Category: Psalm

In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed (Psalm 22:4-5).

It follows as naturally as weeping follows the alarm clock. 

David stops to remember who God is, and that leads to considering what God has done, and that leads to a reminder of God’s faithfulness. God has shown himself faithful throughout the generations. Over and over again, God has proven himself worthy of the trust of his people.

And speaking of that word, Trust–do you think maybe David had a poor vocabulary? I mean, he used it three times in two sentences. Perhaps he couldn’t come up with another word to describe how God’s people put their faith in him? Or could it be that David was reminding himself.

And those who would follow

God’s people have a long history of trusting him.

God has zero history of bailing on his children.

Happy Friday, Beloved.

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel.  (Psalm 22:3).

Oh yeah,

He’s God.

When we feel down, depressed, stressed, panicky, despairishy, it’s easy to forget.

He’s God–with all that entails. 

And, he’s on our side.

Look, I don’t know what stressers your day holds–but here’s a thought…

Let’s you and I follow David’s lead and remind ourselves who it is we cry out to.

The Praise of Israel

The Praise of Michael

The Praise of….

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

Oh my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent (Psalm 22:2).

David calls.

God is silent.

Bummer

Now, David could take this several different ways. He could give up on God and assume that he is a myth, and that David is entirely alone. He could become angry with God, raging at God’s injustice in allowing his child to be in such a place of pain. He could become sullen and resentful and show God that David doesn’t really need him; David will be just fine on his own, thank you very much.

Or, he can persist, knowing that his relationship with God is more than this moment, and the truth of God is more than this circumstance.

A few years ago, just after I had read this passage, my son and I hiked to the top of Mt. San Gorgonio. I was not– am not–a very experienced hiker, and I’m in only mediocre shape. These factors put such a climb in the “Are you insane?” category. I thought of today’s verse as I limped my way up the last four miles of mountain. I felt, in those endless hours, as if the torture would pretty much be forever. The next day, comfy in my chair with a good night’s sleep behind me and half a bottle of Ibuprofen coursing through me, it all seemed very distant, but in those moments on the mountain I think I got a teensy glimpse of what David was feeling.  And I marvel at David’s persistence in crying out to the One who has delivered him time and again.

Cry out, Beloved. 

He is listening.

He is near.

He will answer.

Happy Wednesday

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?  (Psalm 22:1).

Forsaken

Deserted

Left utterly alone

David felt this. He looked around at the enemies arrayed against him and figured that God just wasn’t coming to the rescue this time. Maybe God was angry with David, or maybe he was too busy elsewhere. Whatever the reason, David was alone.

Beloved, I hope that you never feel that depth of aloneness. I hope your heart never tells you that you are abandoned by God, left to fend for yourself in a world that is against you. 

But, chances are, you have. 

Or you will

Or…you are

But

Your heart is mistaken.

You are not forsaken.

Jesus was forsaken for you. On the cross, Jesus was truly and completely separated from the Father as he took the punishment that we deserved. He took David’s words as his own as he cried out. He who had never in all eternity been alone suffered complete desolation

so that you will never have to.

You are not forsaken. Whatever your emotions or your circumstances or your chemistry tells you this morning, you are not forsaken.

You are remembered.

You are surrounded.

You are beloved.

Happy Tuesday

Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles (Psalm 25:22).

Good for Israel!

They are God’s chosen people, after all. It makes sense that He would look out for them.

Beloved, do you realize that you are also Israel?

Remember what Paul says to the Romans? He talks about Israel as an olive tree, and says that we have been grafted into the tree and so have become part of the tree.

And so we have become part of Israel.

We have joined God’s chosen people.

And he has redeemed us from the greatest trouble ever imagined.

Shalom, Beloved

Happy Friday

Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you (Psalm 25:20).

Why?

Because I work so hard?

nope

Because I know so much?

huh uh

Because I give my 10%?

um…no

Because I offer wise advice?

not so much

Because I have the Jumbo Study Bible with built in concordance?

Ooooohhh…swingandamiss

Because, in the end, I’m such a groovy guy?

seriously

Because I’m his.  Hear that, Beloved. Because I’m his, I have the right to claim refuge in him, the right to run to him when I am in distress. Because I’m his I have confidence that the yuck will never get too deep, the mountains never too high, the stress never too much. You have a whole Thursday full of stuff to deal with today. Don’t be afraid to run to your Father and claim the shelter that is rightfully yours.

Because you are the Beloved of Christ.

Happy Wednesday

Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins (Psalm 25:18).

I don’t think I’ve ever really read this verse before.

I mean, I’ve read over it, but…

David is alone and afraid and hurt and under attack and what does he ask God for?

A clean heart

Forgiveness

A right relationship with his Lord

David is a man who understands priorities.

Me? My prayers would probably be more along the lines of, “Heal my body and crush my enemies to powder.”

“Please”

Let’s see if we can keep first things first today, ya?

Happy Monday, Beloved.

Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish (Psalm 25:16-17).

Perhaps as you read this you are on a mountain top,

literally or figuratively.

Life is sweet and every breath is delight.

If so, I rejoice with you, Beloved–enjoy the view.

Perhaps the mountain has fallen on top of you, and you identify with this verse far more than you would like. If so, I’m praying for you, and I’m here to remind you that the God you cry out to is real and is powerful and is listening.

You feel lonely, but you are never, ever alone.

You feel empty, but His Spirit fills you.

You weep, but one day you will laugh with the angels.

Look, I know that those words can feel empty and useless and meaningless in the face of all you’re dealing with today.

But they’re true.

You are loved by the One who knows you better than anyone else.

Seriously,

He knows you

and

He loves you.

Pretty amazing, ya?

So, if nothing else, rejoice in that today.

Because that’s a lot.

In fact, when you get right down to it

that’s pretty much everything.

Happy Friday, Beloved