Burunche’s Blog

Redemption Remembered in Present Dishonor

To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah.

“We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, the deeds You did in their days, in days of old: You drove out the nations with Your hand, but them You planted; You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out. For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, nor did their own arm save them; but it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, because You favored them. You are my King, O God; command victories for Jacob.

Through You we will push down our enemies; through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, nor shall my sword save me. But You have saved us from our enemies, and have put to shame those who hated us. In God we boast all day long, and praise Your name forever. Selah

But You have cast us off and put us to shame, and You do not go out with our armies. You make us turn back from the enemy, and those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves. You have given us up like sheep intended for food, and have scattered us among the nations. You sell Your people for next to nothing, and are not enriched by selling them. You make us a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and a derision to those all around us. You make us a byword among the nations, a shaking of the head among the peoples.

My dishonor is continually before me, and the shame of my face has covered me, because of the voice of him who reproaches and reviles, because of the enemy and the avenger. All this has come upon us; but we have not forgotten You, nor have we dealt falsely with Your covenant. Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from Your way; but You have severely broken us in the place of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death.

If we had forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a foreign god, would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord? Arise! Do not cast us off forever. Why do You hide Your face, and forget our affliction and our oppression? For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our body clings to the ground. Arise for our help, and redeem us for Your mercies’ sake.”

Actions have consequences. At the time this psalm was written, the Israelites were under persecution from their enemies and the citizens of the Northern Kingdom had probably already been slaughtered or taken into exile in Assyria. God had Moses warn the Israelites of this possibility before they ever entered Canaan. In Deuteronomy 31, God is giving Moses his final orders and predicts that the Israelites will prove unfaithful and will reap the consequences.

Deuteronomy 31:16-19 says “And the Lord said to Moses: “Behold, you will rest with your fathers; and this people will rise and play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the land, where they go to be among them, and they will forsake Me and break My covenant which I have made with them. Then My anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured. And many evils and troubles shall befall them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’ And I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they have done, in that they have turned to other gods. “Now therefore, write down this song for yourselves, and teach it to the children of Israel; put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for Me against the children of Israel.“

The song referred to here is the Song of Moses recorded in Deuteronomy 32. The Israelites were to learn it and to teach it to their children; however it’s doubtful that teaching was repeated for more than one or two generations. Now the Israelites are reaping the effects of centuries of idolatry. Even though the psalmist himself appears to be a righteous man, he obviously is unaware of the Song of Moses; otherwise, he wouldn’t bring out these complaints as he is doing.

The psalmist begins by reminding God of all the great things He has done for Israel and avowing that the Israelites have continued to worship God.  Then the psalmist goes on to describe the shame, devastation and confusion resulting from repeated attacks by enemies. Although the psalmist is arguing that the Israelites have not abandoned God; in fact, he is wrong. Actions have consequences, and God has already warned what will happen if His people turn away from Him. When King Solomon marries a huge number of foreign women and begins building shrines to foreign gods throughout Jerusalem, he lays a spiritually rotten foundation that results in disaster. When the Northern Kingdom splits off from Judah, Jeroboam establishes his own religion with two huge shrines to prevent worshipers from going to Jerusalem as God has commanded. It’s possible that by the time this psalm is being written, the Northern Kingdom of Israel has already fallen and the Babylonians are besieging Judah.

The final plea from the psalmist is heart-rending. “Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord? Arise! Do not cast us off forever. Why do You hide Your face, and forget our affliction and our oppression? For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our body clings to the ground. Arise for our help, and redeem us for Your mercies’ sake.” But God is NOT asleep, nor has He forgotten the afflictions and the oppression of His people. Even while this psalmist is writing a song of despair, God is beginning to stir in the heart of King Cyrus of Persia so that Cyrus will call for Jewish leaders to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild the temple and the city walls.

APPLICATION: This psalm illustrates a problem: Sometimes we may be righteous but we may be stuck in an unrighteous situation. Either this psalmist is quite naïve or he is choosing to ignore the unrighteous behavior of his compatriots, but either way, he is wrong in arguing that the Israelites are virtuous. Were the ancient Israelites virtuous, God would never have removed His hand of protection from them. But this psalm is a good one because it illustrates the fact that even when we are righteous people caught in unrighteous situations, we may still appeal to God for deliverance. No matter how hard we try, our righteousness will never equal that of God’s. But we can appeal to God’s mercy, and this is the basis for this psalmist’s appeal.

