READ: Psalms 4-7
This series of Psalms really model how we should trust in God when our circumstances don’t seem to display His goodness.
Psalm 4:4 may seem a little out of context on first reading. Yet it’s a powerful verse and a changing point for the Psalmist. The Psalm starts with a plea to God for help. We understand that. We know how desperate we can get for God’s help in our distress. We get to the point where the biggest thing we want to know is whether or not God is paying attention. We scream to the heavens, “Just show me You are listening!”
The Psalmist moves on though, as we often do, to pointing our eyes towards those who have hurt or offended us. We feel the pain others cause us so deeply it’s often all we can see.
This could get the Psalmist stuck in a cycle of self-pity, but he doesn’t stay there. That’s where verse 4 comes in. We might visualize the Psalmist suddenly sitting up straight in bed in the dark of night, a new realization hitting him. He says to himself, “Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.” From this point on the Psalmist has a different perspective. He concentrates on his own heart and not on the troublemakers.
We can take a lesson from this teaching Psalm. When we are offended or frustrated or somehow in a difficult place it seems natural to lay on our beds getting angrier and angrier. We lose sleep and replay conversations in our head of what we should have said, or what we’ll say next time. The Psalmist reminds us that even in our anger we should refrain from sinning, and instead consider our own hearts.
2 Corinthians 10:5 says “…take every thought captive to obey Christ…” It’s so easy to sin in our thoughts when we are offended or have been mistreated. The model here shows us to search our own hearts and be silent; to turn off the conversation in our head that is not honoring to God. From this point in the Psalm we see a change in his heart. He trusts in the Lord and asks the Lord to let the light of His face shine on Him. His prayer has changed from “Get me out of this distress!” to “Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord.”
Verse 7 and 8 really speak to the change that can happen when we focus on the Lord. He fills us with joy. We are able to sleep in peace. Our time of distress becomes better than the best we’ve ever experienced.
JOURNALING AND PRAYER
1. What are some of the difficulties you are facing right now or have faced recently? Take a few minutes to journal a prayer asking God for help in this situation. Pray in faith knowing God wants to give you joy and peace during this time.
2. Ask the Lord to remind you of times when you’ve not taken your thoughts captive. Confess and ask the Lord to speak to you of His forgiveness, His perspective, and to fill you with joy.
3. Psalm 17:7 is a verse of praise and thanksgiving. Spend a few minutes listening as God reminds you of things you can be thankful for – both the good and the not-so-great – and then give Him praise for all He’s done.
