"KEEP ME ... HIDE ME IN ..."
How inspiring are the Psalms of David. We perceive that the more troublesome the circumstances that surround him, the closer he comes to God. In today's Psalm (17) we read his prayer, "Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword, from men by your hand, O LORD, from men of the world whose portion is in this life." [v.13,14] He is able to say, at this stage of his life, "You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. ... by the word of your lips ... My steps have held fast to your paths ..." [v.3-5]
"The word of your lips" is of course, God's word; God’s words gave David the strength to hold fast to godly ways: but do we use his word today as earnestly as David did then? David wrote, "I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God" [v.6] David established an intimacy in his relationship with his God. What an example this is for us - and we have the wondrous further blessing of a mediator and Saviour!
David next prays, " Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, from the wicked ..." [v.8,9] How urgently may we be making such a prayer as our world grows even more wicked, although it is already really bad in some countries? Later this month we will read our Lord's anguished prayer for the people of Jerusalem, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!" [Matt 23 v.37]
May our steps hold fast to God's paths that we may be “willing” as God’s judgements falls on our world, as they fell on Jerusalem long ago. May we, especially at that time, say to our Saviour as David said to God in this Psalm, "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, from the wicked who do me violence ..." [v.8,9]
David then says, " Arise, O LORD!” - and we read again his word, “Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword, from men by your hand, O LORD, from men of the world whose portion is in this life." [v,13,14] Our "portion" is in the life to come. The same Hebrew word occurred in the previous Psalm, which the A V translated as "inheritance". May our Lord "keep" and "hide" us in safety - especially spiritually - until we receive our inheritance.
How inspiring are the Psalms of David. We perceive that the more troublesome the circumstances that surround him, the closer he comes to God. In today's Psalm (17) we read his prayer, "Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword, from men by your hand, O LORD, from men of the world whose portion is in this life." [v.13,14] He is able to say, at this stage of his life, "You have tried my heart, you have visited me by night, you have tested me, and you will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. ... by the word of your lips ... My steps have held fast to your paths ..." [v.3-5]
"The word of your lips" is of course, God's word; God’s words gave David the strength to hold fast to godly ways: but do we use his word today as earnestly as David did then? David wrote, "I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God" [v.6] David established an intimacy in his relationship with his God. What an example this is for us - and we have the wondrous further blessing of a mediator and Saviour!
David next prays, " Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, from the wicked ..." [v.8,9] How urgently may we be making such a prayer as our world grows even more wicked, although it is already really bad in some countries? Later this month we will read our Lord's anguished prayer for the people of Jerusalem, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!" [Matt 23 v.37]
May our steps hold fast to God's paths that we may be “willing” as God’s judgements falls on our world, as they fell on Jerusalem long ago. May we, especially at that time, say to our Saviour as David said to God in this Psalm, "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, from the wicked who do me violence ..." [v.8,9]
David then says, " Arise, O LORD!” - and we read again his word, “Deliver my soul from the wicked by your sword, from men by your hand, O LORD, from men of the world whose portion is in this life." [v,13,14] Our "portion" is in the life to come. The same Hebrew word occurred in the previous Psalm, which the A V translated as "inheritance". May our Lord "keep" and "hide" us in safety - especially spiritually - until we receive our inheritance.
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