Many times we may find ourselves mired in difficult situations through no fault of our own. In such times, we may readily call on God’s mercy and grace to help us. But we also must remember that if we are worshiping God, then He has the right to send us into such situations as witnesses to His holiness and His saving power. St. Julian of Norwich wrote in 1373, “He did not say ‘You shall not be tempest-tossed, you shall not be work-weary, you shall not be discomforted’. But he did say, ‘You shall not be overcome. ‘ God wants us to heed these words so that we shall always be strong in trust, both is sorrow and in joy.” (For more information about Julian, you can go to https://www.stjohnstimberhill.org/julians-revelations#:~:text=He%20did%20not%20say%20’You,is%20sorrow%20and%20in%20joy.)

Today you may find yourself battling family problems, health problems, job-related issues, and a host of other worries. In each of these settings, you have remained righteous; yet, things are just not working out as you have hoped and you are beginning to despair. DON’T DESPAIR!  God is still on the throne and He is still working. Your deliverance is on the way, but you must wait while God puts everything into place. When all is ready, deliverance may come in the blink of an eye. Old saints used to speak of “possessing your soul in peace.” This phrase means that you should stop fretting, trust God, and allow His peace to fill your heart, so there is no room for worry.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us can identify with the writer of this psalm. We have tried to do everything right and yet life appears to be nothing but a mess. Please enter the hearts of all those who read these words and give them Your peace, Your patience, Your understanding, and Your grace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Prayer to God in Time of Trouble

“Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! For You are the God of my strength; why do You cast me off? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God.

Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.”

““Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man! For You are the God of my strength; why do You cast me off? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” Once more David is enduring a hailstorm of criticism. This time, an entire nation has turned against him. We can’t be sure which crisis David is facing, but his lament sounds all too familiar. As David attempts to defend himself, he is demanding, “God, where are You? Why are You allowing this persecution to happen? Why don’t You force these people to stop?”

“Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God.” David is sure that if God would send His light and His truth into the situation, these critics would be muzzled and David would be free to worship. David thinks he is in the right, but he’s astute enough to realize that he may have sinned unwittingly.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.” If these phrases sound familiar, it’s because this is the same response that David wrote in Psalm 42. Once more, David is telling himself to buck up and remember who God is.

APPLICATION: It’s been said that if you want to be popular, sell ice cream. But anyone in leadership can tell you that the second you have to enforce a tough decision, your popularity rating will drop precipitously and the complaints will start. People will unfriend you on social media and they might even troll you. While David faced physical threats in his day, he never had to contend with a social media fire storm.

When we feel buried under a mountain of criticism, we can still beg God to send forth His light and His truth. There are many times when I ask God to give me His mind about a situation and not my own, to let me see people as He sees them. I also frequently ask God to help me die to my own imaginations so that He can give me His read on a problem. As 1 Corinthians 13 reminds us, our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect, but God is omniscient, understanding everything completely.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.” When it’s difficult to remember who God is, let these phrases lift your spirits. God is still on the throne and He is STILL the help of your countenance and your God.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to remember who You are rather than focusing on our own shortcomings. Thank You, that You can lift us out of ourselves so that we can praise You. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Yearning for God in the Midst of Distresses

To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah.

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, “Where is your God?”

When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.

Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.

O my God, my soul is cast down within me; therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar. Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have gone over me.

The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me—a prayer to the God of my life. I will say to God my Rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” As with a breaking of my bones, my enemies reproach me, while they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.”

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually say to me, “Where is your God?” It’s likely that David wrote this psalm while he was fleeing from King Saul, hiding in caves and separated from family and friends. Under such circumstances, worship becomes a tough proposition. When you’re trying to stay alive, it’s difficult to focus on anything else. David is not surrounded by believers but by people who mock his faith and criticize. “If your God is so great, why is He allowing you to suffer so much?

“When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.” Being with other believers is energizing and exhilarating. David has always enjoyed corporate worship, but now he doesn’t dare appear in public for fear someone will report him and Saul will murder him.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.” Despite all appearances, David continues to hope that someday things will be better.

“O my God, my soul is cast down within me; therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar. Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have gone over me.” During David’s wanderings, he has covered practically all of Israel. No matter where David goes, he continues to see evidence of God at work.

“The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me—a prayer to the God of my life. I will say to God my Rock, “Why have You forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” As with a breaking of my bones, my enemies reproach me, while they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” Even though David is under continuous criticism for his faith, he continues to trust God. Those around David might be sneaking off to sacrifice to foreign gods, but David remains true.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.”  David’s final conclusion is triumphant. David is confident that he WILL worship God again and that God will justify his faith.

PRAYER: It’s tempting to read these psalms and think, “Oh yeah, David, big deal! Things can’t really be as bad as you are asserting.” But if you read the accounts of David’s life in 1 Samuel and 1 Chronicles, you get an entirely different picture. The prophet Samuel anointed David as the next king of Israel, even though David’s own father thought so little of him that he failed to even present David to Samuel. David joined King Saul’s entourage as a musician, and things went well until David killed Goliath with his slingshot. When Saul realized that David was a threat and that he was becoming incredibly popular, Saul embarked on a long campaign to kill David, hounding him throughout most of Israel. At one point, David sent his family to a neighboring country for their safety. David and his men hid in caves and foraged, never being certain that the same people they were defending would not betray them to Saul in hopes of a reward. It was during these years that David wrote this psalm.

Perhaps you too feel oppressed and hounded. Your job supervisor wants you to do all his/her work while he/she denies you a well-deserved promotion. You wonder why you don’t simply quit; however, jobs are scarce and times are difficult. Perhaps your family is facing a stressful situation. A beloved parent has developed Alzheimer’s and you are agonizing over the cost of long-term care even as you struggle to keep that loved one from making fatal mistakes. Or perhaps a child who was previously a delight has entered the teen years and has turned into a snarling selfish monster. At such times, it’s easy to forget that God is still on the throne and that He has answers that we do not, even if the answers are difficult.

“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.” No matter how bad things get, God is still sovereign and therefore we can remain hopeful. Harold Hill, a Christian businessman two generations ago was fond of saying that “It isn’t a sacrifice of praise until you are pushing it out through clenched teeth.” Sometimes we must praise God even when we don’t feel like it, but the results are worth it. Praise lifts us out of ourselves and refocuses our attention on God.

I endured five years of training in general surgery and four years of training in pediatric surgery. At one point, I was under such stress that I found myself chanting “Praise you Jesus! Praise you Jesus!” as I moved between general wards and the ICU. But that experience taught me the same lesson Harold Hill had learned; you CAN push praise out through clenched teeth and praising God gives you the strength to continue.

Follow David’s example. Trust God and praise Him, even if you have to push the praise out through clenched teeth to do it. It’s worth it.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many who read these words feel trapped in terrible circumstances beyond their control. But You are still the Lord of the universe and You are still our only Source of help. Send Your light and Your truth into hearts and give them Your hope. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Blessing and Suffering of the Godly

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

“Blessed is he who considers the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed.

I said, “Lord, be merciful to me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.” My enemies speak evil of me: “When will he die, and his name perish?” And if he comes to see me, he speaks lies; his heart gathers iniquity to itself; when he goes out, he tells it.

All who hate me whisper together against me; against me they devise my hurt. “An evil disease,” they say, “clings to him. And now that he lies down, he will rise up no more.” Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. But You, O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up, that I may repay them. By this I know that You are well pleased with me, because my enemy does not triumph over me.

As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, and set me before Your face forever.  Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen.

“Blessed is he who considers the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed.” Jesus told his disciples, “ Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”  There is a common saying that “What goes around, comes around.” No matter how you express it, the laws of God’s kingdom are simple: actions have consequences.

“I said, “Lord, be merciful to me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.” My enemies speak evil of me: “When will he die, and his name perish?” And if he comes to see me, he speaks lies; his heart gathers iniquity to itself; when he goes out, he tells it. All who hate me whisper together against me; against me they devise my hurt. “An evil disease,” they say, “clings to him. And now that he lies down, he will rise up no more.” Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. But You, O Lord, be merciful to me, and raise me up, that I may repay them. By this I know that You are well pleased with me, because my enemy does not triumph over me.

” Whatever David has done, he is truly repentant; unfortunately, his enemies have gotten wind of his failure and are making capital of it. Even someone whom David has trusted has proven to be a traitor, sniffing out all the dirt he can find against David so he can run out and gossip about it. According to the rumors, David is suffering from some loathsome terminal disease from which he will die miserably. But David is trusting that his enemies will not triumph.

“As for me, You uphold me in my integrity, and set me before Your face forever.  Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen.” David ends his psalm by praising God for continuing to favor him, despite the threats of his enemies.

