Monthly Archives: July 2019

Psalm 6

How long?

Moments turn into days that lengthen into weeks and months. These seasons, described by the psalmist in this prayer, begins with physical agony and quickly moves into spiritual distress. How long?

The season might begin with an unfounded attack by a friend that the rumor mill quickly circulates until it appears no one cares. Perhaps an illness strikes unexpectedly (aren’t they all unexpected?) and the pain and agony grow daily. How long?

The season may feel as though the enemy is God Himself. Some experiences are confusing. There are times when it is difficult to discern the difference between an adversary, a physical challenge, or a consequence of some unacknowledged sin. How long?

As the psalmist transitions from a sense of physical despair to an ever-increasing awareness of enemies, the writer seeks relief not from the hands of people but from the LORD, whose grace is sufficient, whose healing presence is promised, and whose loyal love (Hebrew:  חֶ֫סֶד, hesed) is an expression of His unchanging character. How long?

How long? The ‘when’ is uncertain, but the result is clear. The LORD hears, the LORD accepts (literally ‘takes’) our prayer on the basis of the completed work of Jesus Christ. From physical distress through internal anxiety and fear that threatens to overwhelm us we may ask, How long? The answer, in God’s good time.

At a stoplight cars begin to creep forward, anticipating the changing of the light. At Wal-Mart, we grumble because too few checkout lanes are staffed. Streaming entertainment services (finally) give us an opportunity to skip the interminable commercials. How often have you stood in front of the microwave, counting down the seconds until the process is finally finished?

“At daybreak, Lord, You hear my voice; at daybreak I plead my case to You and watch expectantly.” (Psalm 5:3, HCSB)

When confronted with opposition our impatience grows exponentially. Enemies, obstacles, challenges are interruptions. If we pray at daybreak we anticipate answers before noon – at the latest. Watching expectantly needs to be limited to just a few moments. After all, we have important tasks to perform, important people to meet, and places to be.

This Psalm, a fitting prayer for any morning in our lives, calls us to wait. Wait patiently. We wait because we need perspective. Enemies abound. Interruptions are ceaseless. God hears our anxiety, God reads our innermost thoughts.

“But I enter Your house by the abundance of Your faithful love; I bow down toward Your holy temple in reverential awe of You. Lord, lead me in Your righteousness because of my adversaries; make Your way straight before me.” (Psalm 5:7–8, HCSB)

In God’s presence, every interruption is transformed into an opportunity. Even enemies are no longer to be feared. In God’s presence, which we enter only because of His overwhelming grace, we are given shelter, He becomes our shield, He is the One who goes before us. We wait with expectancy because we know from our own past experiences and from the record of God’s faithfulness in the past that He will act, He will make Himself known. Enemies will be revealed for their unreliable nature. Adversaries who boast will be silenced. All we have to do is…

WAIT. God will act.  God will prove Himself faithful.

This Psalm, as the inscription suggests, was written to be sung: “To the Chief Musician. With Stringed Instruments. A Psalm of David. (NKJV). As one commentary suggests, Psalm 3 and 4 are to be paired together – Psalm 3 as a morning hymn and Psalm 4 as an evening prayer.

The Davidic morning hymn is now followed by a Davidic evening hymn. It is evident that they belong together from the mutual relation of 4:7 with 3:3, and 3:6 with 4:9. They are the only two Psalms in which the direct words of others are taken up into a prayer with the formula “many say,” רבים אמרים^[1]

Whether or not one prays these words in the morning or evening, we do understand the sense of hopelessness that emerges from living among a people where what is worthless is celebrated. Even though the culture around us often degenerates into worthless debates (see most social media sites) and as truth becomes harder to find among the fictions that seem so prevalent we can choose to be encouraged.

First, God has set apart (distinguished, separated) His own for Himself. We are reminded that because God has taken the initiative to act for us we can pray, we can ‘be still’ (vs 4), we can offer the sacrifice of a broken spirit (see Psalm 51:17) and the sacrifice of praise (see Hebrews 13:15).

