Burunche’s Blog

The Godly Are No More

For the choirmaster. According to Sheminith. A Psalm of David.

“Help, O LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men. They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart. May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaks proud things. They say, “With our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips—who can be our master?”

“For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.”

The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold. (Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; MT like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified sevenfold.) You, O LORD, will keep us; You will forever guard us from this generation. The wicked wander freely, and vileness is exalted among men.”

Once more, David is complaining to God. David feels surrounded by scoundrels who will say anything to manipulate and gain power and influence. These guys are BAAAAD and proud of it! David is so disgusted that he begs God to cut off all flattering lips, double hearts, and proud tongues.

But wait, there’s still hope. For centuries, the Psalms have encouraged and inspired millions of people and this Psalm is no exception. After describing the problems, David goes on to praise God for His watch care and His faithfulness.

““For the cause of the oppressed and for the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will bring safety to him who yearns.” The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace, like gold purified sevenfold. You, O LORD, will keep us; You will forever guard us from this generation. The wicked wander freely, and vileness is exalted among men.”

APPLICATION: As I am writing this, we have just marked the 22^nd anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Those attacks are some of the most scurrilous ever mounted; however, far more amazing are the stories that continue to come out concerning the heroism of quiet individuals. Repeatedly, we learn of police, fire fighters, emergency personnel and private citizens who led hundreds of people out of the twin towers despite overwhelming odds. On a day when vileness attempted to exalt itself, God raised up valiant men and women who brought many to safety. The passengers on United Flight 93 took over the airplane, allowing it to crash rather than allowing it to turn back to attack the White House. Military service personnel and others moved quickly into the Pentagon, saving as many people as possible.

No matter how bad things look, God is still on the throne and He is still sovereign. Nothing is hidden from God, and He can deliver us from danger or give us the necessary courage to face danger or even death courageously. On one of the worst days in American history, God empowered the heroes and heroines.

PRAYER: Father God, Thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, thank You that You are our Deliverer and our Protector. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

In the LORD I Take Refuge (Habakkuk 1:12-17)

For the choirmaster. Of David.

In the LORD I take refuge. So how can you say to me, “Flee like a bird to your mountain! For behold, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrow on the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne. His eyes are watching closely; they examine the sons of men. The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked; His soul hates the lover of violence.

On the wicked He will rain fiery coals and brimstone; a scorching wind will be their portion. For the LORD is righteous; He loves justice. The upright will see His face.”

“In the LORD I take refuge. So how can you say to me, “Flee like a bird to your mountain! For behold, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrow on the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.” David is undoubtedly writing this psalm out of his experiences with Saul pursuing him mercilessly. Although Saul has made a good beginning, he has refused to totally obey God, thereby eliminating himself from having a long reign as king and founding a dynasty. God has rejected Saul, choosing David, whom the prophet Samuel describes as being “a man after God’s own heart.” But Saul isn’t about to give up the throne without a fight, and he is doing everything he can to kill David. There are many people prepared to spy for Saul in hopes of gaining royal favor, leaving David to run from place to place seeking shelter.

“If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”  Saul’s regime is an extremely mixed collection of half-hearted acknowledgment of God along with outright rebellion. Under Saul, the truly righteous remain silent, leaving David with little support.

“The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne. His eyes are watching closely; they examine the sons of men. The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked; His soul hates the lover of violence.” Confronting inadequacy, David encourages himself by reminding himself of God’s power and might. Even if David has no idea of Saul’s next move, God is fully aware and also knows all those who are pretending to support David even as they continue to report to Saul. David does not love violence for its own sake while Saul revels in violence.

“On the wicked He will rain fiery coals and brimstone; a scorching wind will be their portion. For the LORD is righteous; He loves justice. The upright will see His face.” David does not have to take revenge on Saul or any of the others opposing him, for God will handle the wicked. David’s main duty at this point is to make sure that he is walking righteously and justly.

APPLICATION: I accepted Jesus as a teenager; however, I slid away from Him while I was in college. When I came back to Jesus ten years later, for many nights I was troubled by a horrible dream. I dreamt that I was stranded on a fiery planet on which there was no shelter. I could feel an evil presence threatening to destroy me as painfully as possible. My only refuge was to chant “Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!” over and over. Eventually, when Satan couldn’t terrify me, the dreams stopped.

There is power in the Name of Jesus. Dean Sherman, a veteran teacher on spiritual warfare for Youth with a Mission, YWAM, avows that there is more power in one drop of the blood of Jesus than in all the forces of hell. Through the years, I have found that calling on Jesus in times of stress and difficulty is the most effective means of clearing my heart and mind.

We can always turn to God as our Source of comfort, of encouragement, and protection. The same God who protected David from Saul’s onslaughts stands ready to protect you as well. Why not call on Him?

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help all who read these words to find their refuge in You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Perils of the Pilgrim

Why, O LORD, do You stand far off? Why do You hide in times of trouble? In pride the wicked pursue the needy; let them be caught in the schemes they devise. For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD. In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God. He is secure in his ways at all times; Your lofty judgments are far from him; he sneers at all his foes. He says to himself, “I will not be moved; from age to age I am free of distress.”

His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue. He lies in wait near the villages; in ambush he slays the innocent; his eyes watch in stealth for the helpless.

He lies in wait like a lion in a thicket; he lurks to seize the oppressed; he catches the lowly in his net. They are crushed and beaten down; the hapless fall prey to his strength. He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He hides His face and never sees.”

Arise, O LORD! Lift up Your hand, O God! Do not forget the helpless. Why has the wicked man renounced God? He says to himself, “You will never call me to account.” But You have regarded trouble and grief; You see to repay it by Your hand. The victim entrusts himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call him to account for his wickedness until none is left to be found. The LORD is King forever and ever; the nations perish from His land.

You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will incline Your ear, to vindicate the fatherless and oppressed, that the men of the earth may strike terror no more.”

It’s a question as old as mankind and the psalmist is angry! “GOD, WHY DO YOU ALLOW WICKED PEOPLE TO GET AWAY WITH THEIR EVIL DEEDS? ARE YOU HIDING? DO YOU CARE? AND IF YOU AREN’T HIDING AND IF YOU REALLY CARE, WHY DON’T YOU SMASH THE WICKED AND WIPE THEM OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH????”

“In pride the wicked pursue the needy; let them be caught in the schemes they devise. For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the LORD. In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his schemes there is no God. He is secure in his ways at all times; Your lofty judgments are far from him; he sneers at all his foes. He says to himself, “I will not be moved; from age to age I am free of distress.”  The psalmist can scarcely stand this arrogance. The wicked are prowling lions, lurking to catch the helpless and innocent. If God is really up there and cares, why hasn’t He stopped these outrageous people in their tracks? 

 “But You have regarded trouble and grief; You see to repay it by Your hand. The victim entrusts himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call him to account for his wickedness until none is left to be found. The LORD is King forever and ever; the nations perish from His land.”  Throughout the Bible, God refers to Himself as the Father of the fatherless. Traditionally, fathers have protected their wives and children. Widows and orphans have found themselves at the mercy of the wicked with no protector apart from God.

“Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call him to account for his wickedness until none is left to be found. The LORD is King forever and ever; the nations perish from His land.”  You can almost hear the psalmist pleading with God to act according to His nature and wipe out evil doers.  

“You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will incline Your ear, to vindicate the fatherless and oppressed, that the men of the earth may strike terror no more.”  Is the psalmist encouraging God or himself or both? The psalmist ends by begging God again to move and eliminate those terrorizing the innocent and vulnerable.

APPLICATION: There are many cultures in which it is difficult to talk about the fatherhood of God. We were shocked when we first arrived in Ghana and witnessed polygamy and the evils and abuses it can bring. For a time, we lived with a businessman and one of his four wives, along with a few of his forty plus children. (We never knew the exact number.) Two of the wives lived in other parts of town and one wife was dead. The remaining wife was a virtual prisoner in the house, never venturing out. We watched as one wife, a brilliant teacher, was forced to stand in the noonday sun in the courtyard for an hour as she begged for money to pay her children’s school fees. Even the young favorite wife had to travel several miles across town at night for conjugal visits. For those raised in such circumstances, describing God as a father would bring nothing but horrible images. These days children in America and Europe may struggle with similar problems due to being raised in marriages marred by divorce. It is difficult to become a good father without role models.

If God is the perfect Father, why does He allow evil to exist, let alone to flourish? We must remember that God is not merely the perfect Father for the good and virtuous but also for the wicked. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us, “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”

“Wait, God! You mean You want Vladimir Putin to repent? You want terrorists of all kinds to repent? You want slum lords and loan sharks who victimize the poor to repent? You want those involved in the drug trade and sexual trafficking to repent? You want corrupt politicians who have betrayed their countries to repent?” God’s answer is a resounding, “Yes!” Does this mean that God would rather see the wicked repent than that He is forced to destroy them? Yes again. God has known all these people from the womb and He has loved them for their entire lives. God has loved the wicked so much that He has sent Jesus to die on Calvary for those people as well as for the rest of us.

