March 20, 2015 – Friday

Start Time: 6:08 AM

End Time:   6:38 AM

Title: For the Director of Music. To the Tune of “Do Not Destroy.” Of David.  A miktam.  When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him.      

Scripture: Psalm 59:1 – 17

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

→ Imagine one night you wake up realizing that the man you respected so much and looked up to, has left you under the bus and is now leading a group set up primarily to destroy your reputation, your achievements and ultimately you!  How would you feel?  Would you feel devastated? afraid? hurt? anger? shock? What emotions and thoughts would be playing around your hearts and minds at this difficult time?  It's one thing to know that you have been betrayed by someone you care about but the betrayal is not yet finished.  The person you care about is still in the process of putting you down until he/she destroys you.  Now that's what David's life was during the time he created this chapter.  King Saul has just sent men to David's house to kill him.  All these David was made aware of and is now fearing for his life.

As always, David's first or constant act is to call upon God for help.  He started this chapter with a cry for help to the Lord - asking for deliverance.  Before asking questions like why Saul did what he did?  Or what did he do to make Saul this angry? Or what caused this anger and hatred inside Saul, before David tried analyzing his situation, his first act was not to question why, but to cry for help.  How many times in our lives that we were in trouble and yet instead of recognizing our need for help, we tend to spend time investigating and understanding the cause of the problem so we can fix it?  But David is not like that, he starts everything and end everything with God and does everything in between with the Lord too.  That's why we ought to learn from his life because he was one of the greatest and successful kings ever to live on earth.  And his secret?  God!

David in this chapter highlighted how powerful and glorious God is far more greater than Saul or his men.

I want to focus on the verses David wrote starting from verse 9, here we see that David gave praise to God by illustrating who He is to him in this time of need.  God is his strength, his fortress, One that he relies on and watches over him.  David spoke of God going before him, leading him in the path to safety.  But what amazes me is what David wrote in verse 11, he said, "But do not kill them, Lord our shield, or my people will forget.  In your might uproot them and bring them down."  David sought for the Lord to bring his enemies down but never to kill them.  David's heart is clear in his words, he was not a murderer and when he prays for his safety, he does not seek for the death of his enemies.  He wanted them stopped and bring to shame for what they did... why? what's the purpose?  Why not kill them?  David was not acting in revenge when he asked God for help.  He sought for God to humble his enemies, I believe this is so because David desired for his enemies to change, will specifically for Saul to change.  David was hopeful that Saul can change because he used to be good, he used to be the anointed of God, so I believe David was hoping for the best for Saul.  And so, he wished or prayed for his enemies to be brought down, to lose, to be defeated but not dead.  I hope we have the same heart as DAvid who sees the good in everyone no matter how evil the person is or was.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for a wonderful revelation.  Thank You for giving me wisdom to understand the words of David.  Thank You for showing me the secrets in Your words, the treasures in it.  Lord help me to have a heart like David.  To nurture compassion in me towards the wicked.  Help me to see what You see in them Lord.  That I may be able to pray like David for them.  That I may pray for their defeat so that they will be humbled and change by You.  Not long for their defeat because their defeat will be my success.  Clean my intentions Lord; wash my heart and set it to be in line with Yours.  in Jesus' Name, Amen!