When I see you smile..Psalm 17

 

 

I love the Psalms because David feels every emotion and shares every emotion with God and consequently with us. Nothing is sugar coated. But in the end, he encourages himself in the Lord. And that is where I need to be. In that place of encouraging myself in the Lord. At the beginning of chapter 17 we find David in this place of desperation. Running from Saul he took refuge with the Philistines. Why David? How deceived do you have to be to seek refuge with your enemy. He is at the end of his rope. He doesn't want to fight anymore. So he cries out to God for us to read in Psalms 17

Hear a just cause, O Lord,
Attend to my cry;
Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips.
Let my vindication come from Your presence;
Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright.

HEAR ME!

Uphold my steps in Your paths,
That my footsteps may not slip.

HOLD ME UP!

I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God;

O You who save those who trust in You
From those who rise up against them.
8 Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings,

Listen to me.

Show your loving kindness.

Keep me

Hide me.

Arise, O Lord,
Confront him, cast him down;

He has run out of ideas. He doesn't know what to do. All He knows is that He wants God to do it for him.

And I can relate.

Lord, I am out of ideas. I don't know what to do. I am praying. I am seeking. I am reading. And I am tired. But you. You are good. Hear me. Hold me. Keep me. Hide me.

As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness;
I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.

I want to be changed into his image. And the truth is that I become most like him when I have partaken in the fellowship of His sufferings. Sometimes we are called to act. Sometimes we call out to God to act on our behalf. But always, He goes before us. And He is able! And through it all, in this world filled with pain, I will be satisfied in Him. I will see His face in righteousness. And that is enough.