God is not watching from a distance but is intimately connected with every part of our lives. God sees the evil deeds of the wicked as well as the casual evil the rest of us do while we excuse ourselves by comparing ourselves to others. “Well, I’m certainly not THAT bad!” The plain fact is that all of us are sinners in need of a Savior, and that Savior is Jesus Christ.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we confess that we have sinned and that nothing we can do is good enough to wipe out those sins. As Your children, we now beg Your forgiveness and ask You to accept us to follow You all the rest of our lives. We trust in Your Mercy and Your Grace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

I Will Give Thanks to the LORD

(For the choirmaster. To the tune of “The Death of the Son.” A Psalm of David)

I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will recount all Your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

When my enemies retreat, they stumble and perish before You. For You have upheld my just cause; You sit on Your throne judging righteously. You have rebuked the nations; You have destroyed the wicked; You have erased their name forever and ever. The enemy has come to eternal ruin, and You have uprooted their cities; the very memory of them has vanished.

But the LORD abides forever; He has established His throne for judgment. He judges the world with justice; He governs the people with equity. The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.

Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion; proclaim His deeds among the nations. For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted. Be merciful to me, O LORD; see how my enemies afflict me! Lift me up from the gates of death, that I may declare all Your praises—that within the gates of Daughter Zion I may rejoice in Your salvation.

The nations have fallen into a pit of their making; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden. The LORD is known by the justice He brings; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.

Higgaion Selah

The wicked will return to Sheol—all the nations who forget God. For the needy will not always be forgotten; nor the hope of the oppressed forever dashed. Rise up, O LORD, let not man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your presence. Lay terror upon them, O LORD; let the nations know they are but men.

Selah”

“When my enemies retreat, they stumble and perish before You.” Reading this psalm, we’re reminded that David spent much of his early career as a warrior with King Saul chasing his men and him all over Israel, particularly the most desolate country possible. At one point, David and his men were hiding in the wilderness near the Dead Sea. Saul nearly caught David, but God delivered him.

“For You have upheld my just cause; You sit on Your throne judging righteously. You have rebuked the nations; You have destroyed the wicked; You have erased their name forever and ever. The enemy has come to eternal ruin, and You have uprooted their cities; the very memory of them has vanished.”  Sometimes we view current events and despair. Is God really still on His throne or not? David’s answer is a resounding “YES!” NEVER, NEVER, NEVER FORGET THAT GOD STILL REIGNS! People make terrible choices because they misuse free will, but God remains sovereign.

“But the LORD abides forever; He has established His throne for judgment. He judges the world with justice; He governs the people with equity. The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.” We can trust in the Lord at all times, no matter how severe the trials we are going through.

“Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion; proclaim His deeds among the nations. For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted. Be merciful to me, O LORD; see how my enemies afflict me! Lift me up from the gates of death, that I may declare all Your praises—that within the gates of Daughter Zion I may rejoice in Your salvation. The nations have fallen into a pit of their making; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden. The LORD is known by the justice He brings; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.”

God gives people a chance to do course corrections and act righteously; however, God does not allow people to persist in evil-doing. Every dictator who ever lived eventually dies. Every person who mistreats others eventually dies. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 9:27-28 that “Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment, so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.” At present, Vladimir Putin, the head of the Russian government, is persisting in his war on the innocent nation of Ukraine, but Putin will eventually die and answer for his evil deeds.

“The wicked will return to Sheol—all the nations who forget God. For the needy will not always be forgotten; nor the hope of the oppressed forever dashed. Rise up, O LORD, let not man prevail; let the nations be judged in Your presence. Lay terror upon them, O LORD; let the nations know they are but men.” No matter how powerful a particular nation might be, God still has the final word. Despite all Saul’s attempts to wipe out David, God protected David, preserving his life so that he could become king. We too may trust in the Lord, knowing that He hears us and will deliver us.

APPLICATION: “Sooner or later, he’s goin’ to get his comeuppance!” I was working in Charleston, WV, and a crusty old fellow from back in the hollers was describing one of his neighbors who was an irritating nuisance. There are many times when we don’t understand why God doesn’t do something about evil people right now! Why allow the international drug trades and sex trades to flourish? Why allow cybercrime? Why allow corruption in government? We want deliverance and we want it immediately.

God views events from an eternal point of view. Difficult as it is to believe, God has sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for evil people as well as good people-for the Hitlers and the Putins. Why? Because all of us have sinned and have come short of the glory of God. There is not a single person on earth who can earn his or her way into heaven. None of us is justified by the good deeds we have done; we are justified by faith in Jesus Christ and in the blood sacrifice He has made for our sins.  If Vladimir Putin repents today and believes in Jesus, trusting Jesus for his salvation, Putin will go to heaven. But if he rejects Jesus, he will go to hell. The same thing goes for drug lords and those manipulating sexual slavery.