APPLICATION: This psalm is short but very powerful. Look at the promises when we care for the poor and weak: God promises deliverance from trouble, preservation of our lives, blessings on the earth, deliverance from enemies, strength and sustenance when we are sick.  

But what about the innocents in the Middle East who are dying? What about refugees in Sudan? What about poor and needy throughout the world? Do these promises work in crisis situations?

Either God’s promises work all the time, or they are false. Yes, these promises work. But there is still a great deal of evil in the world, and good people may suffer at the hands of the wicked. In 1978 Edith Schaeffer published a book titled Afflication. At the time, Schaeffer’s famous husband Francis was suffering from the lymphoma that eventually killed him. The main point of this book was that in the end, we will find that the grace of God has been proven sufficient for any kind of problems. There are those who are miraculously healed or delivered, demonstrating that God is powerful enough to do these things. But there are also those who are not healed or delivered miraculously but who are given the strength and the courage to endure, demonstrating that God’s power is also sufficient for those situations as well.

Even though God delivered David on many occasions, when David sinned, God allowed him to suffer the consequences and his family was ripped apart when two different sons rebelled attempting to seize the throne.

A popular song years ago said, “I never promised you a rose garden.” God never promises us rose gardens, but He does promise that He will help us. As Edith Schaeffer avowed, God’s grace is sufficient for all occasions.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust You even when things are difficult. Let all who trust in You never be ashamed. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Faith Persevering in Trial

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

“I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.

Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, and does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; my ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. Then I said, “Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.”

I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness in the great assembly; indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O Lord, You Yourself know. I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great assembly.

Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord; let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me. For innumerable evils have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of my head; therefore my heart fails me.

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, make haste to help me! Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion who seek to destroy my life; let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor
who wish me evil. Let them be confounded because of their shame, who say to me, “Aha, aha!”

Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; let such as love Your salvation say continually,
“The Lord be magnified!” But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God.”

“I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.”

The British reality TV show “Close Calls on Camera” has documented many occasions when unwary beach walkers in England have ventured out onto what they think is packed sand, only to find themselves mired, unable to move and in danger of drowning as the tide comes in. It’s easy to find yourself in trouble, even though you have taken every precaution. Sometimes we can find ourselves stuck in a horrible situation from which there appears no way out. Although we don’t know which crisis in David’s life has occasioned this psalm, we can certainly share his sentiments!

“Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, and does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.” You can either trust God or other people, but you can’t trust both at the same time. The problem with proud and deceitful people is that they will throw you under the bus at the first sign of trouble. God will never betray you.

“I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness in the great assembly; indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O Lord, You Yourself know.” David has been careful to give God all the glory without boasting about it. It is very common for churches to give time for testimonies, and many of the testimonies are riveting. But there’s a fine line between giving God glory or boasting as if the person giving the testimony feels particularly favored by God.

“Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O Lord; let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me. For innumerable evils have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of my head; therefore my heart fails me.” During our missionary careers, we have found ourselves struggling to care for patients in the midst of a tribal war while we face shortages of medicines and supplies and indifference or even hostility from authorities. God has consistently delivered us; however, we definitely have felt our problems are more than the hairs of our heads.

“Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, make haste to help me!” Reading this, you can feel David’s fear and anxiety. Will God deliver in time, or will disaster strike?

“Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; let such as love Your salvation say continually,
“The Lord be magnified!” But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God.” David is continuing to reassure himself while beseeching God for help.

APPLICATION: Life can hand us all kinds of problems-catastrophic illnesses, job losses, family upheavals, natural disasters. Any one of these problems may leave us feeling as if we are sinking in miry clay with no hope. Reading David’s psalms, it’s as if David himself is reaching his hand out down through the centuries, encouraging us and reassuring us as fellow believers.

Psalms can be turned into prayers. You can pray this psalm, filling in the blanks with your problems and repeating it as many times as necessary during the day. God already knows all your struggles, but when you acknowledge your need for help, you are opening yourself up for God to move in your life.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us feel caught in miry clay type problems. Help all those in such situations to turn to you. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Prayer for Wisdom and Forgiveness

To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

“I said, “I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked are before me.” I was mute with silence, I held my peace even from good; and my sorrow was stirred up. My heart was hot within me; while I was musing, the fire burned.

