Psalm 28
Sunday, 21 July 2024
Blessed be the Lord, Because He has heard the voice of my supplication. The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him. -Psalm 28:6-7
Psalm 28 is a prayer of petition and praise penned by David, during a time of distress. It is remarkable to note that while David begins the Psalm with a plea for help, he goes on to turn his supplications to confident praises unto God! How often have we felt that God is silent in our struggles? David sets a pattern of prayer that we can learn much from.
Acknowledge the Greatness of God: In proclaiming the Lord ‘my rock’, David acknowledges the all powerful, sovereign Lord’s control over every circumstance. He also recognizes his own helplessness and appeals to the goodness, faithfulness and mercy of God. David’s relationship with the Lord was so intimate, that He could call the Lord ‘my rock’, ‘my strength’, ‘my shield’. Who is God to you? In our weakness and distress, are we able to turn to the Lord, acknowledging His greatness and confessing our absolute dependency on Him. Trust God and declare His living Word over your situations "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)
Remember the Justice of God: David remembers the judgment of God that will come upon the wicked. When the waiting seems endless, it is often easy to lose focus of God’s plans and promises and follow the world. Let our hearts not grow weary, but knowing the end of the wicked, let us be all the more diligent in loving and serving the Lord as we wait for His perfect time in our lives. ‘Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.’ (1 Peter 5:6-7)
Praise God in the Waiting: As he sets his heart on the goodness of God, David confidently focuses on trusting and joyfully praising God. God is never silent in our suffering. If we patiently wait on Him, He desires to commune with us and comfort us. After he was anointed King over Israel, God asked David to wait over 15 painful and trying years before he finally began to rule over Israel. But in all of it, David chose to worshipfully wait on the Lord’s timing.
Abraham praised God and waited 25 years for the promised son (Hebrews 6:15). Bound by chains, from a prison cell Paul wrote to the church ‘Rejoice in the Lord’ (Philippians 4:4). Great men of God have set an example of joyfully praising God in the waiting. Therefore my dear brethren, ‘Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.’ (Philippians 4:6)
Intercede for the Brethren: David shows us a model of intercession for the children of God. God strengthens and encourages us in our struggles, that we may be a comfort to others in affliction. (2 Corinthians 1:4) But alas, how is that many who receive divine comfort, so easy forget the goodness of God and go on without Him? Let us not be so, but remembering His goodness and mercy in our lives, pray with a burden for our brethren and be a source of comfort and joy in their lives.
Promise: “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.” The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. It is good that he waits silently for the salvation of the Lord. -Lamentations 3:24-26
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