READ:
Psalms 63-65
David is a man who communicates very
clearly with God about his feelings, and his struggles. Psalm 63 is another one
of these deeply felt prayers to the Lord. He is so aware of his need for God he
feels it physically in his body. He describes his longing for God’s refreshing
as if he was drying out in a desert with no water, dying. Even so, he knows God
is good, and his love is better than life. With the depth of longing he has for
God, and even in the desperate situations he is in, he doesn’t blame God for
the struggles. Rather, he uses each struggle as a resource to help him remember
the goodness of God. He has experienced God’s goodness. He has known the love
of God personally and longs for that experience again. Instead of allowing his
dry desert experience to dictate the way he relates to God, he pushes into God
even more. David lies on his bed at night purposely thinking about the things
of God instead of dwelling on his circumstances. He chooses to sing as a way to
cling to God, even when his emotions are screaming all kinds of opposites at
him. This practice of praise and thanksgiving, of clinging desperately to God,
give birth, to the hope that can only be found in God.
Psalm 65 is a song of praise. We don’t
know when this psalm was written. We can’t know the exact situation David was
in while he was composing this, but we know he is looking at the world around
him, seeing the nature God created, and being stirred to the core with God’s
eternal goodness.
One could imagine David, no longer glum
or in the depths of despair, seeing the world again as through new eyes. He
begins by remembering how overwhelmed he’s been by sin and the joy of God’s
forgiveness. Now the hope for an eternity with God filters into his soul. It’s
like spring has come to his heart and he is excited again to live. As we read
through this psalm we sense that everything David sees is one more thing to
give God glory for. He is ecstatic because of the goodness of God and he wants
to give God praise in return for all His provision and bounty.
JOURNALING
AND PRAYER
1. David had powerful experiences of God’s
love and presence that helped him through difficult times. Ask the Lord right
now to speak to you about His love for you. Lay down your agenda for today and
ask the Lord to communicate with you in such a mighty way you would be able to
look back on what He says to you today when you are in despair. Write down what
He shows or tells you. Accept His love and His words. Enjoy His presence.
2. David lies on his bed at night thinking
about the things of God instead of worrying or thinking through the day’s
struggles, worries or allowing his thoughts to lead him into despair. This
lines up with 2 Corinthians 10:5 which tells us to take every thought captive
and make it obedient to Christ. Ask the Lord to bring to mind times you
typically let your mind wander or dwell on offences, fights, conversations, or
other things that bring you down and don’t glorify the Lord. Ask Him for
forgiveness, then ask Him for several specific things He wants you to focus on
the next time this comes up. Be diligent in practicing this!
3. Psalm 65 is a song of praise. If you
are comfortable with it, either stand in respect or kneel in worship, and read
this psalm to God out loud as your prayer of praise and thanksgiving. When the
psalm is done, continue to praise God with things He brings to mind – even the
practical every day things He has done for you.