Second, we are reminded that genuine joy is not the responsibility of others. God Himself is the source and sustainer of joy. In the world of David and the ancient near east, the harvest was often a time when families and communities would celebrate – the wait was over, the hard work had paid off. But there is a deeper joy for us because of God’s presence and God’s power to protect. Rather than react in anger we can simply rest in the assurance that God will fulfill His promises.

^[1] Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, vol. 5 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996), 65.

Most of the enemies we face are self-created. This Psalm is identified as written when David was fleeing from his son, Absalom. But if you know the story of David his son’s rebellion was partly a result of a father’s neglect. The rebellion of his son caused David to question how deep his people’s loyalty would be and whether it was a sign of God’s withdrawal of His favor (remember, David had been part of the fall of Saul as God withdrew His favor).

Family is perhaps the most difficult and demanding part of our lives. While we are flooded with media images of healthy and vibrant families what most of us experience is slightly different. Fortunately for us, God’s Word allows us to see families at their best AND their worst.

David’s prayer expresses confidence in God’s protection as well as a slight apprehension. It is as though he expresses his confidence and trust in one breath but then cries out for immediate deliverance (vs 5-7). The last phrase of David’s prayer is for God’s blessing on His people. The most important issue for David is not resolving the conflict between him and his son but that God’s people might continue to experience the fullness of His presence.

As we look at this Psalm in our own family experience we can identify with the sense of isolation and loneliness when a family member chooses to distance themselves from us. Those moments of hurt are invitations from God to remember that He alone is our rest and refuge.

The coronation of a monarch is an important moment in the life of a nation. When ancient Israel enthroned a monarch, particularly a descendant of David, the nation’s surrounding Israel would take notice. Questions about the nature of the new monarch would be asked, and some nations, sensing an opportunity, might seek to start a conflict. Why do these nations rage? Why do they seek to destroy God’s people? God’s response to the raging of nations is simply to laugh. Nothing they can do will thwart God’s ultimate purpose from fulfillment.

People who came to faith in Jesus Christ after His resurrection and ascension used this Psalm as a prayer (see Acts 4:25-28);  by Paul as evidence that Jesus, the One God raised from the dead, is the One spoken on in Psalm 2 (Acts 13:330; by Paul as he sought to remind his readers in Rome of Jesus’ true nature (Romans 1:4); and as John the Beloved Disciple explained what he was when he saw Jesus in his vision (Revelation 12:5, 19:15).

In the original setting of the Psalm we are given a glimpse into the unyielding demand of God for worship. He created us to acknowledge His power and His presence. To laugh, to dis-regard Him, to ignore Him is to invite God’s judgment. We have been conditioned in our world to de-emphasize ‘judgment’ so that no one will be offended. As this Psalm so clearly illustrates, God will judge – on the basis of how people (monarchs and commoners alike) respond to His One and Only Son, whom God has appointed King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

‘Blessed is the man…” One scholar explains, “Blessedness entails the believer’s continual occupation with God’s word, the avoidance of the wicked, and perseverance and final flourishing (Ps. 1).” ^[1] The central feature of a blessed person is their primary focus on the Word of God. Echoes of this blessing are seen in the life of Joshua as he succeeded Moses as leader of God’s people (see Joshua 1:6-9). Jesus defined the ‘blessed’ life in the Beatitudes (see Matthew 5:1-12). A truly blessed person, as the psalmist describes, is defined not as much by what they do or don’t do but by the primary focus of their lives. The blessed one is primarily concerned with God’s word and how it applies to every circumstance in life.

‘Flourishing’ is a word used in social service domains to describe a life that is free from obstacles, a life that is fully developing in all areas – social, emotional, mental, and physical. A ‘flourishing’ life, as the unidentified Psalmist describes, is rooted in God’s Word, nourished and sustained by God’s Word, and defined not by external circumstances but by the fruit of a life well-pleasing to God.

Today, as you read God’s Word and as you are engaged in the activities of life, try and identify how God’s Word is shaping how you think and act. Look for specific ways in which God is making Himself known, look at your own attitudes and actions and ask, are they shaped by what you know to be true of God as He has revealed Himself in His Word?

^[1] David P. Scaer, “Blessedness,” in Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, electronic ed., Baker Reference Library (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1996), 69.