Burunche’s Blog

The Happiness of Those Who Trust in God

(A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.)

“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me,
and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.

Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken.

Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.”

(A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.) This is the subtitle given to this psalm by one online Bible source, but which story supports this? 1 Samuel 21:12-15 tells the story, although the king mentioned there is Achish, king of Gath, not Abimelech. Saul is pursuing David to kill him, and David flees to Gath. But King Achish recognizes David, and his warriors warn him that David too is a mighty warrior. To escape, David pretends to be mad so that Achish demands David be thrown out of the kingdom. David leaves, continuing to flee from Saul. You would think that under such circumstances, David might settle for hiding; instead, he writes an incredibly optimistic psalm.

“Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.” David was in fear of his life, and God delivered him. Achish could just as easily have killed David, but he did not.

“This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” David realizes God has intervened to save him.

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken.” David is still rejoicing over his deliverance.

“Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.” This is David’s conclusion: the Lord is a redeemer and will help those who trust Him.

APPLICATION: This is a wonderful psalm, one from which countless posters and praise songs have been generated. But what about the Israelis who are under relentless rocket fire? What about the hostages being held by Hamas? Can this psalm still apply to us when we are caught in a crisis that won’t go away and we might die at any moment? How can we avow that “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them” under such circumstances?

These sentiments seem ridiculous unless we really examine David’s situation. David didn’t write this psalm when everything was going well; he wrote this psalm after attempting to take refuge in Gath, only to be thrown out of the kingdom and having to take refuge in the cave of Adullam. But David’s brothers and the rest of his father’s household heard where he was and joined him. “And all who were distressed or indebted or discontented rallied around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him. “(1 Samuel 22:1-2) What appeared to David to be a total disaster resulted in his first band of 400 volunteer warriors.

Look at David’s situation: David was a fugitive, fleeing from a vicious king who viewed him as a threat. Even though Samuel had already anointed David to become the next king of Israel, Saul was attempting to crush David so that his son Jonathan could succeed him. David never knew when someone might betray his location to Saul in hopes of a reward or political favor.

Not every psalm can fit for every occasion; however, we must realize that having the angel of the Lord with us to deliver us may mean something apart from physical deliverance. Even if we have been captured by terrorists and are being held as hostages, God’s presence can still comfort us and deliver us from fear. Extreme terror can kill people by giving them palpitations, causing them to hyperventilate, and even constricting the arteries in their hearts. 

There are always two sides to every psalm, a physical one and a spiritual one. The conclusion to this psalm says, “Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.” Notice that it does NOT say, “none of those who trust in Him shall die a horrible death at the hands of terrorists.” Innocent Jews and Palestinians are dying at this very moment. Children who have been discarded as human shields are being beheaded. But the Lord IS a Redeemer. Terrorists have made evil decisions, and the blameless are dying; however, God will not condemn these blameless ones. On the other hand, God will condemn those who have begun this war by attacking a peaceful music festival.

How can we use this psalm? We can pray this psalm over ourselves and our families. But given the recent events in the Middle East, we should also be praying this psalm over all the innocents caught in this terrible conflict. Pray that “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.” Pray for the deliverance of the children and elderly who are being used as human shields! Pray for the deliverance of the innocents, whoever they are! Pray for healing of injuries, physical and spiritual! And remember also to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, for God has promised to prosper those who love Jerusalem. (Psalm 122:6)

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we pray earnestly for peace in the Middle East! We beg You to sovereignly intervene and to deliver the innocents on both sides of the conflict. We beg You to send Your lasting peace into that troubled area. And we beg You to expose all those who are funding this conflict while claiming that their hands are clean. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Sovereignty of the Lord in Creation and History

“Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful. Praise the Lord with the harp; make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings. Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy.

 For the word of the Lord is right, and all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses.

Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance. The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He look on all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works.

No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, just as we hope in You.”

“Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful. Praise the Lord with the harp; make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings. Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy.” David was a harp player and a singer, but what about those of us who are not musicians? God is wonderful; He hears the cries of our hearts, including any sour notes we might hit and is thrilled anyway. God hears the love. God wants OUR praise, not somebody else’s.

“For the word of the Lord is right, and all His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses.” When the psalmist says that God LOVES righteousness and justice, it means that those who do justly and walk righteously have God’s full and complete approval. God is looking on with pride, saying, “That’s my son! That’s my daughter!”

