February 13, 2015 – Friday

Start Time: 5:47 AM

End Time:  7:03 AM

Title: For the Director of music.  A Psalm of David

Scripture: Psalm 31:1 - 24

God’s Message / God’s Promise / God’s Commands:

→ there’s something different with this chapter among all of David's Psalms.  Something has changed with the words he used.  In verse 1, David said, "In You Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness." - We heard similar words in previous chapters yet this time, David said it implying that he has been taking refuge in Him for some time now and asking God to not let him never be put to shame and deliver him in His righteousness.  Now I remember David speaking to God about his righteousness, the confidence he had in his blameless walk with God but in this chapter, he referred to God's righteousness instead of his.  Now this tells me maturity.  I believe David has learned and saw that his righteousness is never enough no matter how blameless he walked on earth or righteous he becomes.  Again, his words showed humbleness - recognizing the power and glory of the Lord more than his own.  In verse 2, he asked God to be his Rock of refuge and his strong fortress.  Now, think about these words and think back, was there a time that you asked God to be your Rock or strong fortress?  We kept asking God to heal us, to provide for our needs, to give us strength so the focus of our prayer is what he can do for us instead of Who HE IS that's why HE can do what He does!  I hope what I'm saying makes sense.  But my point is, David did not dwell on what God can do for him, David focused on WHO GOD IS that's why he can do all these amazing things for HIS sake or HIS NAME's sake or for HIS children, whom HE promised to take care of so in short for HIS WORDS' sake.  David elaborated that in verse 3 to 5, he said, for the sake of Your Name, lead and guide me.  Keep me free from the trap that is set for me for You are my refuge.  So David again focused on WHO GOD IS to him.  Let's recognize this and apply it in our prayers.

In verses 6 to 8, David spoke of his allegiance to God - hating those that God hates. Then proceeded to seek God's mercy for he is weak with sorrow.  Pleading before God for help for his strength fails him and his bones are growing weak. I see this as David declaring his nothingness and his great need for God to come and rescue him.  Look at verses 11 to 13, David spoke of himself as the utter contempt of his neighbors, the object of dread to his closest friends.  David spoke of himself as forgotten like he was dead; he was like a broken pottery because of the whispering he hears about terror on every side, about his enemies conspiring against him and plotting to take his life.  Clearly, David tells the Lord the worst of his situation and how weak he can be to battle this up - this however does not focus on the negative because I believe these words were to highlight David's great need for God!

That's why in verse 14, he started it with "But I trust in you LORD; I say, "You are my God"" Now, this is David's come back or should I say his main goal in this prayer or psalm.  Highlighting the focus of his dependency to God!  Recognizing God as the Lord in control of his life and so he was confident to ask God to deliver him from the hands of his enemies and to let God's face shine on him, again saving him in HIS unfailing love.  Again, David may be a king but he is no commander of God.  Every verse from 16 to 18 when he was asking God what he should do to his enemies and to him, start with "Let" - it was a clear request not a command or instructions for God to follow.  Take note of the reverence David emphasized in his every prayer.   All these things he wants God to do to his enemies were all a request and not spoken in command like a king should do.  In God and David's relationship, clearly David is the servant and God is the King!

After asking God to deal with his enemies, he focused on what God has instore for those who fear him like he does.  The abundance of good things; the protection from any human rumors or intrigues; Safety from any accusing tongues - clearly David's issue at these times is Gossip, lying and accusing lips.

And by the time we reached verse 21 to 24, we know that David will all be in Praise because again, he saw and knew that God will show the wonders of his love and heard his cry for help.  So he encouraged everyone who fears and hope in the Lord to love Him, be strong and take heart for God preserves those who are true to Him.  Amen!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, such an amazing pattern of prayer You taught me today.  David was in distress because of gossips, lying tongue and accusing ones.  He has heard many rumors of terrors and his heart is troubled, maybe because he knows his kingdom does not chance among his enemies for they allied themselves together on their own so he did what he knew had helped him and made him victorious in all battle.  He called upon You!  I love that I can see a level of maturity in his words as I read through each chapter, this tells me Lord that even David went through a learning process with You.  I feel like I am doing the same.  So thank You Lord.  I am happy to learn that David focused more on WHO YOU ARE in his prayers that's why You do what You do to protect and save Him, not because of what YOU can do for him.  Help me Lord to apply this in my own prayer life.  I know it will be hard at first but practice is what I need.  Give me the right words as You gave David his.  So here's what i learned today from David's prayer:

1) Focus on WHO God is that's why HE does these great things to protect and save His people and not focus on what can do for us

- So for me Lord, You are my everything, my life, my Father, my source of all good things, You are my God!

2) Declare your allegiance to God - David said he hated those who cling to worthless idols.

- I am Your servant Lord and my loyalty is with You.  I will hate the things You hate (I know myself Lord, I need to process and internalize this - but i will get there), and love the things You love.  My allegiance is in You, Lord Jesus!

3) Showed our weaknesses to emphasize on our great need for the Lord - David spoke that his strength has failed him and anguish has consumed his life.

- I am a joke to some, a woman of suppressed potential or some may say wasted potential. I am weak and indecisive.  I am a people pleaser and fearful.  I am a worrier and outsider. I am naive and unwise/unpractical.  I am not a team player and many would want to just put me down and keep me down at all times.

4) Declare your total dependency to God - He is in control of Your life

- That's why Lord I need You because I cannot change the way others think of me.  I know that in You, I am whole again despite of what others may think of me.  No matter how they broke me, I am restored because You protect me from their worthless words.

5) Ask God what You want Him to do but remember to "ASK" not tell Him what to do

- I ask You Lord that may You renew their way of thinking and let them see the truth behind the decisions I made in my life. May You show Your glory and amazingness in me that they will see no matter how small I am in their eyes, because of You, I am great!  May those who speak ill of me see Your magnificent plan with my life and they will be ashamed that they have thought of those against me.

6) Speak of God's goodness to His people

- You have been faithful to all Your children even to those who are unfaithful to You like me.  You have stored up so many good things for me to enjoy here on earth and until the day You come.  I long for that time Lord.

7) Praise and Worship Him

- Truly You alone Lord deserves all glory and praise.  Know that my heart will be forever grateful because of the many miracles You do in my life each day.  I want to lift Your Name on high Lord because You deserve all my praise!  Your ear is not deaf to hear my cry and Your hand is not short to come and reach me.  So indeed, I will praise You all the days of my life!

In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen!