Written by: Andy Bathgate - Scripture Union (Scotland)
Psalm 39 v 1-6
I said, "I will be careful how I act and will not sin by what I say.
I will be careful what I say around wicked people."
So I kept very quiet.
I didn't even say anything good, but I became even more upset.
I became very angry inside, and as I thought about it, my anger burned.
So I spoke:
" LORD, tell me when the end will come and how long I will live.
Let me know how long I have.
You have given me only a short life; my lifetime is like nothing to you.
Everyone's life is only a breath.
People are like shadows moving about.
All their work is for nothing; they collect things but don't know who will get
them."
Notes
Just moments before writing this I sent cards to two friends blighted by long-term
illness. They are godly, gifted people. Why is it that they have been so
severely curtailed in their desire to serve God? Why are they sidelined?
Is it wrong to ask that sort of question? The start of this psalm suggests to us that there is a time to remain silent. But is that always the correct reaction? There is certainly a wrong way to ask such questions and a wrong place to ask them. Those with faith in God bring their questions to him, humbly and with a desire to learn ("Lord, tell me"). We don't ask in order to accuse. Airing questions like that with unbelievers is the wrong place. It is disloyal and has the potential to bring a disparaging sneer (v 8) and a slur on God's name.
Having faith does not mean we have no questions. We all do. Sometimes our questions produce frustration levels that reach boiling point ("my anger burned"). God is never threatened by any of our questions, like some games show contestant forced to "pass". We can take our tough questions to the Lord, bringing our concerns to him with a genuine desire to get his perspective.
As David wrote this psalm, he was struggling with the purpose of his life. What is it all about? Life is short, lacks significance and seems ultimately pointless. That second-to-none CD collection, those latest DVDs, the wardrobe of designer labels – so what? When we die, some stranger will buy them at the next car boot sale.
Where will you get some perspective on questions of that magnitude? Speak to the Lord about them. Surprisingly he has never been caught off guard by a question yet!
Prayer
There are many issues that frustrate me, Lord. Sometimes I even wonder why
I bother. Thank you that my questions are not off limits. I can bring them
to you. But, like Peter, I want to say: "Lord, where would we go? You
have the words that give eternal life" (John 6 v 68). Amen
Psalm 39 v 7-11
" So, Lord, what hope do I have?
You are my hope.
Save me from all my sins.
Don't let wicked fools make fun of me.
I am quiet; I do not open my mouth, because you are the one who has done this.
Stop punishing me; your beating is about to kill me.
You correct and punish people for their sins; like a moth, you destroy what
they love.
Everyone's life is only a breath."
Notes
How do you view God? As David wrote these verses he drew together at least
three aspects of God's character. God is our hope, our only hope. Without
him life is a cul-de-sac - it goes nowhere. Secondly, God is our saviour.
He alone can bring forgiveness from "all" my sins. These are ideas
we embrace and they rightly make us sing. Take a moment to stop and give
thanks.
But there is more to say about God. David was in pain. We are not party to all the reasons but we know that David was far from happy. Something was causing him grief. He understood his predicament as from God, because God also disciplines. Whatever had happened to David was God's doing and demonstrated his concern to rebuke and discipline. This too is part of the truth about God.
Does all this sound quite vindictive and out of character for God?
God loves you far too much to leave you the way you are. He cannot ignore the sin that defaces you and fractures your relationships with others. He will not turn a blind eye to my jealousy, my bitterness, my prayerlessness, my greed. Out of a father's heart of love he brings hardships to make us sit up and pay attention. David provides the image of a moth, eating away the things that we love. We get so easily distracted and so easily satisfied by temporary and fading things like status, popularity and a comfortable lifestyle. Jesus wants to give us treasure that cannot be touched by moth and rust and decay (see 1 Peter 1 v 3-4).
Nescafé used a slogan in an advertisement that should have been reserved for the Christian faith: "Don't settle for anything less". God will intervene to stop you accepting worthless substitutes.
Prayer
This prayer is based on Hebrews 12, which is about the Lord's discipline:
"Lord, hardship is not pleasant but I accept it comes from you as a father
who loves me and wants me to share in your holiness. Help me to be trained by
it and to produce a harvest of righteousness. Amen"
Psalm 39 v 12-13
" LORD, hear my prayer, and listen to my cry.