 God’s creation is amazing in its infinite variety and its complexity. The astonishing thing is that nature works well, as long as people don’t mess it up by trying to fix things. Even the events that we consider tragedies such as hurricanes or tornadoes follow precise rules. As a surgeon, I am amazed daily at the beauty of the human body and all its elements.

“Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.” There is a saying that if you want to hear God laugh, make plans without asking Him for guidance. Ultimately, God is the One who directs things.

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance. The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He look on all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works.” God knows the thoughts of our hearts better than we do ourselves. Even though God fashions our hearts individually, we still have free will and can choose to behave righteously or wickedly.

“No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.” No weapons, no matter how sophisticated, can protect us from all threats. Each time a nation invents a new weapon, an opposing nation will invent a new weapon to counter it. Even in the days of the ancient Egyptians and the Hittites, there were arms races involving chariots and compound bows.  Only God is sufficient for all threats.

“Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, just as we hope in You.” The psalmist concludes by encouraging all believers, reaching a helping hand out to us from across the centuries. But is God’s mercy really working when thousands of civilians die from terrorist attacks and rockets in Israel and Gaza? Sometimes we must trust God, even when all looks dark and nothing appears to make sense. Our view of things is limited, we have no idea of where and we only stand on the human side of death while God knows the end from the beginning.

APPLICATION: For many believers, Biblical prophecy appears to be coming to fulfillment right now. But what can we say about the thousands of innocents who are dying apparently needless deaths? These most recent attacks are forcing mainstream media pundits who have opposed Israel for years to reevaluate their positions. Nothing less than the horror of these attacks could possibly force mainstream media to speak out against such terrorism.

Has God forgotten Israel? NO! All of God’s promises regarding Israel are still working. The more urgent question is this: Has Israel forgotten God? Again, the answer must be NO! There are millions of believers trusting in God in Israel. Were these attacks in God’s perfect will? No, God forbade killing millenia ago. But God is sovereign and He knows human hearts. When these attacks were being planned, God was there watching. God has always had to use fallible humans to carry out His purposes, and recent events are no different. Are we on the brink of World War 3? We cannot tell. But one thing is certain: God is still on the throne and God will not allow His purposes to be thwarted. We can still pray with the psalmist, “Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, just as we hope in You.”

The Joy of Forgiveness

A Psalm of David. A Contemplation.

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah

I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters they shall not come near him. You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you.

Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!”

This is one of my favorite psalms for many reasons. First, the psalmist describes a time when he committed some kind of sin and suffered for it. “When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer.” There’s nothing so heavy as the weight of unconfessed guilt.

“I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” When we confess our sins, God will forgive us completely. Psalm 103:12 tells us, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” One pastor of our acquaintance is fond of saying that God throws our sins into the sea of forgetfulness and puts up a “No Fishing” sign.

“For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You in a time when You may be found; surely in a flood of great waters they shall not come near him.” Because of God’s forgiveness, we can pray in emergencies and trust God to deliver us.

“You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance.”No matter what we are suffering, we can still turn to God as a spiritual hiding place.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,

else they will not come near you.” We can confidently claim God’s guidance, no matter what the situation. But we must be willing to be guided. Rebellion gets us nothing.

“Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” For David, God has forgiven and is guiding and he is rejoicing.

APPLICATION: As I am writing this, I am watching CNN coverage of the war in Israel and the Israeli response. How can we possibly apply this optimistic psalm to such a horrific situation? What about those who have been slaughtered? Were these people particularly sinful that they should die in such a horrible fashion? What about those who have been taken hostage and are being killed one by one as Hamas attempts to use their lives as bargaining chips? Have they done anything to deserve such a terrible fate? One family member whose mother is a hostage has described his mother as a wonderful woman whose only interests have been to help the underprivileged. How can we say that such a woman deserves to suffer in this fashion?

One of the wonderful things about the psalms is that they don’t sugar coat the facts of life. The writers of the psalms don’t pretend that everything is fine; some of the psalmists practically scream “Why?” at God. Bad things happen to good people and the righteous can be slaughtered by the wicked. Life does not come with guarantees that all will be well. Bad things happen-accidents, cancer, strokes, loss of a job, loss of friends or relatives. But even when terrible things happen, we can still turn to God and trust in Him. Even when everything is collapsing around us, God is still there and God remains sovereign.