In David’s case, Saul persisted in his sins without repentance and eventually died in battle. Hitler committed suicide, presumably without repentance. We will never know the fate of many evil men until eternity. But the message of this psalm for us is simple: we can trust God to deliver us and to protect us, no matter what happens. Trials will come and we will have to endure them, but God will be with us in the trials and will bring us out of them.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are suffering in various ways and are desperate for answers and encouragement. Please send Your light and Your grace into our hearts and help us to remember that You are our Supreme Deliverer. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Glory of the Lord in Creation

To the Chief Musician. On the instrument of Gath. A Psalm of David.

“O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens!

Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength (perfect praise), because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and the avenger.

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit[care for] him?
For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor.

You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen—even the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!”

Psalm 8 is one of the best praise choruses ever written. It’s short, memorable, and gives complete glory to God. Psalm 8 gives us a framework for our own prayers of praise and thanksgiving.

“O Lord, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens!” God’s name is of utmost importance. The Creator and Sustainer of the universe deserves all the respect and honor we can give. God’s glory extends throughout the entire universe, millions of light years beyond our comprehension.

“Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength (perfect praise), because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and the avenger.” Adults complain and find fault while children simply believe. Praise is one of the best weapons against the dark and evil. When we praise, we must focus on God and not on our fears.

“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit[care for] him?
For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor.” The more we look at the heavens, the smaller we appear in our own eyes. And yet, God has created us and loves us because of His nature, not because we are so loveable.

“You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen—even the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea that pass through the paths of the seas.” God has allowed humans to have dominion over nature. Do we deserve it? No! Are we good stewards? Much of the time, no! But God continues to allow us to handle or mishandle creation because God is bigger than our mistakes.

“O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!”  There’s nothing left to say; God is magnificent and worthy of all our praise.

APPLICATION: This psalm is a favorite-short, memorable, and perfectly balanced. One advantage of this psalm is that David has already done all the work for us. We don’t have to fumble for words of praise; we can repeat Psalm 8 until the words sink into our consciousness. Why is such a practice important?

There are many times when we face unpleasant situations over which we have no control and from which there is no escape. Years ago, I was in a very demanding training program. I found myself as the only fellow because the trainee who should have preceded me had dropped out of the program the previous year after only a few months. The junior partner in the practice seemed intent on building himself up by tearing me down. I was working insane hours, and I survived by persistently praising God as I walked the hospital hallways. This psalm helped keep me focused on God instead of my problems.

Perhaps today you find yourself between the proverbial rock and a hard place. You are stuck in a situation with no exit. But God is with you in that mess! Praise Him and see what He can do.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, speak to the hearts of all who are troubled and give them Your peace that passes all understanding. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

I Take Refuge in You – A Shiggaion (High quality voices) of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, a Benjamite.

“O LORD my God, I take refuge in You; save me and deliver me from all my pursuers, or they will shred my soul like a lion and tear me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

O LORD my God, if I have done this, if injustice is on my hands, if I have rewarded my ally with evil, if I have plundered my foe without cause, then may my enemy pursue me and overtake me; may he trample me to the ground and leave my honor in the dust. Selah

Arise, O LORD, in Your anger; rise up against the fury of my enemies. Awake, my God, and ordain judgment. Let the assembled peoples encompass You; take Your seat over them on high. The LORD judges the peoples; vindicate me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and integrity. Put an end to the evil of the wicked, but establish the righteous, O righteous God who searches hearts and minds.

My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge and a God who feels indignation each day. If one does not repent, God will sharpen His sword; He has bent and strung His bow. He has prepared His deadly weapons; He ordains His arrows with fire.

Behold, the wicked man travails with evil; he conceives trouble and births falsehood. He has dug a hole and hollowed it out; he has fallen into a pit of his own making. His trouble recoils on himself, and his violence falls on his own head.

I will thank the LORD for His righteousness and sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.“

 Once more, David is begging God for help and protection. Evidently, Cush, one of King Saul’s tribesmen, has been pursuing David, probably in hopes of eliminating him as a possible candidate for king.

Originally, God wanted to be the only King over the Israelites; however, they whined and rebelled, demanding a human king. The prophet Samuel attempted to warn the Israelites; however, they persisted. God appointed Saul from the tribe of Benjamin as the first king over Israel; however, Saul proved to be a disappointment. Rather than staying close to God and following God’s commands to the letter, Saul “got the big head” and played fast and loose with God’s commands.