Then I spoke with my tongue: “Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah

Surely every man walks about like a shadow; surely they busy themselves in vain; he heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them. “And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.
Deliver me from all my transgressions; do not make me the reproach of the foolish.

I was mute, I did not open my mouth, because it was You who did it. Remove Your plague from me; I am consumed by the blow of Your hand. When with rebukes You correct man for iniquity, You make his beauty melt away like a moth; surely every man is vapor. Selah

“Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; do not be silent at my tears; for I am a stranger with You, a sojourner, as all my fathers were. Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength, before I go away and am no more.”

 “I said, “I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked are before me.” I was mute with silence, I held my peace even from good; and my sorrow was stirred up. My heart was hot within me; while I was musing, the fire burned.”

There’s an old saying that “Silence is golden.” This psalm would bear that out. Throughout David’s long career as a warrior and king, many times he was surrounded by those who would readily report anything he said in hopes of gaining favor with those in authority or with those planning rebellion. Many of us might be able to identify with that problem!

“Then I spoke with my tongue: “Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.”  No matter our position, we are all human and our lives are fleeting in comparison with an almighty eternal God.

“Surely every man walks about like a shadow; surely they busy themselves in vain; he heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them. “And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.” There is a book entitled “Money Talks: It Says Good-bye!” Anyone who follows the stock market knows the truth of that statement. When we fix our hopes on anything or anybody other than God, we are fooling ourselves.

“I was mute, I did not open my mouth, because it was You who did it.” Sometimes God stops us when we are about to say something rash, keeping us from saying things we will later regret. One lady who had found the Lord realized that each time she was about to say something to her husband about her new-found faith, God stopped her. She said that God had put a golden zipper over her mouth. Eventually, her husband was so intrigued by the changes he saw in his wife that he abandoned his selfish lifestyle and began following Jesus as well. Had God not stopped this lady, she would have lectured her husband, driving him further away from God.

“Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; do not be silent at my tears; for I am a stranger with You, a sojourner, as all my fathers were. Remove Your gaze from me, that I may regain strength,
“before I go away and am no more.” David is in despair, feeling that God is ignoring his pleas for help and perhaps even punishing him.

APPLICATION: One of the reasons the psalms are so popular is that the emotions expressed are real and not sugar-coated. Depending on which psalm you read, the writer may be praising God or shaking his fist in anger. In this psalm, David appears anxious and depressed, wanting to speak out but concerned that if he does so, he will be handing his head on a platter to his enemies. In such a state, David wonders if God is punishing him and begs God to remember that he, David, is only human and that his life is a vapor.

Remain in leadership long enough and you will find yourself identifying with practically every psalm. One of the challenges in leadership is a lack of discretion amongst subordinates who choose to leak sensitive information in hopes of gaining favor or influence with others. Under such circumstances, the only Person with whom you can really share your concerns is God; all those around you will repeat anything you say and possibly twist it while they are at it. When David says, “I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, while the wicked are before me,” you say, “Amen, brother!”

Shakespear once said, “Lonely lies the head that wears the crown.” Leadership is a lonely business, but praise God, we can always bring our concerns to Him, knowing that He hears and understands. Perhaps today you find yourself surrounded by people who are simply waiting for you to say the wrong thing so that they can use your words against you. Remember this: King David survived and so will you. God is still on the throne and He can give you perfect guidance and when necessary, “put a golden zipper over your mouth.”

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we beg You to hear the prayers of all those in leadership who feel beleaguered and set about with underlings ready to mis-report every word. Thank You for guiding these people and giving them Your wisdom and grace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Prayer in Time of Chastening

A Psalm of David. To bring to remembrance.

”O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your wrath, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure! For Your arrows pierce me deeply, and Your hand presses me down. There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger, nor any health in my bones because of my sin.

For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds are foul and festering because of my foolishness. I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are full of inflammation, and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and severely broken; I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.

Lord, all my desire is before You; and my sighing is not hidden from You. My heart pants, my strength fails me; as for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me. My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague, and my relatives stand afar off. Those also who seek my life lay snares for me; those who seek my hurt speak of destruction, and plan deception all the day long.

But I, like a deaf man, do not hear; and I am like a mute who does not open his mouth. Thus I am like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth is no response. For in You, O Lord, I hope; You will hear, O Lord my God. For I said, “Hear me, lest they rejoice over me, lest, when my foot slips, they exalt themselves against me.” For I am ready to fall, and my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare my iniquity; I will be in anguish over my sin.

