking about? Perhaps David is remembering herding sheep in the wilderness, watching for wild beasts and composing songs to God. Given the chance, David would happily return to herding sheep; at least all he would have to worry about then would be wild animals and not treacherous people pretending to be friends while they conspire against him.
Stretching out one’s hands may carry a variety of meanings. We stretch out our hands in worship. If our favorite athletic team is winning, we wave our hands in triumph. But many times outstretched hands are a sign of begging and desperate petition. If we are drowning, we will wave our hands in hopes someone will save us. In David’s day, it was common for those asking something from a ruler to prostrate themselves while stretching out their hands. This desperate gesture is what David is referring to here.
“Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide Your face from me, or I will be like those who go down to the Pit. Let me hear Your loving devotion in the morning, for I have put my trust in You. Teach me the way I should walk, for to You I lift up my soul.” David has been hanging on to fraying hopes; however, he’s not sure how much longer he can continue. Confused and disillusioned, David really needs God’s guidance. David really feels that he’s at the end of his rope and the rope is about to fall apart.
“Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD; I flee to You for refuge. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. For the sake of Your name, O LORD, revive me. In Your righteousness, bring my soul out of trouble. And in Your loving devotion, cut off my enemies. Wipe out all who afflict me, for I am Your servant.” David is waving his hands at God again and begging for deliverance. Most of us can relate.
APPLICATION: Let’s face it, there are times when all of us feel as if we are drowning in minutiae, being stoned to death with popcorn. It’s not necessarily the big stuff that gets to us; it can be lots of little junk that builds up until we feel totally stifled. At such times, it’s difficult to know which way to turn. I have a friend whose beloved wife suffered a series of health catastrophes that forced her to stay in nursing homes for more than a year. During that time, COVID hit, and finding a place that could care for my friend’s wife became a daunting challenge. At one point, my friend found himself driving 40 miles one way several times a week to check on his wife, even while he battled his own health problems. Don’t let anybody lie to you; old age is most definitely NOT for sissies! Happily, my friend’s wife eventually made it home and is doing well, but during their ordeal, I’m certain they both felt like waving their hands frantically at God and yelling for help.
David’s psalms have helped and encouraged people for centuries precisely because David expresses his depression, his fears, and his feeling of being overwhelmed. It’s amazing to remember that this is also the same man whom God calls “a man after His own heart.” David’s psalms are proof positive that even heroes of the faith suffer their crises, and that God is the only reliable Source of help. So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, wave your hands at God and yell for help. God will always answer.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us feel overwhelmed and in need of deliverance. Help us to turn to You for all our needs. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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