The attacks on Israel are only the most recent in centuries of such attacks. But how can we affirm that God is our hiding place when we have been carried off by terrorists? How can we trust God’s guidance when we don’t know whether or not we will live to see tomorrow? Even when the worst happens, God is still there and He will give us the strength and the courage to endure whatever comes.

Perhaps you feel that you are at the end of your rope and you can’t endure any more suffering. Turn to God. Let God be your hiding place spiritually and emotionally. Trust Him; He is able.

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. Give them Your assurance in their hearts. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

“In You, O Lord, I put my trust; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in Your righteousness. Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily; be my rock of refuge, a fortress of defense to save me. For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your name’s sake, lead me and guide me. Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, for You are my strength. Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.

I have hated those who regard useless idols; but I trust in the Lord.
I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, for You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities, and have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a wide place.

Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; my eye wastes away with grief, yes, my soul and my body! For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. I am a reproach among all my enemies, but especially among my neighbors, and am repulsive to my acquaintances; those who see me outside flee from me. I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; I am like a broken vessel. For I hear the slander of many; fear is on every side; while they take counsel together against me, they scheme to take away my life.

But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me. Make Your face shine upon Your servant;
save me for Your mercies’ sake. Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord, for I have called upon You; let the wicked be ashamed; let them be silent in the grave. Let the lying lips be put to silence, which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

Blessed be the Lord, for He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city! For I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before Your eyes”; nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications when I cried out to You.  Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints! For the Lord preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”   

Once more, David writes a psalm that echoes down the ages to all the righteous who have ever found themselves attempting to clean up a mess, only to face vicious opposition from those who have created the problem in the first place. If you’re not up on your mythology, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary has this explanation: “Augean stable most often appears in the phrase “clean the Augean stable,” which usually means “clear away corruption” or “perform a large and unpleasant task that has long called for attention.” Augeas, the mythical king of Elis, kept great stables that held 3,000 oxen and had not been cleaned for thirty years – until Hercules was assigned the job. Hercules accomplished this task by causing two rivers to run through the stables. The word Augean is sometimes used by itself, too – it has come to mean “extremely difficult and usually distasteful.” We can refer to “Augean tasks,” “Augean labor,” or even “Augean clutter.”

Despite the Bathsheba incident and its results, David is a righteous man, if a flawed one. We can’t be certain which crisis in David’s life has prompted this psalm, but we can certainly identify with its sentiments and make David’s prayers our own as well.

““In You, O Lord, I put my trust; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in Your righteousness. Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily; be my rock of refuge, a fortress of defense to save me. For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your name’s sake, lead me and guide me. Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, for You are my strength. Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” Start cleaning up corruption, and those practicing it will form cabals and begin scheming ways to take you down. Those plotting such things will stop at nothing to achieve their ends. Only God knows the human heart and only God knows all the ways such people can lay traps; therefore, only God can save us from such evil.

“I have hated those who regard useless idols; but I trust in the Lord. I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, for You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities, and have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a wide place.” Then, as now, there were those attempting to gain power by spells and enchantments and political influence. When we are in the midst of trials, many friends suddenly disappear, leaving us to fend for ourselves. But God knows our souls in adversity and He will NOT shut us up into the hand of the enemy unless He has a plan for redemption of the enemy as well.

One missionary in South America who was captured by guerilla fighters wound up leading many of his captors to the Lord. God’s plans and purposes are far greater than anything we can imagine. But no matter what happens, if we are trusting in God, whether we live or whether we die, we remain the Lord’s. The Auca Indians killed five missionaries who had come to tell them saving truths; however, the wives of two of those missionaries returned to the tribe. The result was salvation for that remote tribe.

“Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; my eye wastes away with grief, yes, my soul and my body!” Grief can do terrible things to our immune systems, leaving us open to all kinds of illnesses, including cancer.

“But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me. Make Your face shine upon Your servant; save me for Your mercies’ sake.” Notice what David does NOT say. David does not say, “Redeem me because I’m such a good guy.” David is trusting in God’s mercy, not in his own righteousness.

“Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.”

One of the worst things to face is slanderous attacks and whispering campaigns. Physical enemies are far easier because they are obvious; however, “they say-they say” can lead you down rabbit holes. Rumor mongers will never own up to the damage they have caused; meanwhile, your reputation might lie in ruins. One of the most frustrating things about vicious rumors is the willingness of most people to believe that there must be some basis in fact for them. “Oh, but where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Not if the smoke is coming from a smoke screen! Little wonder then, that David prays, “Let the lying lips be put to silence, which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.”

“Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints! For the Lord preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”  This psalm has an encouraging ending, one that gives us hope. It’s as if David is reaching down through the centuries, calling to us and waving us onward.

APPLICATION: As you might have guessed, many of my comments have come from extensive experiences in fighting corruption. Even now, I am at the fringe of some “Augean Stable” situations, and we can only pray that God will send a Holy Ghost river to cleanse them! Most of the time, we don’t ask to be in such situations and we would happily let someone else fix all the problems, if someone else was available and willing. But God calls us because we have made ourselves available and willing to do His will. Once we have said “yes” to God, we cannot go back and re-negotiate!

I am re-reading The Bible Jesus Read by Philip Yancey. The descriptions of Moses and his struggles leading the Israelites are priceless; unfortunately, they also sound eerily familiar. The Israelites never left all the Egyptian gods behind and given the slightest provocation, they were more than willing to throw an orgy, hence the incident of the golden calf. Surely there were many days when Moses wished he were back in the wilderness herding sheep; after all, sheep never manufactured idols, nor did they threaten to stone him!

You can break this psalm down into verses and pray individual verses, claiming those promises for yourself. But no matter how you treat this psalm, remember the last verses: “Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints! For the Lord preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”  God is our stronghold and our protection. And God DOES preserve the faithful and fully repays the proud person. Think on that and be glad!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, let everyone who needs this psalm take the verses that help them most to heart. We bless Your Holy Name and we magnify You for Your great works and for Your mercy! Help us to trust in You, even when all looks dark. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Blessedness of Answered Prayer

A Psalm. A Song at the dedication of the house of David.

“I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me. O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

Now in my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved.” Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; You hid Your face, and I was troubled. I cried out to You, O Lord; and to the Lord I made supplication: “What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth? Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me; Lord, be my helper!”

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.”

Psalm 30 is another short power house of a psalm. You can take every verse of this psalm and make it into a separate praise chorus.

“I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, and have not let my foes rejoice over me.” When we trust God, He will protect us and justify us. We don’t have to obsess about critics and slander, for God will clear our names.

“O Lord my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me. O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.” How many of us have found ourselves in dangerous situations from which God has delivered us miraculously? There is a British TV reality show entitled “Close Calls on Camera.” This show documents all kinds of emergencies-parents stricken with heart attacks or diabetic comas, climbing accidents, walkers accidentally wandering into deep mud, traffic accidents, etc. In each situation, those involved survive with the help of family members, passersby, or emergency crews. Sadly, only a few of these people stop to thank the God Who sends help in all those forms, although they do mumble something about the miraculous.

“Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”  When we remember all the wonders that God has already done, we find encouragement and hope. Does God become angry? Yes. A holy God cannot tolerate sin, but when we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive them. And God’s favor lasts a lifetime. Many of us have found ourselves spending sleepless nights wondering what will happen, only to find new hope when morning comes.

“Now in my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved.”  Live long enough and you realize prosperity is a poor thing to rely on. Investments can evaporate, and companies can go belly up. One of our friends went to work one morning as the head of a large division in his company, only to leave that afternoon without a job, forced into early retirement as the company suddenly announced a move to a larger city several hundred miles away.

“Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; You hid Your face, and I was troubled. I cried out to You, O Lord; and to the Lord I made supplication: “What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth? Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me; Lord, be my helper!” When the things on which we have built our lives are crumbling, God is the only true Helper.

“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.” At the end of this psalm, God has triumphed, the singer has been delivered and is dancing and leaping and shouting for joy. If there were fireworks available, the fireworks would be going off!

APPLICATION: This psalm runs the emotional gamut from dark despair to giddy celebration. Are you spending a lot more time slogging away at jobs that are less than inspiring? Do you feel you are spending more time on the near-despair end of the emotional spectrum than on the celebration end? Welcome to the human race; most of us need all the celebrations we can get.

We had one of those celebration moments a few days ago. One little girl had been admitted with seizures and malaria; she was so pale we had to transfuse her immediately. Then it took several days before the little girl woke up. But suddenly she went from being comatose and barely responding to pain to sitting up and demanding rice! And two days later, the little girl walked out of our ward, climbed on her dad’s motorcycle along with her mom, and the family returned home rejoicing.

