Psalms In My Palms - Book 4 - Lament

Rejoice, Rejoice!

Psalms 63:1-10; 64:1-10

        David's Psalm is a Lament of Praise! He breathed out his love for God when he said in Psalm 63:1-(NKJV) -"O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water." (Psalm 42:1-2). David yearned for God's Presence to abide with him. Now he was king of Israel, he was eager to express his love in fullness. David decided to make God the cornerstone of his life and position as king. Worship was the center of his reaction to God's Love. Worship usually took place in the Tabernacle of God.

The Ark of the Covenant, which represented God's presence to Israel, was placed in several places from Shiloh with Eli as High Priest, then captured by the Philistines, returned to Beth-shemesh and finally put in the house of Abinadab at Kiribati-jearing. There it had stayed for 60 Years, almost forgotten! (Read 1 Samuel 4-7:3). When David was transporting it back home to Jerusalem, he found there was a right way and a wrong way to handle the Presence of God!

David never had done anything halfway before. He was a successful military and political leader. Alexander White wrote of David: "To know God, and to be in constant communion with God, this is life to David; this is better than life; this is love; this is blessedness." (1952, page 259)

David was in the wilderness of Judah! (Read 1 Samuel 22:5). This desert place is where we find David when he made this statement in Psalm 63:2-(NKJV)-"So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your Power and Your Glory." (Read Psalms 27:4; 76:1-2)

David expressed his joy in knowing God in Psalm 63:3-5-(TEV)-:

1. "Your CONSTANT LOVE is better than life itself, and SO I PRAISE YOU." (Psalms 13:5; 138:2-3)

2. "I will give THANKS TO YOU As long as I live;" (Hebrews 13:15)

3. "I will RAISE MY HANDS TO YOU IN PRAYER." (Psalms 28:2; 34:2; 143:6; It sounds to me like open PRAISE with lifted hands is still beneficial to us. Community worship and praise still wins sinners to Christ- when what is in you bubbles out!)

4. "My soul will FEAST AND BE SATISFIED."

5. "And I will SING GLAD SONGS OF PRAISE TO YOU." (Psalm 77:2)

We ought to be thankful! We ought to show it! We have a lot to offer praise for! List them and surprise yourself!

David did when he continued in Psalm 63:6-8-(TLB)-:

6. "I lie awake at night THINKING OF YOU-" (Psalms 42:8; 77:6-Israel had three watches in the night. David knew this and sought God when he could have been sleeping securely.)

7. "Of how much YOU HELPED ME and how I rejoice through the night BENEATH THE PROTECTING SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS." (Psalms 1:1-2; 77:12; 91:4)

8. "I follow close behind You, PROTECTED BY YOUR STRONG RIGHT ARM." (Exodus 15:6; Psalm 74:11)

Eight good reasons David loved God and trusted Him!

David rendered a plea for help in Psalm 63:9-10-(CEB)-"But what about these people who want to destroy me?" (Good question! It still happens today in many places to many people of God! Trust God regardless. David pronounced a curse on them before God:

1. "Let them go into the bowels of the earth!"

2. "Let their blood flow by the sword!" (Before you get alarmed at the curses, remember David is a leader of a massive army in a battle stance.)

3. "Let them be food for wild jackals!" (The barren land was full of wild beasts foraging for food)

David's final declaration of truth comes out. As a king over Israel any threat to him is a threat to his leadership of the people of God, whom God has entrusted to him. So he said in Psalm 63:11-(NKJV)-"But the king shall rejoice in God; everyone who swears by Him shall glory; (In contrast to:) " but the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped." Prophetic of the times ushering in the New Testament which David seems to comprehend the significance of as God's future plans. So I say, "Shut them up, Lord! But let us glory in You now and forever! Help us bring many into Your kingdom with us! (Read Deuteronomy 6:13 and see what God had promised them.)

Psalm 64:1-10 is also part of the LAMENT as David meditated on things as they were and contrasted it with what he knew of God! The destinies of the ungodly and the righteous as in Psalm 63 are reiterated. So Psalm 64 begins with verses 1-2-(NKJV)-"HEAR my voice, O God, in my meditation; PRESERVE my life from fear of my enemy." This was a personal cry of David! His fear was overwhelming him. (Read Psalms 13; 135; 55:2; 102:2; 142:2). His plea went on, "HIDE me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,..." David had asked God to HEAR, PRESERVE, AND HIDE him with trust in God for the answer!

Psalm 64:3-6-(TEV)-WHY?:

1. "They sharpen their tongues like swords, and aim cruel words like arrows." (Psalm 58:7)

2. "From ambush they shoot their arrows at good men;" (perhaps he is referring to "talking about him behind his back".)

3. "They shoot suddenly and are not afraid,"

4. "They encourage each other in their evil plots;"

5. "They talk about where they will place their traps! 'No one must see them,' they say." (Psalms 75:7; 73:11; 10; 11; 59:7; an expression I learned as a child-"They say are the worst liars in town!")

6. "They make evil plans and say, 'We have planned a perfect crime.' " (They spend long hours on evil thoughts which will crash!; Psalms 10:4; 9:19; 12:4).

Did you ever read a good mystery story? Not all mysteries are murder stories but listen to David's mystery story-"The heart and mind of men are a mystery." In spite of the facts about God they think they can hide themselves or their evil acts from God. What a Joke on them! From Adam and Eve and on up to today, God knows, sees, and hears all that goes on in the earth! It's not nice to try to fool God!!!

David warned what he knew was true! He gave us the revelation of the mystery. Psalm 73:17 explains David's logical reasoning-(NKJV)-"Until I went into the Sanctuary of God; then I understood their end." THERE IS ENLIGHTENMENT IN GOD'S PRESENCE! So David said in Psalm 64:7-8-(TLB)-"But God Himself...":

1. "...Shall shoot them down. Suddenly His arrow will pierce them." (Psalm 31:14-16)

2. "They will stagger backward, destroyed by those they spoke against."

3. "All who see it happening will scoff at them."

The results are in Psalm 64:9-10-(CEB):

"Then all people will honor God,

Will announce the act of God,

Will understand it was God's Work."

So:

"LET THE RIGHTEOUS REJOICE IN THE LORD;

LET THEM TAKE REFUGE IN HIM;

LET EVERYONE WHOSE HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE

GIVE PRAISE!"

(Psalm 63:11a-"But the king shall rejoice in God;"; Romans 8:28-"AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, AND TO THOSE WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE." AMEN!

This is the way I want this section of my study to speak- LOVE GOD, HE REIGNS, HE CARES FOR HIS OWN, HE HEARS YOUR CRY OF LAMENT , HE ANSWERS IN HIS DIVINE WILL, AND HE IS OUR KING OF KINGS!

Next time...