Tuesday,
January 21, 2020
Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me. Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me. For troubles surround me—too many to count! My sins pile up so high I can’t see my way out. They outnumber the hairs on my head. I have lost all courage. Please, Lord, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me. May those who try to destroy me be humiliated and put to shame. May those who take delight in my trouble be turned back in disgrace. Let them be horrified by their shame, for they said, “Aha! We’ve got him now!” But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, “The Lord is great!” As for me, since I am poor and needy, let the Lord keep me in his thoughts. You are my helper and my savior. O my God, do not delay. Psalm 40:11-17
If you consider this Psalm in its entirety
you watch King David pour out his heart like a bucket loader empties a load of
rubbish onto a dump truck. Just because
he was king over the most powerful nation on earth, David’s life was not simple
and without heartbreak; just the opposite.
This Psalm is all over the place with thankfulness for God’s previous rescues
in answer to prayer, and current conditions of enemies’ plots driving fears and
worry. David wants to rejoice and be
faithful, but he knows himself too well; his frazzled life comes unglued and he
knows only God can make a difference.
David’s heart is breaking like a dried turkey wishbone under the load of
what’s pulling him apart.
Ever been there? Silly question.
If you’ve lived on this planet for more
than 30 minutes you’ve experienced the brokenness of disappointment, fear,
heartache, loss, weakness, plans gone south, and the short-lived nature of
victories.
From a personal inventory check David
confesses before God that his sins are like a mountain, and that he’s lost all
courage to even admit it. And in the
next instant he lays that mountain on the broad shoulders of God’s unfailing
love and mercy. This is the way a broken
heart prays…holding nothing back…fully leaning the weight of eternity on God’s
forgiveness and grace.
With his internal chaos laid on the table
David mentions (almost as an afterthought) his enemies plotting against him, spreading
rumors to damage David’s reputation and leadership. But, it’s clear from the outpouring emotions
and confidence in God the external problems of people who want to see him destroyed
are miniscule considering David’s opinion about what his own lack of fidelity
to God has made of his life. It is
abundantly clear that the depth of the king’s relationship with God matters
more to him than whatever an earthly enemy could possibly do to him. The Apostle Paul expressed this very thought
in his letter to the Roman church:
If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Romans 8:31b
This is the raw essence of the prayer of a
broken, desperate heart that has run out of options. When you come to the point of understanding
that there is nothing in the universe that can match how God loves you, and
wants to hold your soul with lovingkindness and mercy, and heal what hurts with
His outstretched hands full of grace…then you’re ready to
pray.
The silly
question was ever been there? The right question is where are you now? If you identify with David’s brokenness, and
his heart that knows only God can help, you’re ready to pray. And if you’re there, you know there’s nothing
else more important on your agenda today.
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