Do not ignore my tears.
I am like a visitor with you.
Like my ancestors, I'm only here for a short time.
Leave me alone so I can be happy before I leave and am no more."
Notes
These verses are so realistic about what life is like sometimes. Despite some
people giving the impression that being a Christian leaves you problem-free,
we all know that in reality that is just not true. In fact, following Jesus
can increase the dilemmas you face!
For David, this was desperation time. He wondered whether God was listening to him at all. He had no inner feeling, reassuring him of God's intimate love. In fact, he felt like a "visitor", a word that probably refers to foreigners living temporarily in the land of Israel. They could not own land and settle down. The feeling we can have of being in our own space, with all its connotations of safety, relaxation and peace, was not one they could share. It is a powerful image of spiritual homelessness.
This was so unsettling and distressing that David would rather just be left alone. If only God would let him be he could perhaps experience some respite before death. If only God stopped interfering in his life!
We can do everyone a disservice by the way we talk and sing about being a Christian. We don't always find that knowing Jesus makes our problems disappear or eliminates despair. There are unanswered cries for help, times when we feel alone, periods when we just lose heart. God's determination to break the power of sin in us is as painful as invasive surgery.
What should we do? Like David we need to understand that God
disciplines us because he loves us. Like David we need to honestly express
how we feel to God. But unlike David, we can turn to someone who knows how
we feel, someone who knew what it was to be abandoned by his Father. Jesus
did not lose heart and neither need we.
Prayer
Lord, I am so strongly attached to my selfish pride, it hurts when you work
to transform me into a humble servant. It does not feel good and I rebel against
it. Thank you for your commitment to the task. Help me to respond to what you
are doing. Amen
Psalm 40 v 1-3
I waited patiently for the LORD.
He turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of destruction, out of the sticky mud.
He stood me on a rock and made my feet steady.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.
Many people will see this and worship him.
Then they will trust the LORD.
Notes
David had something to celebrate. He burst into song. Not some old classic
from the past - this was a new song reflecting his current experience. And
it was not one of those introspective, angst-ridden numbers. This was full-blast,
high octane, joy-filled praise to God.
David was a songwriter, so his song may have been newly penned. However, the "new" song more likely refers to the freshness of the experience. This was a song that said: "My thankfulness to God is current." It was written out of a fresh sense of the wonder of God's rescue.
A question: How can we maintain that sense of freshness? Taking communion regularly is one way God has given to help keep us grateful.
What was David so excited about? His unconstrained excitement focused clearly on God. Throughout these verses it was what God had done (turned, heard, lifted, stood me, made me steady) that was centre stage. All David did was wait.
Not that waiting is easy or insignificant. I have two friends who refuse to queue for anything because waiting can be extremely frustrating. If you read the two preceding psalms and the rest of this one you will discover that waiting can also be disconcerting, annoying and faith-testing. Yet God has his reasons.
At exactly the right time God intervenes. With his attention riveted on us he rescues us from a sinking bog. All our efforts simply leave us mired still deeper, totally unable to get free. He gently lifts us out and provides a solid foundation, the unshakeable rock of his promises.
And the result? Others come to worship. Others see what God can do and want to trust him too. God saves people to make them worshippers then uses their thankfulness to declare his glory.
Prayer point
Pray that others will see what God has done in your life and be pointed to
him. Pray specifically for family, friends and neighbours who do not at present
know the Lord Jesus.
Psalm 40 v 4-5
Happy is the person who trusts the LORD, who doesn't turn to those who are
proud or to those who worship false gods.
LORD my God, you have done many miracles.
Your plans for us are many.
If I tried to tell them all, there would be too many to count.
Notes
Who do you trust? We constantly make decisions about who we trust. Sometimes
we think little about the decision. We allow people to drive and fly us knowing
little or nothing about the person in control. I often travel by coach but
never interview the driver or ask to see his licence. At other times we choose
rather carefully. Before my wife and I became foster parents we went through
months of interviews to check our trustworthiness.
This psalm calls us to make a considered decision. There are competitors for our trust. On the one hand there is the Lord, on the other the proud who worship other gods. On the face of it there is no contest. Trusting the Lord is the route to happiness or contentment. He performs great miracles and is concerned enough about us to have detailed plans for our lives. There is every reason to trust.