When it became obvious that Saul was consistently disobedient, God sent the prophet Samuel to anoint David, the son of a wealthy farmer named Jesse from the town of Bethlehem. David was the youngest son, of whom Jesse thought so little that when Samuel arrived, Jesse left David to remain in the field with the sheep. Samuel viewed all the sons Jesse thought were important; however, not one of them was God’s choice for the next king. It was Samuel who had to demand that David come in from the field to be anointed.

Once David was anointed, the favor of God began to rest on him in a remarkable way. During the time David had been out in the fields with the sheep, he had begun praying and worshiping God. Now God promoted David so that he became a mighty warrior as well. Refusing to acknowledge God’s Will, Saul and his supporters attempted to eliminate David, hounding his men and him throughout the Judean wilderness. It was likely during this time that David composed this psalm.

“O LORD my God, I take refuge in You; save me and deliver me from all my pursuers, or they will shred my soul like a lion and tear me to pieces with no one to rescue me.”  David has gone from being a court favorite to running for his life. People whom David has trusted are now informing on him in hopes of currying favor with King Saul.  

“O LORD my God, if I have done this, if injustice is on my hands, if I have rewarded my ally with evil, if I have plundered my foe without cause, then may my enemy pursue me and overtake me; may he trample me to the ground and leave my honor in the dust.”

“Arise, O LORD, in Your anger; rise up against the fury of my enemies. Awake, my God, and ordain judgment. Let the assembled peoples encompass You; take Your seat over them on high. The LORD judges the peoples; vindicate me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and integrity. Put an end to the evil of the wicked, but establish the righteous, O righteous God who searches hearts and minds.”

David’s hands are clean, and he realizes that actions have consequences. This psalm is obviously an early one written before the shameful incident with Bathsheba.

“My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge and a God who feels indignation each day. If one does not repent, God will sharpen His sword; He has bent and strung His bow. He has prepared His deadly weapons; He ordains His arrows with fire.

Behold, the wicked man travails with evil; he conceives trouble and births falsehood. He has dug a hole and hollowed it out; he has fallen into a pit of his own making. His trouble recoils on himself, and his violence falls on his own head. I will thank the LORD for His righteousness and sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.“  David’s back is to the wall; if God fails him, he will die quickly. David is trusting God to deliver him.

APPLICATION: What does being a whistle blower have to do with David and why designate this psalm as “The Whistle Blower’s Psalm?” Corruption is spreading throughout the world and political agendas have become more important than anything else. Honest men and women who see problems and attempt to draw public attention to them are stifled at best and conveniently eliminated at worst. One horrific example is the number of men and women who have attempted to report problems with various aspects of the behavior of a former U.S. president and his wife, only to die under mysterious circumstances.

Yet another set of whistle blowers having a tough time are those pointing out the deficiencies of electric vehicles, including the deplorable conditions under which the lithium required for these vehicles is being mined.

In an earlier age, Galileo was persecuted by the Catholic Church for teaching that the earth revolved around the sun and not the other way around. Galileo spent the rest of his life under house arrest. It took 359 years and the leadership of Pope John II to recognize the wrong. On October 31, 1992, he (Pope John II) formally apologized for the “Galileo Case” in the first of many famous apologies during his papacy.”  (https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1997272_1997273_1997285,00.

html#:~:text=Galileo%20took%20back%20his%20statement,famous%20apologies%20during%20his%20papacy.)

Many of us face our own trials that, while far less politically significant, still present major challenges. We can freely pray this psalm, trusting that the same God who helped David will continue to help us also. Hebrews 4:16 tells us, “ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help all who read these words and who are suffering unjust persecution to put their trust in You as they pray the words of this psalm. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

A Prayer of Faith in Time of Distress

To the Chief Musician. With stringed instruments. On an eight-stringed harp. A Psalm of David.

“O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled; but You, O Lord—how long?

Return, O Lord, deliver me! Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake! For in death there is no remembrance of You; in the grave who will give You thanks?

I am weary with my groaning; all night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears. My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows old because of all my enemies.

Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity; for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer. Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled; let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly.”

Once more, David is in distress-enemies on every side, friends betraying him, family deserting him. David is in such anguish that he literally hurts all over; every joint in his body feels as if he’s been beaten. All David’s attempts to encourage himself have failed and he has wept so many tears he feels his bed will float off at any moment. There is nobody to whom David can turn for help, apart from God.

“O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure.” Has David sinned against God? David isn’t certain, but in case he has sinned, David is begging for forgiveness. “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.” When nobody else around David will help or encourage him, David must turn to God and beg for mercy.

