A Prayer of David.
Hear a just cause, O Lord, give
heed to my cry; Give ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips. Let my judgment
come forth from Your presence; Let Your eyes look with equity. You
have tried my heart; You have visited me by night; You have tested me and You
find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. vv.
1-3
You will have trials in this world; these encouraging
Words of Jesus flood my thoughts when I read his prayer; I feel the desperation
in David’s voice. I have felt this desperation recently; circumstances tend to
leave us parched and feeling alone. God uses our parched, desperate, crying to
draw us deeper in Him.
God will visit us
in the night and try our hearts; are we listening?
I
was asleep but my heart was awake. A voice! My beloved was knocking: Open to me... Song of Songs 5:2
The only way to contend
our innocence, is if we are truly repentant for what He found there; He will
find something. Once we confess it, allow the Blood to wash us, we are
redeemed. Only then are we guiltless; Christ’s
sacrifice makes it possible.
If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 Jn. 1:9
People are fallen. How easy it is to
fall from grace; none of us are immune. Because we live in a fallen world, we
will have trials; people will betray us, let us down, and disappoint us—and we
them. In the Tabernacle of Moses, the
priest was required to wash—a picture of the washing of water
with the Word
(see
Eph. 5:26). The priest looked into the Bronze
Laver—the polished mirror of bronze, and washed. He saw only his
reflection, not another’s. The bronze mirror was to judge one self and wash
before performing any service before the Lord.
My steps have held fast to Your paths. My feet have not slipped. I have called upon You, for You will answer me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, hear my speech. vv. 4-6.
Stay on your
path, no matter what others do or say. God will guide you and you will not
slip—but wholeheartedly keep to the path God set you on.
Wondrously show
Your lovingkindness, O Savior of those who take refuge at Your right
hand
From those who rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me in the shadow of Your wings from the wicked who despoil me, My deadly enemies who surround me. They have closed their unfeeling heart, with their mouth they speak proudly. They have now surrounded us in our steps; They set their eyes to cast us down to the ground. He is like a lion that is eager to tear, And as a young lion lurking in hiding places. vv. 7-12
From those who rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me in the shadow of Your wings from the wicked who despoil me, My deadly enemies who surround me. They have closed their unfeeling heart, with their mouth they speak proudly. They have now surrounded us in our steps; They set their eyes to cast us down to the ground. He is like a lion that is eager to tear, And as a young lion lurking in hiding places. vv. 7-12
Often, we expect God to deliver us from the situation
instead of seeking wisdom in the situation. God may be using the hard place to
teach things to us and to reveal things about ourselves. David learned this
each time he faced an enemy. Our expectations in a situation are usually
different than what the Lord has planned; how many times have we heard, Sometimes God calms the storm, sometimes He
calms us in the midst of the storm? God is our Refuge and Strong Tower, and
we can run to Him and be safe (see
Prov. 18:10).
And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Rom. 5:3-4
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you
encounter various trials, knowing that the
testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance
have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in
nothing. James 1: 2-4
This scribe battles this often—some circumstances prove too
challenging, and it takes all the strength I can muster to look beyond them to
the Lord. Peter, after taking his step of faith to walk the lake’s surface,
sank only when he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the wave. It only took
him under because his focus was turned; the enemy distracted him.
The Lord gives us the assurance that He will help us through the trial, all we have to do is
ask. He hides us in the shadow of His wings. He will keep us. James continues
his admonition on tribulations with the key to making it through the hard
times;
But
if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously
and without reproach, and it
will be given to him. But
he must ask in faith without
any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven
and tossed by the wind. For
that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable
in all his ways. James 1:5-8
Peter learned this in his leap onto the lake. God will give us wisdom for
every situation if we ask. If however, we allow the circumstances to toss us to
and fro, and keep us from seeking God, we can’t receive that wisdom, and we go
around the mountain again; the trial overwhelms us, and we receive nothing.
Arise,
O Lord, confront
him, bring him low; Deliver my soul from the wicked with Your sword,
from men with Your hand, O Lord,
from men of the world, whose portion is in this life, And whose belly
You fill with Your treasure; They are satisfied with children, And leave
their abundance to their babes. vv. 13-14
God will fight
our enemies; He assures us time and again in Scripture. He will keep us; the
wicked are concerned only with the things this world has to offer, and are
subject to the world’s systems and processes. But we are to have a Kingdom perspective.
Everything you are going through is to enhance the Kingdom of God, and to know
God deeper. He wants to know us and have an intimate relationship with His
people. And after the tribulation is over, and we have wrestled with God, we
may leave with a limp (see Genesis
32:22-32), but we will have a new name and a deeper relationship with God.
When you awake you will say to the Lord—
As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will
be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake. v.15
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