It is possible to unthinkingly place our trust elsewhere. The name for the "proud" in this psalm is one used often as a nickname for Egypt. As a nation they were confident enough in their own ability to think they could do without the Lord, even challenging his commands and persecuting his people. Throughout its history, Israel was tempted constantly to trust Egypt to protect and defend them.
Our society expresses a similar pride when it thinks it can handle life without any reference to the Lord and his word. It seems to perform miracles (through the magic of TV, the movies, the internet). It seems to have many plans for our lives (to keep us amused, to fill our pockets, to fulfil our desires). But trust placed there is like believing I can fly your plane just because I have the right gear on.
Who will you choose?
Prayer point
"And I will trust in you alone." After all, who else is there to trust?
Take time to repent for the times you trust in things other than the Lord. Then
express to the Lord your reasons for trusting him.
Psalm 40 v 6-8
You do not want sacrifices and offerings.
But you have made a hole in my ear to show that my body and life are yours.
You do not ask for burnt offerings and sacrifices to take away sins.
Then I said, "Look, I have come.
It is written about me in the book.
My God, I want to do what you want.
Your teachings are in my heart."
Notes
What does God want from you?
David tells us what God does not want. He has no desire for sacrifices and offerings. He does not ask for them. The confusing thing is that it was God who asked the people of Israel to perform these rituals in the first place to express their relationship with him. Has he now gone off them?
What David understood was God's interest in the heart, not outward appearance. It is all too easy to bring offerings and perform sacrifices and to let that be the limit of response. But what is going on inside? Does it affect the rest of our lives?
What might be the equivalent for us? Could God say: "I don't want your prayer meetings; I have not asked for your worship songs?" He will if our prayer times and worship times become so repetitive and inward looking that they have no impact on our families, flatmates and colleagues, or leave us without renewed compassion for the lost, lonely, poor and disadvantaged.
David knew God as his saviour. He talked about it earlier in the psalm. So a better way of putting the original question might be: How do you respond to love and generosity of that kind?
The answer is listening and readiness to obey. The "hole in the ear" idea is exactly that: ears wide open to hear. The line: "It is written about me in the book" says that David's life was in line with what God's word says about living right.
But David did not always listen and obey. That is why this psalm finds its true fulfilment in Jesus and is quoted in Hebrews 10 v 5-7. He was the one who listened to his father, obeyed him without a flaw and became our perfect saviour.
Prayer
Lord, thank you that "we are made holy through the sacrifice Christ made
in his body once and for all time" (Hebrews 10 v 10). Jesus has made me
yours. I want to please you. Please make me like Jesus: listening for your
voice and ready to obey. Amen#
Psalm 40 v 9-10
I will tell about your goodness in the great meeting of your people.
LORD, you know my lips are not silent.
I do not hide your goodness in my heart;
I speak about your loyalty and salvation.
I do not hide your love and truth from the people in the great meeting.
Notes
Psalms can be very personal expressions of praise or struggle. But they also
provide the words for public celebration and sometimes communal repentance.
If someone had experienced God's blessing, they were not to log it in their
journal marked "private and confidential". It was part of their
act of thanksgiving to tell everyone else about it so that together they
could praise God. On occasion this would take the form of a party, lasting
up to two days, to which friends, servants and needy folks around would be
invited.
This is what David does here. As the king, he was not just going to throw a party for a few close friends. He would rave on about God's goodness, love and truth at a national gathering! And as leader of the people, he helped set the agenda for the people's response to God.
I remember sitting down and listing in a notebook what God had done for me. As you can imagine it was quite a list and I did not quite complete all he had done! Like David, I can talk about his goodness (the family he put me in; the wonders of creation), his loyalty or faithfulness (the patience he has shown when I have wandered), his salvation (in the Lord Jesus I am adopted into his family), his truth (I have his own powerful word in my hand). Sadly, I have never shown anyone else that list. I need to do so!
David's example is one for us all to follow. He teaches us to encourage God's people. We can do so much to build faith by speaking openly about God's love and truth. We are challenged to consider how else people will know about the goodness of God unless they hear it from us.
Prayer point
Take some time to note down what God has done for you. Why don't you share
that with someone today?
word-on-the-web uses the Scripture text taken from the Youth Bible, New Century Version (Anglicised Edition) copyright 1993 by Word Publishing Milton Keynes