Are you feeling lower than a ditch digger’s boots? Do you feel that your situation is hopeless? Hold on! Joy comes in the morning, and you too may find your mourning turning to dancing.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, speak to the hearts of all who are reading these words. Let them put their trust in You and give them Your peace and Your joy. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Praise to God in His Holiness and Majesty

A Psalm of David.

“Give[ascribe]unto the Lord, O you mighty ones, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes them also skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth, and strips the forests bare; and in His temple everyone says, “Glory!”

The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood, and the Lord sits as King forever. The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.”

“Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” How can we possibly give anything to God, the All-sufficient One? This psalm makes more sense if you substitute “ascribe” for “give.” God is already strong and glorious. For us to ascribe these qualities to Him is merely to recognize that these are part of His nature. The term “ascribe” here can be defined as “regarding a quality as belonging to.” When we give God glory, we are simply recognizing His nature.

How can we “worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness?” While we are not holy, God is holy. When we begin to praise God for His holiness, God gives us more grace so that our worship increases exponentially. Worship takes us outside ourselves into a higher dimension.  

“The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is over many waters.” Anybody who lives close to a river that floods seasonally knows the power of water. Floods come when they will, and nobody can prevent them. The area in which we live and work is near a river that floods in rainy season, and if the other streams also rise, we can become a giant island. Under such circumstances, it is comforting to know that God is the One who is over many waters.

“The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes them also skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.” Here the image is that of whirlwinds tossing huge trees around like so many bowling pins.

“The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth, and strips the forests bare; and in His temple everyone says, “Glory!” God is both all-powerful and all-gentle. God’s power causes earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and yet, God also causes deer to bear their young.

“The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood, and the Lord sits as King forever.” The flood referred to here is the flood in the time of Noah. God sovereignly flooded the earth, wiping out sinful people. No matter what happens, God will remain King forever.

“The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.” Strength and peace! We all need both.

APPLICATION: This psalm is one of the most wonderful descriptions of God’s might and His glory. Worried about floods? Earthquakes? Tornadoes or hurricanes? Other natural disasters? No problem! God is bigger than all of that.

 The sheer power of a large volume of water must be seen to be understood. People who live in areas prone to flash flooding must be cautious about driving into running water. A few years ago, a woman in our regional capital was driving her big SUV through a rainstorm to collect her daughter from school. Despite the objections of a huge crowd of onlookers, this woman insisted on driving her vehicle into fast-moving water that had risen twenty feet to cover a bridge over the water way. The video on social media showed her vehicle as the water pushed it off the road and into the stream, tumbling it for several yards. The woman did not survive.

Personally, one of the most comforting verses for me is the last one. “The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.” So many times in my career in a remote bush hospital I have felt totally inadequate. No matter how much experience one has, medicine furnishes an unlimited number of opportunities to be confused or bemused. As the only doctor for more than 100,000 potential patients, I have frequently had to beg God for additional strength to meet the needs of my patients. And when things have not gone as I have hoped and prayed, I still need God’s peace so that I can go on and try again tomorrow.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we praise You for Your glory and Your might! We thank You for Your precious promises. And we claim Your promises of strength and peace. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

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Rejoicing in Answered Prayer

A Psalm of David.

“To You I will cry, O Lord my Rock: do not be silent to me, lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You, when I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.

Do not take me away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts. Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavors; give them according to the work of their hands; render to them what they deserve. Because they do not regard the works of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them and not build them up.

 Blessed be the Lord, because He has heard the voice of my supplications! The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him.

The Lord is their strength,[the strength of His people] and He is the saving refuge of His anointed. [Messiah] Save Your people, and bless Your inheritance; shepherd them also, and bear them up forever.”

“To You I will cry, O Lord my Rock: do not be silent to me, lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You, when I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.” This psalm has only 9 verses and yet it is another one of those lifelines David has thrown out to us across the centuries. David is begging God to hear his cries for help because apart from God, he will be as if he is already dead.

“Do not take me away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts.” David is testifying that his hands and his heart are clean and that he has not been betraying those around him. Happy is the man who can say such things!

“Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavors; give them according to the work of their hands; render to them what they deserve.“ David is fed up with manipulators, liars, and cheats who have dragged his name through the mud and who are only out for their own gain. These rascals appear to be getting away with their bad behavior; if God will at least punish them, David will feel justified.

“Because they do not regard the works of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them and not build them up.”  David is reminding himself that God is the One who keeps the books, and God will bring justice into these situations. Most of David’s life, he does live as if God is watching. While the incident with Bathsheba is a notable exception, there are no other such variations recorded by the scribes keeping the records.

“Blessed be the Lord, because He has heard the voice of my supplications! The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him.” At the beginning of this psalm, David might be wondering if God really hears him; however, by the end of the psalm, the Holy Spirit has spoken to David’s heart and David is SURE that God has heard and is helping him.

“The Lord is their strength,[the strength of His people] and He is the saving refuge of His anointed. [Messiah] Save Your people, and bless Your inheritance; shepherd them also, and bear them up forever.” Given the assurance of the Holy Spirit, David is once again affirming the saving power of God and His ability to guide His people, to deliver them, and to sustain them forever.

If you are acquainted with the history of the kingdom of Israel, you might wonder at these affirmations. Didn’t the kingdom split into two kingdoms and didn’t the Assyrians conquer the northern kingdom of Israel while the Babylonians conquered the southern Kingdom of Judah? Didn’t the survivors wind up as exiles in Assyria and Babylon? Didn’t a small delegation return from Babylon to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem? The answer to all these questions is “Yes.” But the kingdom split as a result of bad choices by Rehoboam, Solomon’s son. And both kingdoms pursued idolatry of all kinds, removing themselves from God’s protection. Despite all these dire events, God has continued to watch over Israel and the modern nation of Israel is the result. David’s prayers on behalf of his people are still working!

APPLICATION: This psalm is another major encouragement for all leaders trying to do the right thing. There’s a saying that “If you want to make everyone happy, don’t be a leader. Sell ice cream.” Accept leadership, and you will find yourself with a big target on your back. Suddenly the critics and self-styled advisers are everywhere. Those who covet your power without understanding the pitfalls will try to cut you off at the knees. Your every decision will be scrutinized and you will find yourself feeling as if you are being stoned to death with popcorn as the petty accusations mount up.

One of the things that makes these early psalms of David so appealing is that they are obviously born out of bitter experience. David’s early rejection by his father, his chaotic relationship with King Saul, and his subsequent experiences as a warrior and ruler have all shaped and marked him. There used to be a phrase used by radio DJ’s that “the hits just keep on coming.” While the DJ’s were referring to songs that had become wildly popular, that phrase can also be used in another fashion. Many days, leadership can feel a lot like being trapped inside a popcorn popper just as the kernels are exploding. The heat is on and you are being bombarded with petty stuff from all sides. Just as you succeed in quelling one disturbance, two more explode in your face. It’s enough to make you wish you could just run home, jump in bed, and pull the covers over your head.

The underlying message of this psalm is that God knows our problems, God cares, and God can deliver us from them. Are you struggling? Lay your problems out before God; this will help you focus on possible solutions that God may give you. God already knows all your problems anyway, and He can give perfect guidance. If you are in leadership, it is because God has set you there, whether or not you feel qualified. It is said that God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called. If God has called you to a work, rest assured that God can train you and guide you so that you will succeed, provided you maintain a teachable spirit.

Hang in there! Continue to look to God for guidance and help! And remember the end of this psalm: “The Lord is their strength, the strength of His people, and He is the saving refuge of His anointed. Save Your people, and bless Your inheritance; shepherd them also, and bear them up forever.” When God chooses you for a work, you become His anointed for that work and God offers you his saving refuge. You’ll never get a better deal.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, there are many reading these words who are in positions of responsibility and who are facing stern criticism. Give them Your peace in their hearts and help them to trust in You as their Protector and Refuge. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

An Exuberant Declaration of Faith

A Psalm of David.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat[devour] up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident.

One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.

Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”

Do not hide Your face from me; do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take care of me.

Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence.

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!”

““The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat[devour] up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident.”

This psalm is another wonderful source of comfort and encouragement. While we might be brave during the day, it’s a different matter in the middle of the night with nothing to distract us. That’s when fears can attack and even overwhelm us. That’s when we KNOW we are not sufficient within ourselves. That’s when we KNOW we need the power of the One True Living God.