But my enemies are vigorous, and they are strong; and those who hate me wrongfully have multiplied.
Those also who render evil for good, they are my adversaries, because I follow what is good. Do not forsake me, O Lord; O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!

 “O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your wrath, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure! For Your arrows pierce me deeply, and Your hand presses me down. There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger, nor any health in my bones because of my sin.” We don’t know what David has done; we only know that he has done something that is blocking his relationship with God. Guilt is weighing David down, and he doesn’t know what to do.

“For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds are foul and festering because of my foolishness. I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are full of inflammation, and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and severely broken; I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.” Did David write this psalm after his affair with Bathsheba when he had Bathsheba’s husband Uriah murdered? Whatever David has done, guilt is making his entire body sick.

“Lord, all my desire is before You; and my sighing is not hidden from You. My heart pants, my strength fails me; as for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me. My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague, and my relatives stand afar off. Those also who seek my life lay snares for me; those who seek my hurt speak of destruction, and plan deception all the day long.” As a leader, David always has people ready to criticize and attack him for any failing. David has essentially handed his enemies his head on a platter.

“For I said, “Hear me, lest they rejoice over me, lest, when my foot slips, they exalt themselves against me.” For I am ready to fall, and my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare my iniquity; I will be in anguish over my sin.”  “But my enemies are vigorous, and they are strong; and those who hate me wrongfully have multiplied. Those also who render evil for good, they are my adversaries, because I follow what is good. Do not forsake me, O Lord; O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!” David is already sick over his sin and now his enemies are taking full advantage of his failure. While acknowledging his sin, David is begging for God’s help.

APPLICATION: Live long enough and you will mess up big-time. Those of us who have had this experience can testify that we may feel sick for weeks as we review our mistakes and the point at which things went sour. We might obsess on our failures, mentally beating ourselves up and agonizing over our stupidity.

What can we do when we have made a terrible mistake? Copy David and beg God for help. One writer on missionary stress tells the story of a time when she was handling a mixed staff at a mission hospital in India and made a complete ass of herself. Finally, this lady had to pray for God to “do a Malchus ear” on the situation. Who was Malchus? “Malchus was the servant of the Jewish High Priest Caiaphas who participated in the arrest of Jesus as written in the four gospels. According to the Bible, one of the disciples, Simon Peter, being armed with a sword, cut off the servant’s ear in an attempt to prevent the arrest of Jesus.” (Wikipedia) Jesus reached out and healed Malchus, restoring his ear.

Peter sliced off Malchus’ ear and it went flying! Now Malchus was minus an ear and was bleeding all over the place. But Jesus pitied Malchus and healed him. When we ask God to do a “Malchus’ ear” healing, we are asking God to heal a situation over which we have no power. The marvelous thing is that God really does this stuff and He will restore situations over which we have no control.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us feel that we have failed and we wondering if you will still love us anyway. Restore our confidence in You. Heal those situations over which we have no control. Give us Your peace that passes all understanding. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Heritage of the Righteous and the Calamity of the Wicked

A Psalm of David.

“Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret—it only causes harm.

For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the Lord,
they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more; indeed, you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more.

But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to slay those who are of upright conduct. Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. The Lord knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

But the wicked shall perish; and the enemies of the Lord, like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away. The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous shows mercy and gives. For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, but those cursed by Him shall be cut off.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lends; and his descendants are blessed. Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell forevermore. For the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake His saints; they are preserved forever, but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.

The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever. The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom,
and his tongue talks of justice. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide. The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to slay him. The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.

Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a native green tree. Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more; indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.

Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright; for the future of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; the future of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.”

Ever wonder WHY do wicked people prosper? WHY doesn’t God just WIPE OUT THE WICKED RIGHT NOW??? Hamas attacks a peaceful music festival and kibbutzim that were doing no harm, slaughtering innocents and taking hostages. Why doesn’t God just send a few lightning bolts and take care of the whole mess? Is it really worth it to live righteously and peacefully? This psalm gives us both answers and encouragement.

“Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.”

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” Sounds great, right? But what if I DON’T get the desires of my heart? What if everything I desire fails? One of the most common expressions here in Ghana is “Exercise patience.” I mess with three different tribal languages, and each of them has a phrase with this meaning. Part of our problem may be that we want things that are bad for us or for someone else. Many of our desires are selfish, and God can’t bless “me-ism.” A second problem is timing. We want immediate answers while God is working things out on an eternal time line, a much different proposition. Sometimes God needs to work on us until our wants match up with His perfect will.

“Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret—it only causes harm.” Let’s face it, fretting and fussing can have serious health consequences-stomach ulcers, angina, heart attacks, palpitations, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and depression. Worrying leads to stress and stress can have terrible physical consequences.

Now there are many other causes for these problems as well, so if you suffer from one of these issues, don’t feel that I am grossly simplifying or dismissing your health challenges by claiming they are all due to your attitude! Most health problems have many causes, and oversimplifications are very hurtful. (Personally, I bear up under fibromyalgia that began when I had typhoid and dengue fever simultaneously many years ago. God has healed me from chronic depression; however, I still must be vigilant to avoid triggers that might send me spiraling downward.)

The rest of this psalm is equally encouraging. “But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming.”

“A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. The Lord knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.” Notice the psalm does NOT say that the righteous will dodge either evil times or even famine, only that the righteous will be not be ashamed and that they will be satisfied. There is no mention of the righteous living luxuriously while others starve, for then they would not be righteous.

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.” Again, notice that a good man might fall, but that such people will not be “utterly cast down.” Bad things happen to good people, and God isn’t promising otherwise; however, God will uphold those who love Him.

At this point, you might well ask, “But what about all the areas where people are starving in refugee camps? What about the carnage unleashed in several parts of Africa? What about the horrors in Ukraine? What about the innocent Israelis and Palestinians caught in the middle of the current war? God is not Santa Claus, and terrible things can happen. But we cannot see how God is working in each of these situations. We do not know human hearts while God does. At the end, as one pastor friend used to say, we are only in advertising; God is in management. Even in the midst of tragedy, God is still working. Only in heaven will we hear the rest of the story.

The final verses of the psalm bring our conclusion: “But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.” God might save by physical deliverance, but He might also save by allowing the righteous to die and be with Him in heaven forever, free from all pain and suffering.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we don’t understand why righteous and innocent people must suffer. It’s hard for us to believe that You are still working, even in the midst of tragedy. Help us to trust where we cannot see. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David the servant of the Lord.

“An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes, when he finds out his iniquity and when he hates. The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; he has ceased to be wise and to do good. He devises wickedness on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not abhor evil.

Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; O Lord, You preserve man and beast. How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.

Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright in heart. Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.
There the workers of iniquity have fallen; they have been cast down and are not able to rise.”

“There is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes, when he finds out his iniquity and when he hates. The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; he has ceased to be wise and to do good. He devises wickedness on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not abhor evil.”

Of all the psalms, this is one of the most inspiring. First, David describes the wicked in great detail. But David only describes the wicked so that he can contrast them with the utmost righteousness of God.

“Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; O Lord, You preserve man and beast.” David struggles to describe the enormity of God’s faithfulness, comparing it to the biggest things he can think of, the heavens and the mountains. David also rejoices in the wisdom of God’s judgements that preserve all of creation.

“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.” These words might be among the loveliest David has ever written. God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all; therefore, He truly is the fountain of life and light.

“Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright in heart. Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked drive me away.
There the workers of iniquity have fallen; they have been cast down and are not able to rise.” As David has done so many times, he now begs God to protect him from the wicked and to punish the wicked as they deserve.

APPLICATION: There is a popular saying that “When you’re up to your rear end in alligators, it’s difficult to remember that your original objective was to drain the swamp.” It’s easy to allow problems to overwhelm us to the point that we are unable to either pray or worship; yet, that is the very time when we need to do both. The psalms are useful for many reasons, and this is one of them. When we feel helpless and inundated by trouble, David’s prayers are there for us, and this psalm is one of the most useful.

“Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; O Lord, You preserve man and beast.” We need to remind ourselves that no matter how bad things are for us personally, God is still on the throne. Even if we feel totally inadequate, God’s mercy, His faithfulness, His righteousness, His judgments, and His preservation never change.

Worship draws us out of ourselves and shifts our focus from our anxieties to God’s greatness. We are prone to behaving as if we think everything depends on us, when in fact, everything actually depends on God and His faithfulness, not ours.

Do you feel stuck in a horrible situation with no escape? Feeling lower than a ditch digger’s boots? Read Psalm 36 to yourself out loud slowly at least five times. You will find your spirits lightening and hope moving in your heart.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, many of us are down and discouraged. Help us to remember that it’s not all up to us and that we can piggyback on someone else’s faith when we read the psalms. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

A Psalm of David.

“Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; fight against those who fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help. Also draw out the spear, and stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”

Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor who seek after my life; let those be turned back and brought to confusion who plot my hurt. Let them be like chaff before the wind, and let the angel of the Lord chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of the Lord pursue them. For without cause they have hidden their net for me in a pit, which they have dug without cause for my life. Let destruction come upon him unexpectedly, and let his net that he has hidden catch himself; into that very destruction let him fall. And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation. All my bones shall say, “Lord, who is like You, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?”

Fierce witnesses rise up; they ask me things that I do not know. They reward me evil for good, to the sorrow of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; and my prayer would return to my own heart. I paced about as though he were my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother. But in my adversity they rejoiced and gathered together; attackers gathered against me, and I did not know it; they tore at me and did not cease; with ungodly mockers at feasts they gnashed at me with their teeth.

Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their destructions, my precious life from the lions.
I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people. Let them not rejoice over me who are wrongfully my enemies; nor let them wink with the eye who hate me without a cause.
For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful matters against the quiet ones in the land. They also opened their mouth wide against me, and said, “Aha, aha! Our eyes have seen it.”

This You have seen, O Lord; do not keep silence. O Lord, do not be far from me. Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication, to my cause, my God and my Lord. Vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me. Let them not say in their hearts, “Ah, so we would have it!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.” Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion who rejoice at my hurt; let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who exalt themselves against me.

Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause; and let them say continually, “Let the Lord be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.” And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day long.”

If you were to graph the emotions depicted in this psalm, the results might look like an EKG of someone with ventricular tachycardia with alternating highs and lows. “Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; fight against those who fight against me.” David is under attack, and he is begging God to protect him.

“Let those be put to shame and brought to dishonor who seek after my life; let those be turned back and brought to confusion who plot my hurt. Let them be like chaff before the wind, and let the angel of the Lord chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of the Lord pursue them… And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation.” David recognizes that he needs divine help and divine protection and promises God to be grateful for the help.

“Fierce witnesses rise up; they ask me things that I do not know. They reward me evil for good, to the sorrow of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; and my prayer would return to my own heart.” Nothing is so painful as being betrayed by those whom you have previously helped. When David’s accusers were sick, he prayed and fasted for their healing; now the same people are doing everything they can do to bring him down.

“Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their destructions, my precious life from the lions…This You have seen, O Lord; do not keep silence. O Lord, do not be far from me. Stir up Yourself, and awake to my vindication, to my cause, my God and my Lord. Vindicate me, O Lord my God, according to Your righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.” Nothing is so frightening as being caught in a crisis with no means of escape and no signs that God is paying the slightest attention. We can identify with David as he demands, “God! Where are You? Why aren’t You acting? When are You going to deal with these people?”

“Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause; and let them say continually, “Let the Lord be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.” And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness and of Your praise all the day long.” This psalm ends on a high note, with David affirming hopefully that God WILL deliver him.

APPLICATION: As long as David was simply herding sheep, the only threats he had to worry about were physical threats to the sheep and attacks by wild animals such as lions and bears. But once David became a warrior, King Saul viewed him as a threat to be eliminated as quickly as possible. Repeatedly, David and his men would fight to protect a city, only to have its citizens sidle off to King Saul to report their whereabouts in hopes of of gaining influence with Saul.

Just assume a position of leadership, and you immediately will find you have a target on your back and no shortage of people willing to attack you! One of the challenges of managing any group is to remain flexible and honest while also seeking to follow God’s leading. If we pray this over ourselves, we must first ask God to search our hearts and show us if there is anything we need to confess before we can ask God for justification.

As I am writing this, things continue to heat up in the Middle East. One week ago, Hamas attacked Israel, and now Israel is retaliating. Innocent civilians on both sides are suffering and dying. Cities are being destroyed. How can we possibly apply this psalm under such conditions?

• Remember that God KNOWS human hearts; He knows the righteous.
• We can pray this psalm over all the innocents caught in this conflict.
• We can pray for righteous leadership on all sides.
• We can pray for peace that only God can give.
• We can also beg God to guide us so that we will pray the prayers He wants prayed. God moves in response to our prayers, not to our wishes.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, Your people are dying in a horrible conflict. We pray for all the righteous innocents, that You will protect them. Please bring peace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.