“My soul also is greatly troubled; but You, O Lord—how long?” Sometimes trials seem endless; just as we have settled one problem, two more pop up. And the more the problems multiply, the less human help we receive; in fact, our friends and acquaintances may assume that we deserve all these problems. Surely we must have committed some secret sin to be in so much trouble!

“Return, O Lord, deliver me! Oh, save me for Your mercies’ sake! For in death there is no remembrance of You; in the grave who will give You thanks?” David is so depressed that he thinks he is about to die; yet, he still calls on God to save him.

“I am weary with my groaning; all night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears. My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows old because of all my enemies.” David is exhausted emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

 “Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity; for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer. Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled; let them turn back and be ashamed suddenly.”  Convinced that God has heard and is acting on his behalf, David now rebukes all those attacking him. David does not beg God to kill his enemies, but he does beg that those opposing him will be “ashamed suddenly.” David begs that all his enemies’ slanderous accusations will prove so ridiculous that they will be ashamed to have ever made them in the first place.

APPLICATION: I am writing this Bible study on September 11, 2023, the 22^nd anniversary of the villainous attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. If not for the courageous actions of the passengers of United Flight 93, who stormed the cockpit and downed the plane in Pennsylvania, another plane might have flown into the White House. As we have watched several television programs depicting the events of that day, I find myself intensely praying for the survivors, for the families, for all the emergency workers who responded and their families.

The amazing thing about that tragedy is not the number of people who died but rather the number of people who were saved, many of them miraculously. Due to the vigilance of the Head of Security for the World Trade Center, evacuation drills had been carried out quarterly ever since an earlier abortive attack in 1993. It is estimated that those drills alone saved at least 2,000 people. That man was last seen re-entering the building to find others and lead them out; sadly, the buildings collapsed around him. Fire fighters and others led victims to safety and then returned to save more.

Many of these people can identify with David’s sentiments in this psalm. No matter how much time has passed, the cataclysmic events of that day remain fresh in the minds of millions of people. Those who have most successfully recovered appear to be those with a strong faith in God. These people can certainly bear witness to the truths David has described in this psalm.  

One family has taken the contributions that have flowed into them to establish a scholarship in honor of their little daughter, a math whiz. Others have found new ways of helping others around them who are grieving.

Psalm 6 and others like it are helpful because we can repeat them when we have no words for our own distress. David’s prayers can become our prayers as well. Whatever you are facing today, remember that God is always with you and that the same God who led those brave people to lay down their lives for others on September 11, 2001, will be with you in your suffering. There is a saying that “When you find yourself at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” I would add, “Hang on, for God is there with you.”

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, You know those who are in distress and hopeless, feeling they have nobody to help. Speak to those people’s hearts, that they will know that You love them, that You are with them, and that You will never leave them or forsake them. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

A Prayer for Guidance

To the Chief Musician. With flutes. A Psalm of David.

“Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my meditation. Give heed to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I will pray. My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.

For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,  nor shall evil dwell with You. The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; in fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple. Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way straight before my face.

For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is destruction; their throat is an open tomb; they flatter with their tongue. Pronounce them guilty, O God! Let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against You.

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.”

Well, David’s enemies are at it again, so once more David is begging God for help and protection. Despite all of David’s successes in battle and his appealing charismatic personality, there are always those who are working behind the scenes, attempting to undermine David. After all, Saul was the first king of Israel and David is only the second one. Why can’t a crafty individual manipulate the people and seize power?  And then there are threats from surrounding nations who would love to annex Israel and its mineral wealth and trade routes.

Facing such daunting situations, what is David’s response?

1. “My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.”  David doesn’t waste any time. First thing in the morning, David is praying and asking God for guidance and protection.
2. “For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,  nor shall evil dwell with You.” Does God need to be reminded of His character? Certainly not! But David is reminding himself of God’s righteousness that will not allow God to tolerate evil in any form.
3. “The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.” Here David is describing his enemies, especially those who have been working to undermine him by any means possible.
4. “But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; in fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.” David is not coming to God trusting in his own righteousness, but in God’s mercy. David respects God and stands in awe of Him; this heart attitude allows David to worship God with a clean heart.
5. “Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make Your way straight before my face.” David knows that without God’s guidance, he will fail and be defeated. Is God willing to guide David? Certainly! But by this request, David is humbling himself to receive God’s guidance. We cannot receive anything from God as long as we feel sufficient in ourselves.
6. “For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is destruction; their throat is an open tomb; they flatter with their tongue. Pronounce them guilty, O God! Let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions, for they have rebelled against You.” David realizes that those opposing him carry with them the seeds of their own destruction. God has anointed David to be king over Israel, so all those opposing his kingship are wrong. Failing to acknowledge the Will of God, these people are rebelling against God and will fail.
7. “But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.”  These verses are some of the most encouraging affirmations available. When we trust God, we can rejoice because we are trusting the Lord of the Universe. When God gives His favor to someone, nobody can oppose it!

