David’s psalms are a continual returning to urgent petitions. He asks God to hear him, to listen to him, to save him, and to be with him. He is often very desperate for deliverance. If not deliverance, then to know and sense God’s presence is with him. If not to save him, then to please, please give him strength so that he does not faint and lose heart altogether. David complains about his enemies again.
They seek his body, to see him weary in pain and suffering. They seek his life, to see it in ruin, destruction, and even death. They seek his soul, to torment him and disturb his mind. They are cruel and devious, and attempt to convince him to give up on God, to turn to immoral and wicked ways to save himself.
Though David was indeed impoverished and unable to make ends meet, he cried out to God for help, maybe through teeth clenched tightly. He knew God was his only hope. He reminded God of the many times He had rescued him before. In so doing, he was also reminding himself. He begged God for rescue, but in the meantime, he begged God to just be with him, to give him strength to hold on, and that God would do so quickly. His grip on God surely slipped from time to time while being tossed to and fro.
If you are not facing physical enemies, you are surely facing spiritual enemies. Again, it is helpful to remember, especially when you find yourself in the wilderness, you have a very real Enemy who seeks to destroy. He is ever prowling around, searching for those he can devour. He seeks your body, to see it in pain and suffering. He seeks your life, to see it in ruin, pushing for physical and spiritual death. He seeks your soul, to torment you and to disturb your mind. He is cruel, utterly evil, and devious, and wants nothing more than to tempt you to turn away from God and turn to the world for your answers, or even more, to just give up and give in to sin.
David admitted he was desperately poor and needy. Reminding God of all the times He had come through for David in the past, honored Him. These are the words and the pleas of a person of faith. If you are spiritually destitute and having a hard time making ends meet, believe it or not, you are in a very good place. Take your prayers to a God with infinite mercy, who does not despise the heavy sighs of a broken heart. On the contrary, He has pronounced His blessing over those who are poor in spirit, and joy can be found in the simple pursuit, as God is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
- And if searching for God and praising Him becomes your continual habit, God will be magnified.
Lord, when I meditate upon all the times You have blessed me and rescued me just in the nick of time, I am girded up in my faith knowing You have been so faithful. I am also reminded not to get secure in myself or my circumstances, but to stay close to You. Thunderstorms and tornadoes are seasonal. They’ll likely be coming around again. If You choose not to remove me from the path of these storms, please walk with me through them that I might not faint and be swallowed whole.
Are you lost and God is nowhere in sight? How much time have you spent looking for Him? Maybe it’s time to double down and press in further until you find Him.
Excerpted with permission from 10 Minutes in the Word: Psalms copyright Zondervan.
* * *
Your Turn
You’re going to be okay because God is here for you, just waiting for your call. Remind Him that you are poor and needy. Remind Him of all the times He has saved you before. In so doing, you will remind yourself! Come share your thoughts with us on our blog. We want to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily
