Enemies pursue David as in Psalms 140–142, but here he is acutely aware of his own sin as he prays for rescue and deliverance. Our sins stand in the way of our relationship with God; but not God’s faithfulness to hear our cries for help, repentance with forgiveness. David knows God’s mercy and grace for He has delivered him before and will do it again. David is confident of God’s unfailing love, unending mercies, and amazing grace when it concerns the condition of our hearts. How confident are we?
Don’t miss this about one of my favorite psalms. I relate to this Psalm and quote this truth proclaimed in David’s prayer-song often because of God’s message flowing through it all! God’s deliverance of David will not be because of David’s own righteousness but rather because of the Lord’s righteousness, unfailing love, and commitment to the honor of his name. God is faithful to the promises he made to David, not because of any merit David earned. (Read that again, prayerfully.)
As we recall past stories of the relationship between God and David; we remember clearly that God spoke to David as a shepherd boy in the fields just as strongly as He speaks to David now as His anointed King of Israel! So, it’s not a matter of position in this world to hear God but of a humbled, repentant posture before God.
Be still and know that He is God as we read prayerfully—
Psalm 143, The Message
1-2 Listen to this prayer of mine, God;
pay attention to what I’m asking.
Answer me—you’re famous for your answers!
Do what’s right for me.
But don’t, please don’t, haul me into court;
not a person alive would be acquitted there.
3-6 The enemy hunted me down;
he kicked me and stomped me within an inch of my life.
He put me in a black hole,
buried me like a corpse in that dungeon.
I sat there in despair, my spirit draining away,
my heart heavy, like lead.
I remembered the old days,
went over all you’ve done, pondered the ways you’ve worked,
Stretched out my hands to you,
as thirsty for you as a desert thirsty for rain.
7-10 Hurry with your answer, God!
I’m nearly at the end of my rope.
Don’t turn away; don’t ignore me!
That would be certain death.
If you wake me each morning with the sound of your loving voice,
I’ll go to sleep each night trusting in you.
Point out the road I must travel;
I’m all ears, all eyes before you.
Save me from my enemies, God—
you’re my only hope!
Teach me how to live to please you,
because you’re my God.
Lead me by your blessed Spirit
into cleared and level pastureland.
11-12 Keep up your reputation, God—give me life!
In your justice, get me out of this trouble!
In your great love, vanquish my enemies;
make a clean sweep of those who harass me.
And why? Because I’m your servant.
WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” –Micah 6:8
The people of God in the days of Micah, prophet of God, responded by offering sacrifices. However, Micah certainly does not deny the desirability of sacrifices to God; he shows that it does no good to offer them without obedience to God. Instead, Micah declared God’s holy expectation: that his people act justly, love mercy and walk humbly before the Lord.
Jesus model servanthood to his disciples and to the masses who came to hear him teach. “I came to serve; not to be served,” says Jesus to his disciples. Jesus taught that worldly ideas of greatness—based on power, prestige, or hierarchy—do not apply in God’s kingdom. When Peter, James and John argued who were the most important, Jesus corrected them and explained; “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (Mark 9:35). Jesus modeled this by taking the position of a servant to wash His disciples’ feet during the Last Supper (John 13:4–17). We serve a God who washes feet—even the feet of His betrayer, Judas!
Read Philippians 2’s message of loving service as demonstrated by Jesus. To be like Jesus, we must learn to obediently and willingly serve like Jesus with HIS love embedded in our DNA as a believer. We put our interests, wants, and desires aside to ask God what HE wants for us and what He wants to do through us so others can know Him and be saved by Him. It is His love that should motivate all we think, say, and do in His Name—for His glory!
So, it’s not about the gifts and sacrifices from our bank accounts. It’s not about the time we give to do the “work of the Lord”. It’s not about how high we have risen in position. It’s not about serving until we drop dead of exhaustion. It’s not about pleasing others so we can manipulate them to be like us. All these behaviors and activities have a sound—clanging cymbals and loud gongs of piety. Listen for it to avoid it.
True serving is a product of the love of God in us! We stand amazed by His Love, Mercy, and Grace daily!
The Apostle Paul, transformed by Jesus, later became a passionate church planter throughout the known world. He was often beaten and jailed for loving, serving, and preaching Jesus crucified and resurrected. He hears of the uproar of misguided new believers who are boastfully arguing over issues unrelated to loving and serving Jesus Christ. Paul writes inspired words from God to calm down a church in Corinth filled with imperfect people, (such as ourselves), who have not yet realize that the Love of God is as the motivator of how we love and serve—not from a place of pride. So, Paul, from his jailcell writes a letter to them;
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast; but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13
It’s been said many times lately, if Paul were still alive—we’d be getting a letter! We laugh; but the words meant for the church then apply to us now. We need to READ God’s Word asking for the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit. Only then will be convicted enough to obey His correction in our lives. As forgiven and redeemed people of God, our relationship with God deepens and grows more intimately in His Love. We realize more and more that it is HIS LOVE in us that motivates our desire to serve like Jesus—as a habit of His Love!
David prays for the Lord’s guidance so that he can walk in a way that pleases the Lord. Ultimately, our only hope for true freedom is found in our willingness to enter into a relationship with God—a relationship that is both initiated by Jesus and sustained by God. God’s Holy Spirit daily leads us to God’s Truth. There is great, abiding peace in truly believing all that God says is really real. God is alive and active today! Listen to Him.
I love and pray for all reading this today— May the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, even now; for it is in this surrender to Jesus that the peace we seek is found, dear friends!
Oh Lord,
May Your Holy Spirit continue to help me in all I think, say, and do in Jesus Name, by His Love, for our good and God’s glory! May Your Love guide my every thought. May your peace rule my heart today. Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls with your new, tender mercies of conviction followed by correction. Restore the joy of our relationship as you continuously strengthen our hearts with Your unfailing love. I’m yours. I’m listening for I am Your Servant. All my trust is in You. Thank you for your unfailing love.
In Jesus Name, Amen