APPLICATION: This is another one of my favorite psalms for obvious reasons. During the years when I headed a mission hospital, critics were everywhere. Our facility cares for poor subsistence farmers in a remote part of northeastern Ghana. While the heavenly rewards are out of this world, earthly rewards are by no means abundant.

It is tempting for our staff to compare their situation with that of workers in wealthier parts of Ghana. In addition, the part of the district that includes the district capital and our hospital can become a giant island during the rainy season. As I write these words, we are having to bring in supplies by hauling them to a river, bringing them across in canoes, and then hauling them on into our hospital.

When David wrote this psalm, he knew that God had anointed him as king over Israel and that he was called to that work. We too know that God has called us to remain and to work under these difficult conditions.

Many of us find ourselves stuck in difficult situations from which there is no easy exit. No matter where we are, we can pray along with David, “But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You. For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.”  

God may not deliver you out of your situation, but God can defend you and give you joy and favor in your situation. If you know those who are going through tough times, you can also pray these verses over them for God’s protection and favor. Who knows what miracles God will do in answer to your prayers?

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we need Your protection, Your grace, and Your favor. Help us to confess our sins to You so that You can continue to bless us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Answer Me When I Call!

For the choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

“Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved my distress; show me grace and hear my prayer.

How long, O men, will my honor be maligned? How long will you love vanity and seek after lies?

Selah

Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for Himself; the LORD hears when I call to Him.  Be angry, yet do not sin; on your bed, search your heart and be still.

Selah

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and trust in the LORD.

Many ask, “Who can show us the good?” Shine the light of Your face upon us, O LORD. You have filled my heart with more joy than when grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”

“Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!” Once more, David speaks to our needs. We aren’t sure which crisis has prompted this prayer, but obviously, David is facing severe criticism and possible physical attack as well. Notice that David addresses God as “the God of my righteousness.” David knows that before he can make requests, his heart and his hands must be clean. Unconfessed sin of any kind raises barriers between God and people and makes it impossible for us to make requests. Notice that God already knows we are sinful; we are the ones who need to make confession.  

“You have relieved my distress; show me grace and hear my prayer.” Throughout David’s life, he has repeatedly gone to God for help and has never been refused. David is basing this request on a long experience with a God of grace who has answered in the past.

“How long, O men, will my honor be maligned? How long will you love vanity and seek after lies?” David is under attack by those who would slander him and spoil his name. These critics are attempting to inflate their reputations by destroying David’s. Many of us can readily identify with this!

 “Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for Himself; the LORD hears when I call to Him.”  God has helped David before and David is confident that God will come through for him again. There’s no point in calling someone if you don’t expect them to answer, but David is sure of God’s provision.

“Be angry, yet do not sin; on your bed, search your heart and be still.”  Getting angry is a normal part of human life; however, we sin when we persist in our anger. It’s important to recognize our anger and forgive those who have offended us. We need to search our hearts because we may also have offended others and we need to face our own shortcomings as well.

“Offer the sacrifices of righteousness and trust in the LORD.” While David might be referring to animal sacrifices, what sacrifices might we offer? Once we have searched our hearts, we need to confess our sins to God and ask His forgiveness. Once our hearts are clean, we can readily trust in the Lord.

“Many ask, “Who can show us the good?” Shine the light of Your face upon us, O LORD.”  If we are searching for good, which way are we looking? Are we actually searching for God to shine His light on us, or are we searching for good in all the wrong places?

“You have filled my heart with more joy than when grain and new wine abound.” Jewish feasts were generally centered around harvests when grain and new wine were readily available, allowing for wonderful celebrations. David feels God gives him even more joy than he might feel during any of these celebrations.

“I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”  No matter how many enemies surround David, he can sleep securely, knowing that God is in control.

APPLICATION: This psalm is one of my favorites for a number of reasons. During the Northern Ethnic Conflict of 1994, our village was under military occupation and we listened closely when we heard gunfire. Were those guns the military simply indicating their presence, was there a traditional funeral, or were people screaming, indicating that we were under attack? Was this the time we would need to grab the backpack with our passports and money and run for the River Oti to cross into Togo? Blessedly, we were never attacked, but we comforted ourselves with Psalm 4:8 on many occasions.

