John Mark Ministries | Walking And Talking With God – Psalms 6

John Mark Ministries

Thinking maturely about the Christian faith

Search

// you’re reading...

Business

Walking And Talking With God – Psalms 6 – 10

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ January 5, 2003 ⋅ Post a comment

11. Thirty Psalms

vii. Psalm 6

1.. O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger, or discipline me in your wrath.

2.. Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.

3.. My soul also is struck with terror, while you, O LORD – how long?

4.. Turn, O LORD, save my life; deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.

5.. For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who can give you praise?

6.. I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with weeping.

7.. My eyes waste away with grief; they grow weak because of all my foes.

8.. Depart from me all you workers of evil, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.

9.. The LORD has heard my supplication; the LORD accepts my prayer.

10.. All my enemies shall be ashamed and struck with terror; they shall turn back and in a moment be put to shame.

Praying

I have just read this Psalm this morning Lord, and I am starting to see it in a new light. I thought it was a prayer of confession – and it may be. But David is not saying “Don’t rebuke me, don’t discipline me,” he’s saying “Don ‘t rebuke me in anger” (V.1.).

Lord, this morning, I can really identify with this. I need your rebuke, Lord. I need your discipline, but it needs to come, and I know it will come, with your infinite tenderness and love. And therefore, I can submit myself to you, can bow before you prone, and ask you, the Almighty, to deal with me as you will.

I don’t need to go into detail here of all my goofs and gaffs, but idleness is a major one – together with lack of perseverance in prayer. I don’t have the “agony bones” that David had (V.2.), but a superficiality in devotional life is weakening the skeleton of my faith. David said that his soul was in anguish (V.3.). I think that means that he sensed that his enemies were winning, that your purposes were threatened, and that his life was at risk. I’ve been there occasionally, but I should be more often if I’m serious about a front line role in your service.

Then he turns to you, turns everything to you (Vv.6-8.), and comes to know that you have heard his prayer (V.9.). How do you want me to respond to this, Lord?

Listening

My son, I have not put you in a position of physical threat to your life, but some of my servants are in such a position. Pray for them – for your brothers and sisters in Indonesia, Timor, Africa and other places, who are in physical threat because they are standing up for me. They can understand the strength of these words in a different way, because I do hear their prayers, and their enemies will be ashamed, dismayed, and turn back in disgrace.

For you, the enemy will frequently be spiritual. Your plans will be thwarted – temporarily – but you must trust me that I am in control. Lay everything before me – all night long, with tears. Know that I will hear your prayer, and answer in both love and mercy. And we will win, because I have already conquered. This last awareness is the advantage that you have over my servant David. Let it undergird and strengthen your faith at all times.

Praying

I will, Lord. Accept again, my love and worship. Thank you for strengthening me, even now, as these words came to me.

For comments or responses, please contact

WALKING AND TALKING WITH GOD

11. Thirty Psalms

viii. Psalm 7

1.. O LORD my God, in you I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,

2.. or like a lion they will tear me apart; they will drag me away with no one to rescue.

3.. O LORD my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands,

4.. if I have repaid my ally with harm or plundered my foe without cause,

5.. then let the enemy pursue and overtake me, trample my life to the ground, and lay my life in the dust.

6.. Rise up, O LORD, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake O my God; you have appointed a judgment.

7.. Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered around you, and over it, take your seat on high.

8.. The LORD judges the peoples; judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.

9.. O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous, you who tests the minds and hearts, O righteous God.

10.. God is my shield, who saves the upright in heart.

11.. God is a righteous judge, and a God who has indignation every day.

12.. If one does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and strung his bow;

13.. He has prepared his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts.

14.. See how they conceive evil, and are pregnant with mischief, and bring forth lies.

15.. They make a pit, digging it out, and fall into the hole that they have made.

16.. Their mischief returns upon their own heads, and on their own heads their violence descends.

17.. I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.

Thinking

We don’t know the background to this Psalm, but it seems that David had offended a man called Cush, a Benjamite. We don’t know the circumstances, although David seems very confident that it wasn’t his fault (Vv.3-5.). He offers his life if his act towards Cush had been evil. This is pretty serious stuff and he is desperate.

Praying

The circumstances remind me again of you, Lord. You were pursued – accused of being evil, you turned again as our example to the Father, and you offered your life.

Today we still seem to be surrounded by evil men, and like David, I pray for the day when you will rise up against the rage of my enemies (V.6.), or rather, your enemies. My God, I pray that you will hasten the day when you will rule from on high and judge the peoples (Vv.7,8.). But first, Lord, you must judge me (V.8.). I want to be righteous, but this can only come from you. Search my mind, Lord; I give you free rein.

Listening

I will, my son. I accept your invitation, but your invitation must be continuous, not just words in the moment of devotion. There are lots of things we need to clean up. You know them even as I speak to you now. Submit to me. Let me make you upright in heart. Then I will be your shield (V.10.)

and will protect you from the Cushes of this world.

Praying

Lord, I bow before you now in humility – and make my confession to you.

The next few verses speak figuratively about your power (Vv.12-16.) and I thank you for the absolute confidence expressed by David that you will conquer. But more than this, Lord. Your absolute power is righteous (V.17.)

and therefore totally trustworthy. Lord, I worship you now, and sing praise to your name, O Lord most high.

For comments or responses, please contact

WALKING AND TALKING WITH GOD

11. Thirty Psalms

ix. Psalm 8

1.. O LORD, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.

2.. Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger.

3.. When I look at the heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established;

4.. what are human beings that you are mindful of them,

5.. yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor.

6.. You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet,

7.. all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,

8.. the birds of the air and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

9.. O LORD, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Thinking

This is a very beautiful Psalm, and most of us have heard it many times, read aloud, and also set to music. “How majestic is your name in all the earth!” (V.1.). However, perhaps there’s something here we Westerners miss. It may be easier for us to think of the person of God as majestic, or perhaps his presence, but the focus here is on the name of God. To David, it was God’s unmentionable and totally holy name that was majestic and above everything. We paraphrase God’s name as Jehovah, or Yahweh, but may sometimes have lost the stilling holiness and majesty of the sound.

But we have gained the new name – Jesus, Jesu, Yeshua, Saviour of the World. And this is the name now raised above everything, sitting with the Father, seated in glory, and above the heavens (V.2.).

Praying

Lord, I’m beginning to understand the power of your name, of your names – the majestic, the holy, and the divine hyphen – Jesus-Jehovah.

Thank you Lord, that as a child I was taught to praise your name. May I be forward in teaching people of all ages today to lift your name to its right and majestic place, for you have ordained praise.

Lord, again I come to you in wonder that you bother about us – that you bother about me (V.4.).

David itemised your works very simply – moon, stars, things in place, man in place, heavenly beings, and the breadth of creation (Vv.5-8.). Lord, I marvel that you have a place for us.

Listening

Yes, my son. I have a place for you – for each of you, your brothers and sisters in my family. More than that, I want you to own and wear my name, and to be seen as my people.

Praying

Lord, I can only reply with David. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (V.9.).

For comments or responses, please contact

WALKING AND TALKING WITH GOD

11. Thirty Psalms

x. Psalm 9

1.. I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.

2.. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

3.. When my enemies turned back, they stumbled and perished before you.

4.. For you have maintained my just cause; you have sat on the throne giving righteous judgment.

5.. You have rebuked the nations, you have destroyed the wicked; you have blotted out their name forever and ever.

6.. The enemies have vanished in everlasting ruins; their cities you have rooted out; the very memory of them has perished.

7.. But the LORD sits enthroned forever, he has established his throne for judgment.

8.. he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the people with equity.

9.. The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

10.. And those who know your name will put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.

11.. Sing praises to the LORD who dwells in Zion. Declare his deeds among the peoples.

12.. For he who avenges blood is mindful of them; he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.

13.. Be gracious to me, O LORD. See what I suffer from those who hate me; you are the one who lifts me up from the gates of death,

14.. so that I may recount all your praises, and, in the gates of daughter Zion, rejoice in your deliverance.

15.. The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid has their own foot been caught.

16.. The LORD has made himself known, he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands.

17.. The wicked shall depart to Sheol. all the nations that forget God.

18.. For the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor perish forever.

19.. Rise up, O LORD! Do not let mortals prevail; let the nations be judged before you.

20.. Put them in fear, O LORD; let the nations know they are only human.

Thinking

On the morning that I came again to this psalm, I also had a difficult report to write. It was going to be challenging, but do-able, and I knew that it would stretch my concentration, logic, and intellect. What better way to prepare for this than to align myself with God for a time, and ponder his words? So I turned to Psalm 9.

David said, “I will praise you with all my heart; I will tell of your wonders” (V.1.). There seems to be a simplicity of purpose here that I need to take note of. Here is me thinking about concentration, logic and intellect, but these are matters of the mind. Far more important are matters of the soul.

Praying

This morning, Lord, may I praise you with all my heart – which means in entirety. So I repeat your wonders – your power, your wisdom, your grace, your mercy, but most of all your love – to all of us corporately and individually.

As I do this Lord, I rejoice in you (V.2.). This is indeed a matter of the soul, of the heart, but it takes the inhibitions off my mind. All the examples of concentration lie with you. Because you are always with me, you never forsake me. All the patterns of logic come from you. They are set out in creation, in your word, in your example. And compared with your intellect, my Lord, I am a slow-moving mud worm. Lord, as I sit here in worship, praising your name, and contemplating your wonder, the slate of my mind is being wiped clean and fresh. This report will be a cinch – but it can wait a bit longer.

