Psalm 69:32b. …and your heart shall live that seek God.
And after a somewhat drizzly Friday evening, we’ve ended up with a cloudy lazy-day Saturday. But nothing’s wrong with that, because it’s the kind of weather that induces laziness. (smile) Sadly though, I’ve used up my share of laziness, so let’s get to the Father’s business and begin with our Lazy-Day Saturday Prayer.
As one lazy, but sincere voice: ‘Lord, I want to be with You now. Please slow my thoughts and quiet my soul. Let my muscles relax, my breath deepen. You are here with me – Your peace and LOVE are present. I marvel to think You can’t be contained, that Your LOVE both surrounds and fills me. Thank You for this tenderness, Lord. I praise You for Your unceasing nearness. Increase my awareness of You today, that I may know You all the more. Amen!’
Oh friends, how I do LOVE that prayer! LOVE the eloquence within its simplicity! It doesn’t get hifalutin, but it does say a lot, and a lot of the right things in ordinary everyday language. And that’s how we truly ought to pray; with simple words that come from the very depths of our hearts, for that’s the kind of communication I believe our God favours. And in my search for today’s topic, the Good Library just opened unto the book of Psalms, Psalm 69 in particular, Bruh David’s cry to his God for help.
And the scholars have a most interesting explanation on it. They say, ‘This psalm gives extensive expression to one of the major themes of the psalms: undeserved suffering. In this case, the suffering has come largely from the psalmist’s steadfastness in his commitment to the Lord. Because of this popular and needed motif, the psalm became a favourite of the New Testament writers who quote it frequently: verse 4 (John 15:25), verse 9 (John 2:17; Rom. 15:3), verses 22-23 (Rom. 11:9-10), verse 25 Acts 1:20).’
Wow! It must have been a real popular psalm to be found so often in the New Testament writings. And I’ll suggest you check out those references yourselves, I just did, and they are interesting, showing just how important the Old Testament was to the New Testament. And the scholars continue their explanation thus: ‘The content of the psalm may best be viewed topically. It contains David’s lament (vs. 1-4, 10-12, 19-21), his protestation of innocence (vs, 5-9), his petition (vs. 13-18, 22-29), and his vow of thanksgiving to be offered upon deliverance (vs. 30-36).’
And now that we have some idea of what the psalm is about, let’s check out some of Bruh David’s actual words. (smile) And he opens the psalm thus: ‘Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul (neck). I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God. They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away (did not steal).’ (Ps. 69:1-4)
Now that seems like a lament many of us today can make, but whether it’s through our steadfastness to God or because of our own unfaithfulness, that’s another question. Many of us though are in the mire of evil and darkness that’s clouding our world so deep, right up to our very necks, a moment away from drowning, that the only person who can truly help us is Almighty God. But for whatever reason(s), we stubbornly refuse to cry out to Him for help. Why? I don’t really know. But these words of Bruh David ought to wake us up to the reality of the situation. ‘O God, thou knowest my foolishness, and my sins are not hid from thee.’ (Ps. 69:5)
And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! Then why are we still so reluctant to cry out to our heavenly Father for help, when He is the ONLY ONE who has the power, grace and mercy to raise up out of the mire in which we’ve unfortunately found ourselves? It amazes and mystifies me when we refuse to ask for help when our own efforts are insufficient to get us out of our problems. There’s no help to be had from the evil one because his objective is for us to sink deeper and deeper into the morass of sin and darkness.
So who are we going to cry out to for help eh? ‘Ghostbusters’, as the popular song of yesteryear says. (smile) Definitely not! But to Jehovah God, our Creator and Controller, our Provider and Source of Refuge! That’s whom! But we first have to swallow our foolish pride and realize that without Jesus Christ, we’re at Satan’s mercy, and that’s not a very good place to be. And these words of Bruh David when he petitions the Lord to draw nigh and redeem his soul, ought to be helpful in our predicament.
‘But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation. Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters….Hear me, O Lord; for thy LOVING-kindness is good: turn unto me according to thy tender mercies. And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily (quickly). Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.’ (Ps. 69:13-14, 16-18)
Oh friends, those are words that ought to resonate powerfully within our souls and bodies in these difficult and dangerous times! And we’ll bypass Bruh David’s petition for the fate of his enemies, and go straight to his promise of thanksgiving and praise.
‘But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high. I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. The humble shall see this and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God. For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners. Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein. For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession. The seed (descendants) also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that LOVE his name shall dwell therein.’ (Ps. 69:29-36)
And there we go from lamentation to triumph, when we call upon the Lord our God! And possibly the most important phrase in that whole psalm are these few words of our Bit: ‘…and your heart shall live that seek God.’ Please friends, let’s not forget them, let’s write them indelibly in our hearts, minds, souls and bodies, as they are the very reason for our living, for our earthly existence! Much LOVE!
…only by seeking God…can our souls be saved…
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