We have faced many personal medical problems. My husband jokes that he is a bionic man with artificial hips and a triple coronary artery bypass. Repeated bouts of typhoid have left me with fibromyalgia. We have lost many friends and relatives to various medical problems. At times, we have faced slanderous attacks by people hoping to gain money or influence. We can definitely identify with David as he asks, “How long, O men, will my honor be maligned? How long will you love vanity and seek after lies?”  Our testimony after all these years is that God remains faithful and that He will give us peace in the midst of any trial.

King David was not a perfect man by any means. Desiring someone else’s wife, David arranged for her husband to be killed in battle. But David repented and God forgave him. We too sin and make mistakes, but God will forgive us when we confess our faults. At the end of everything, we can still say with David, “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”  

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help all who read these words to put their trust in You and to rest in You, for You alone can give perfect peace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Deliver Me, O LORD!

A Psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom

“O LORD, how my foes have increased! How many rise up against me! Many say of me, “God will not deliver him.” Selah (Pause and calmly think on that)

But You, O LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head. To the LORD I cry aloud, and He answers me from His holy mountain. Selah

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the LORD sustains me. I will not fear the myriads set against me on every side.
Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the LORD; may Your blessing be on Your people.” Selah

Although King David was wildly popular at the beginning of his reign, now a new problem has surfaced. David has an incredibly handsome and charismatic son named Absalom. Absalom realizes that if David dies, he will not be first in the line of succession because David has already promised to make Solomon king in his place.

The story is told in 2 Samuel 15-18. Absalom craftily plans a campaign to win the love of the people. “Some time later, Absalom provided for himself a chariot with horses and fifty men to run ahead of him. He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out and ask, “What city are you from?” And if he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,” Absalom would say, “Look, your claims are good and right, but the king has no deputy to hear you.” And he would add, “If only someone would appoint me judge in the land, then everyone with a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would give him justice.” Also, when anyone approached to bow down to him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him, and kiss him. Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for justice. In this way he stole the hearts of the men of Israel.”

Absalom goes down to Hebron, ostensibly to offer sacrifices; however, he brings a number of people with him.   Once in Hebron, Absalom proclaims himself as king and recruits David’s most trusted counselor Ahithophel as his advisor. When David hears the news, he and his court flee Jerusalem. David is so distraught that he walks barefoot and weeping over the Mount of Olives. David’s life is falling apart. His beloved son whose name means “Father of peace” has turned out to be a scoundrel and a betrayer. For David, it appears that all is lost and that his life has been a complete failure. It is at this point in David’s life that he composes this psalm.

If the expression “lower than a ditch digger’s boots” had been in use during David’s day, he might have used it to describe his condition as he wrote this psalm. For David, it appears that all his friends and supporters have deserted him, although that is not really the case. A large group of people are accompanying David, and all of them are ascending the Mount of Olives barefoot and weeping. As David and his followers continue eastward and cross the Jordan, powerful people come to their aid, bringing food and drink and sheltering them.

David’s fears are realistic because Ahithophel counsels Absalom to immediately send soldiers after David’s group to seize David and kill him. David’s life is spared because David’s friend Hushai suggests that they defer Ahithophel’s plan until the following day. Hushai then messages David to cross the Jordan as quickly as possible to avoid attack. Even amid this disaster, God is still working to preserve David’s life. Ultimately, David returns to Jerusalem. Absalom is killed during a battle when the long hair of which he is so proud gets caught in tree branches as he is fleeing the battle on his mule. Joab, David’s general, kills Absalom as he is hanging in the tree.

APPLICATION: Reading Psalm 3, we can see why the Book of Psalms is the most widely-read and widely-quoted book of the Bible. No matter what is happening in your life, you can find a psalm that will speak to your condition.  

For many of us, David’s condition might be ours as well. Through the years, we have sponsored a number of young people to professional courses in nursing. Some of these same people have then turned around to bring false accusations in hopes of somehow gaining more money from the hospital or from us. In at least one such case, the individual has left nursing to become a pastor. We can only wonder what might happen if this man continues to pursue his rebellious and ungrateful behavior in his new profession, not to mention how he will feel if someone else treats him as he has mistreated us.

We can testify to the truth that God HAS been a shield around us, our glory and the One who lifts up our heads when we have felt defeated. Were these struggles easy? No! Would we willingly go through them again? Not if we have a choice. Will we face other trials in the future? Most likely! But God remains faithful, no matter what happens, and this is the ultimate message of this psalm. “Salvation belongs to the LORD…”  Interestingly enough, that is the very same thing Jonah says in his prayer while he is still in the belly of the big fish. (Jonah 2:9) Paul, writing to Timothy from prison in 2 Timothy 4:18 says, “And the Lord will rescue me from every evil action and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”   

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, let all those who are suffering or are persecuted trust You, knowing that You will be a shield around them, their glory, and the One who lifts up their heads. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.