Skip to main content

Psalm 61:1-3 Hear my cry, O Lord - Day 257

Dear fellow exiles and strangers,

I am confronted again with the example of David in prayer.  While it is good to ask others to pray for us, this psalm drives me to the realization that he cries out to God for himself.  David doesn't have a "prayer chain" to call upon.  He cries out to the Lord.

Blessings,

Jeff

The current events in the world of sports seem to pale in comparison to David's situation.  A top female tennis player refuses to talk to the press after a match because she suffers from depression.  Making a statement by not making a statement.

David has been driven to the ends of the earth presumably by Absalom.  Calvin points out that to be absent from Jerusalem and the tabernacle put one at the ends of the earth even thought it may have only been a hundred miles.  To be a king on the run seems to be more distressing that questions from the press after a tennis match.

David knew God as his refuge and a strong tower against his enemies, but now needs to be led to the rock that is higher than he.  He is in deep distress even thought he knows God is his security.  For those who have never known God in this way, the depression of not meeting others expectations must be oppressive.  Yet He invites them to call on Him to rescue their souls.

As believers, we do not need to cover up our disappointments and distress.  Through David, God gives us words to express the entire range of human emotion

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

2 Chronicles 33:7-9 Thoughts on Davidic covenant - Day 362

Good morning faithful readers, The finish line is in sight!!!  One of the themes of scripture is that God is a covenant keeping God.  There are many between God and man. Adam, Noah, David are examples.  Covenants are more than promises.  They are made between a superior and inferior with conditions for each side and blessing and penalties based on keeping the conditions.  These are covenants of works which fallen man was unable to keep.  Thanks be to God that the Father made a covenant of grace with Christ, the second Adam, which he fully kept. Blessings, Jeff The promise in v8 was made to David when he had planned to build the temple and God promised to build him a house forever. (2 Sam 7:10).  Seems like there are only two possibilities about Manasseh's disobedience.  Either he knew of this covenant that God had made with his 13th great grandfather and chose to disregard it, or he didn't know of it and was unaware of the penalty.  Let's con...

2 Chronicles 30:16-20 Hearts set to seek the Lord - Day 359

Good morning fellow members of the household of God, After writing the devotional, I am thinking about the Passover as a household event.  In ancient Israel, the physical household of man was covered by the blood of the lamb.  Now, it is the spiritual household of God that is covered by the blood of the Lamb. Blessings, Jeff The account of the greatest celebration of Passover since time of Solomon (v 26).   Observations: One of the things that made this one great is participation of some of the tribes from the northern kingdom.  Israel was a united kingdom and Solomon and now toward the end of the northern kingdom, there is at least a semblance of being united. God allows some exemptions: Who offers the sacrifice:  The original Passover was a family by family sacrifice of a lamb.  However in  Deuteronomy 16:5-6 this changed to a centralized location once they entered the promised land.  (You may not offer the Passover sacrifice within any of ...

2 Chronicles 35:23-26 Lament for the last good king - Day 364

Good morning fellow exiles and pilgrims, One more day of devotions.  We are indeed exiles and pilgrims in this world as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.  The 20th anniversary of 9/11 attacks can serve as a reminder that this world is not our home. Blessings, Jeff The lamentations for Josiah written by Jeremiah.  However, the book of Lamentations does not include any reference to Josiah as they are focused on the fall of Jerusalem.  While these lost lamentations were "made the rule" there are only 4 more kings and none of them were good like Josiah and none died in Jerusalem.  The phrase "to this day" generally refers to the time of the author (post exile).  Taken together, it may be that these laments were for the last good king and during the exile the people were longing for the next good king. Zerubbabel in a way was the next good king as temple and Jerusalem were rebuilt. But Jesus truly was the next king and He...