Series: New New
Psalm 143:8 ESV
I sometimes (well actually about every day) that David the shepherd boy and David the would be King suffered just for me.
I do know that is a totally unsubstantiated thought, but his psalms speak deeply to me personally. When I have been in a really bad place in my life, David’s psalms speak to me ever so clearly.
David understood suffering.
David knew how to pray and plead for the presence of God.
Psalm 143:8 tells us, “Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.”
This verse is a perfect example of an earnest prayer.
This one line prayer is buried in Psalm 143 but it clearly stands “well” on it’s own. It’s clear even from this one line that David was suffering and in his suffering he turned to God. Psalm 143 is identified as one of seven penitential psalms. David was truly confessing his deeds and his need for God in this psalm. Because of David’s genuine confession he truly sought to hear from God.
David needed to know…he pleaded to know that God’s steadfast love was in and all around him. Now some who have not been in a desperate situation where everything you knew and relied on seemed to be gone may not understand David’s plea. Some might think…what’s the big deal?
The deal is that David was suffering. He was being pursued unto death and he feared for his life. We do not know if it was King Saul who was pursuing him or if it was his son Absalom and his men who were in pursuit. We do know David was in crisis.
We know David feared for his life.
Because he was being pursued unto death he turned to God. In verse 8 he pleaded to hear from God.
He wanted and needed to know God’s hand was on him.
He needed to hear God’s words of encouragement.
Some might say David just needed to let go of his fear and trust God, but the unknown element of danger was ever before him. It was real. David wasn’t making it up.
The beauty of David’s words cannot be ignored.
David knew Yahweh God was His salvation.
David knew God’s love.
David repeatedly turned to God throughout the psalm make that clear. David cried out “hear me”, “answer me”, “do not hide from me”. David felt alone in his suffering.
So today while we might not be caught up in a situation where we are physically being pursued unto death, daily we can come to a place where we realize our need for God is great.
Today…even now I plead to hear God’s Words.
As I write every day my intention is not that I rely on my words.
Every time I write I plead with God. I long for God’s love. As I write I pray ‘let me hear your words of love’.
I remind God (although God doesn’t need to be reminded) that life is not easy.
We long for something greater. Our need to be reminded that we are loved and we are part of something greater is ever before us.
We are probably not pursued by a physical person but we are ever so aware of the darkness in our world. It is around us.
Because of Jesus through His death, resurrection, and the presence of the Spirit in us the light shines IN us, but we can still see the darkness around us.
We see suffering and despair.
So we pray, let me hear of your steadfast love.
We respond, “you God are the one I trust.”
We ask God to show us the way to go.
We lift up our soul to God, for there is no other God.
Speak ever so clearly and show us Your way.
Spiritual Practice: Let us Hear
Sit with God and ask God to speak clearly to you.
In God, Deborah
Comments