“One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord. Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”

Where can we find sanctuary and safety? Only with God. Does David really want to live in the temple for the rest of his life?  Not really. But no matter where David is, for the rest of his life, he will continue to seek the Lord. David’s knowledge of God’s mercy exhilarates him and he breaks into songs of praise.  

“Do not hide Your face from me; do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take care of me.” Remember that David’s father thought so little of him that he was willing to leave David herding sheep in the wilderness at the mercy of wild animals.

“Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and such as breathe out violence.” When we call on God, He will answer and deliver us.

“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” This is David’s conclusion after all his problems and an encouragement for the rest of us.

APPLICATION: Whenever I read this psalm, I hear my mother’s voice. My beloved mother had a lovely soprano voice and frequently sang solos in church. One of my mother’s favorites was a setting of this psalm. When my mother died suddenly with cancer in 1980, we requested the organist play the music for that solo as part of the prelude music.

We have spent nearly half our lives in cross-cultural situations. Some days we feel as if we are engaged in a log-rolling contest while wearing slick tennis shoes rather than spiked boots. Maintaining our equilibrium can pose a major challenge. Sometimes we find ourselves vibrating from surging emotions. This psalm is one of my go-to scriptures whenever I am facing stress, danger, or criticism. I find that reading this psalm aloud several times calms and soothes me.

Read this psalm over three times and see what it does for you. You’re going to find your muscles relaxing as you de-stress.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, let the message of this psalm permeate our hearts and calm us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

A Prayer for Divine Scrutiny and Redemption

A Psalm of David.

“Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the Lord; I shall not slip. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me[test me]; try my mind and my heart. For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth.

I have not sat with idolatrous mortals, nor will I go in with hypocrites. I have hated the assembly of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked.

I will wash my hands in innocence; so I will go about Your altar, O Lord, that I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wondrous works. Lord, I have loved the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your glory dwells[the tabernacle of your glory].

Do not gather my soul with sinners, [Do not take away my soul with sinners] nor my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands is a sinister scheme, and whose right hand is full of bribes.

But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; redeem me and be merciful to me. My foot stands in an even place; in the congregations I will bless the Lord.”

““Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the Lord; I shall not slip. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me[test me]; try my mind and my heart. For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth.” David has been pushed to the wall and he is fed up! David has done everything right, but he’s still under attack. No matter how hard David tries to defend himself, there’s always somebody out there trying to betray him. Finally, David is appealing to God for justification.

“I have not sat with idolatrous mortals, nor will I go in with hypocrites. I have hated the assembly of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked.” David has done everything he can to avoid bad company.

“I will wash my hands in innocence; so I will go about Your altar, O Lord, that I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wondrous works. Lord, I have loved the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your glory dwells[the tabernacle of your glory].” David is practically shouting to God, “Hey! Have you been paying attention? I’ve done everything I can to remain righteous.”

“Do not gather my soul with sinners, [Do not take away my soul with sinners] nor my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands is a sinister scheme, and whose right hand is full of bribes.” David is fully aware that he is only human and therefore sinful; this is why David is begging God to overlook his failings.

“But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; redeem me and be merciful to me. My foot stands in an even place; in the congregations I will bless the Lord.” David knows that even when he walks in integrity, he still needs God to keep his feet from slipping, to redeem him and to be merciful to him.

APPLICATION: These early psalms of David’s are very comforting for any noble person who has ever been persecuted for doing the right thing. But is David indulging in a fit of self-righteousness? Can we really speak to God as David is doing in this psalm? And do we dare ask God to examine us as David has done?

First, let’s realize that God already knows all about us-our trials, our triumphs, our successes, and our failings. God knows all our thoughts, both good and bad. If not for God’s mercy, none of us would exist even for a millisecond, for God is righteous and holy and we are not. It is precisely because of God’s mercy and grace that David dares to say the things he does in this psalm. What is wonderful about the psalms is that we see David’s intimate relationship with God, a relationship so close that David is willing to expose himself to God, warts and all.

God doesn’t play favorites. If we will open our hearts to God as David has done, God will meet with us and help us, delivering us from ourselves and changing us into His Image. The Creator and Ruler of the Universe is so full of love and charity that He stoops to meet with us, sinful creatures though we are. God is continually doing miracles, but these miracles of love and grace are among the biggest in the universe. Let us praise Him!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we praise You for Your magnificent charity that moves You to meet with us. We thank You for sending Your Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins, so that his blood sacrifice covers all our unrighteousness. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

To You I Lift Up My Soul

A Song Of David [This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.]

To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul; in You, my God, I trust. Do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me. Surely none who wait for You will be put to shame; but those who are faithless without cause will be disgraced.

Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; all day long I wait for You.

Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and loving devotion, for they are from age to age. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my rebellious acts; remember me according to Your loving devotion, because of Your goodness, O LORD.

Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He shows sinners the way. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way. All the LORD’s ways are loving and faithful to those who keep His covenant and His decrees. For the sake of Your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, for it is great.

Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the path chosen for him. His soul will dwell in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land. The LORD confides in those who fear Him, and reveals His covenant to them. My eyes are always on the LORD, for He will free my feet from the mesh.

Turn to me and be gracious, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart increase; free me from my distress. Consider my affliction and trouble, and take away all my sins. Consider my enemies, for they are many, and they hate me with vicious hatred. Guard my soul and deliver me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in You. May integrity and uprightness preserve me, because I wait for You. Redeem Israel, O God, from all its distress.”

Once more, David is in trouble and calling on God for help This psalm has inspired many memorable praise choruses. For one of the best ones, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjqlkWhz-aA .

“To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul; in You, my God, I trust. Do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.” What does it mean to “lift up my soul?” We pray to God, confessing our faults and begging Him to deliver us from our enemies. God is a good Father who will never ignore our pleas for help.

“Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths.” When we are under scrutiny, we must be as careful as possible not to put a foot wrong. One day, someone might enter the situation who can solve it. At that point, we don’t want to be found doing wrong things.

“Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and loving devotion, for they are from age to age.” Humans can fail, fall sick, and die. But God never changes. Even though the psalmist is begging God to remember His compassion and devotion, it’s David who needs reminding.

“Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He shows sinners the way.” God is amazingly patient. Most of us will give up on someone who is recalcitrant; however, God never gives up. We might choose to run away from God, but He remains constant. And God will continue to forgive us as long as we come to him confessing our sins honestly.

“Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the path chosen for him. His soul will dwell in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land. The LORD confides in those who fear Him, and reveals His covenant to them. My eyes are always on the LORD, for He will free my feet from the mesh.” Here the image is one of a bird with its feet caught in a netstruggling to free itself before being seized by the fowler. God promises to instruct believers so that they will take correct paths and avoid Satan’s traps.

“Turn to me and be gracious, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart increase; free me from my distress. Consider my affliction and trouble, and take away all my sins. Consider my enemies, for they are many, and they hate me with vicious hatred. Guard my soul and deliver me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in You. May integrity and uprightness preserve me, because I wait for You. Redeem Israel, O God, from all its distress.”  Sooner or later, every one of us will face loneliness and afflictions leaving us feeling overwhelmed. We may find ourselves surrounded by enemies or critics who want nothing better than to see us fail. But praise God, we have a Redeemer who can deliver us from any problems. Our part is to remain faithful while His part is to save us.

APPLICATION: I don’t remember exactly when I discovered this psalm and began applying it to my situation. I was a nerdy teen-ager in a high school culture that glorified athletics and popularity. My academic success did not endear me to some of my classmates. To make matters worse, we moved during the spring of my freshman year and the summer between my junior and senior years, seriously disrupting the few friendships I had managed to form. Completing this perfect storm, I was extremely outspoken and critical, lacerating the feelings of those around me. It took a great deal of courage to be my friend.

 “Turn to me and be gracious, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart increase; free me from my distress. Consider my affliction and trouble, and take away all my sins. Consider my enemies, for they are many, and they hate me with vicious hatred. Guard my soul and deliver me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in You. May integrity and uprightness preserve me, because I wait for You. Redeem Israel, O God, from all its distress.” The night I discovered Psalm 25 was a watershed moment for me. I found myself repeating these verses over and over until I was in tears. Did this psalm change me completely? No. But it did help me focus on God instead of my problems and it gave me hope.

Different psalms will speak to us at various moments in our lives. My suggestion? As we study these psalms, find the verses that appear to speak to your situation and copy those onto your cell phone so that you can review them throughout your day. You will find that the more you meditate on your special verses, the more God will use them in your life.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Thank You, that when we are lonely and afflicted, You are still there helping us and comforting us. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.