Do you ever look around at our world and and just want to cry? Do you find yourself struggling to find hope? King David did too. But the Lord counseled his heart with comfort, and we are blessed to have the hope that His truth produces. This is what my heart feasted on this morning:
V.1
“Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.”
The phrase O God of my righteousness literally reads “O God who maintains my righteousness.” (Righteousness simply means being right with God.) In other words, David is acknowledging here that God is the one who keeps us right with Him. 1 John 1:7-9 teaches us that if we continue to walk in the light, which is Jesus (John 8:12), and remain repentant toward God, the blood of Jesus continues to cleanse us from all sin and unrighteousness, keeping us right with the Father.
V.2-3:
“O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself; The Lord hears when I call to Him.”
David is lamenting in this psalm about God’s people being attracted to worthless, man-made idols and lured away from God by the deception of the world. Sound familiar? Do you find yourself discouraged by the worldliness that seems to encroach more and more into the Body of Christ? Do you find yourself lamenting over the level of idolatry being tolerated among us? Take heart brothers and sisters. As verse 3 tells us, the Lord has set apart the godly, and He hears when we cry out to Him.
V. 4-5:
“Tremble, and do not sin; meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and trust in the Lord.”
The word for tremble here literally reads, “Tremble with anger or fear.” In other words, David is encouraging us, in our anger and fear over the evil we see, to not sin, but instead, to meditate on it in our prayer closet, offer up to the Lord our laments, and recommit to Him our faithful obedience (“offer up sacrifices of righteousness”). Then, we must leave these concerns at his feet and trust in the Lord.
V. 6-8:
“Many are saying, ‘Who will show us any good?’ Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord! You have put gladness in my heart, more than when their grain and new wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.”
He’s got this, friends; He’s fully aware of everything that’s happening, and He hasn’t surrendered His control. Because He’s got this, we can enjoy the light of His face shining on us. We can savor the gladness that pours into our hearts because of His abundant grace and mercy toward us. And we can sleep soundly, knowing that our all-powerful, Sovereign Lord will accomplish what concerns us (Psalm 138:8 NASB).
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