Listening

Keep reading my son.

Praying

David seemed to have some problems, Lord. Not just individuals, but nations (Vv.5,6.). He knew they would fall away. Everything other than you is transient, but you reign forever (V.7.). You will judge, you will govern (V.8.), you will be a refuge (V.9.) and you will never forsake those who seek you (V.10.).

Lord I seek you just now. I reach out to you in my soul, and as I do this everything else fades into cloud. Lord, I thank you again for this deepest

mystery of all time, that you want me to be with you, to converse, and speak my mind, and even more important, to hear your voice.

Listening

My son, you are also talking too much. Be still before me. Just know my presence. It is right for you to seek me, or rather, to respond to my seeking you, but it should be deeper than just a gabble of words.

Praying

Thank you Lord. In your presence, my spoken and written words become just symbols of the preverbal conversation with my soul. Perhaps these are too intimate to write on paper. But I just have to tell you – I love you.

The rest of the Psalm (Vv.11-20.) seems to be David’s business, or perhaps for people other than me today. Is that OK Lord?

Listening

Yes my son, my words are here for people of all time. On another occasion these will speak to you in a different way.

Praying

Thank you Lord, Amen. Time for the report.

For comments or responses, please contact

WALKING AND TALKING WITH GOD

11. Thirty Psalms

xi. Psalm 10

1.. Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

2.. In arrogance, the wicked persecute the poor – let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.

3.. For the wicked boast of the desires of the heart, those greedy for gain curse and renounce the LORD.

4.. In the pride of their countenance the wicked say, “God will not seek it out”: all there thoughts are, “There is no God.”

5.. Their ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of their sight; as for their foes, they scoff at them.

6.. They think in their heart, “We shall not be moved; throughout all generations, we shall not meet adversity.”

7.. Their mouths are filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under their tongues are mischief and iniquity.

8.. They sit in ambush in their villages; in hiding places, they murder the innocent. Their eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;

9.. They lurk in secret like a lion in covert; they lurk that they may seize the poor; they seize the poor and drag them off in their net.

10.. They stoop, they crouch, and the helpless fall by their might.

11.. They think in their heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”

12.. Rise up, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand; do not forget the oppressed.

13.. Why do the wicked renounce God, and say in their hearts, “You will not call us to account”?

14.. But do you see! Indeed you note trouble and grief, that you may take it into you hands; the helpless commit themselves to you; you have been the helper of the orphan.

15.. Break the arm of the wicked and evildoers; seek out their wickedness until you find none.

16.. The LORD is king forever and ever; the nations shall perish from his land.

17.. O LORD, you will hear the desire of the meek; you will strengthen their heart, you will incline their ear

18.. to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed, so that those from earth may strike terror no more.

Praying

Lord, I come to you this morning, and you know my prayer, the thoughts that I lifted to you even before I reached out for your word to read this Psalm. I am working on a long-term project with you – we have discussed it many times – but this morning, I am a bit frustrated about the speed of progress, or rather the slowness. You know me, Lord. I want everything to happen today – or yesterday! So I reached out to you, and acknowledged again that you are in control, and know best the timing. But I need your regular encouragement.

Thinking

So now I turn to the Psalm. “Why O Lord do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (V.1.). The Psalmist seems to have a challenge similar to me. I must read on.

The passage goes on to describe the kinds of godless people who appear to succeed in life. Hunting down the weak who are caught in schemes (V.2.), cravings, greed (V.3.), pride, no room for God (V.4.), prosperous, haughty, above the law (V.5.), self confidence in a trouble-free happy life (V.6.), yet curses, lies, threats, evil mouth, (V.7.), and looking for victims to fall under his strength (Vv.8-11.). I could be reading today’s newspaper. This seems to be a description of today’s world.

Listening

Yes, my son. And now you know why some projects undertaken in my name can be hindered in their outcome. Anything done in my name will attract the attention of the enemy to inhibit or delay completion. And almost every activity undertaken by man, either individually or corporately will have a metaphysical aspect to it. Projects that develop personal gain and independence can turn people away from me because they don’t see a need to trust. Others are even more obvious. Some of your projects are slow because other parties continue to ponder, “What’s in it for me?” You must dedicate your work completely to me. Then I will bless it and you with it, and use the outcome as a resource in my kingdom. Then we can stand together. Now read on.

Thinking

These next words are for me this morning. “Arise lift up your hand O God”(V.14.). God sees (V.14.), is powerful (V.15.), is King forever (V.16.), hears (V.17.), and defends (V.18.).

Praying

Lord, I lift my heart to you in wonder and worship this morning, and thank you for the timing and the quality of this encouragement. Praise be to God. Thank you, Lord.