3/20/2012 8:11:26 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus: Prayer & Praise
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Psalm 61
Message of the verses: “David, in this psalm, as in many others, begins with a sad heart, but concludes with an air of pleasantness—begins with prayers and tears, but ends with songs of praise. Thus the soul, by being lifted up to God, returns to the enjoyment of itself. It should seem David was driven out and banished when he penned this psalm, whether by Saul or Absalom is uncertain: some think by Absalom, because he calls himself ‘the king.’” (Matthew Henry)
“TITLE. To the Chief Musician upon Neginah, a Psalm of David. The original indicates that both the hymn and the musical instrument were David’s. He wrote the verses and himself sang them to the stringed instrument whose sound he loved so well. We have left the Psalms entitled Michtam, but we shall still find much precious meaning though the golden name be wanting. We have met with the title of this Psalm before, in #Ps 4:1 6:1 54:1 55:1, but with this difference, that in the present case the word is in the singular number: the Psalm itself is very personal, and well adapted for the private devotion of a single individual.” (Charles H. Spurgeon)
“David could have written this psalm during any of the many times he was in danger, but perhaps the best context is the rebellion under Absalom (2Sam. 15-18). David prayed about a foe (v. 3), protection for his life (v. 6), and the security of his throne (v. 7, where he ‘abide’ means ‘be enthroned’). The psalm opens with David crying out in distress but closes with him singing praises to God.” (Warren Wiersbe)
“Hear Me”—A Cry to the Lord (vv. 1-4): “1 ¶ «For the choir director; on a stringed instrument. A Psalm of David.» Hear my cry, O God; Give heed to my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3 For You have been a refuge for me, A tower of strength against the enemy. 4 Let me dwell in Your tent forever; Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah.”
It seems that we have looked at many psalms that were written by David when he had moved out of Jerusalem because of Absalom and according to most of the commentators I read this is another one that came from that very difficult time in the life of David. I believe that we can gain courage and strength from that difficult time in the life of David because we can see God’s hand of love and mercy upon David during that difficult time in his life. We must remember that the reason that David was in trouble was because of his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah and we must also remember the words that the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, “but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more”, (Romans 5:20b). It was not in the plan of God to have Absalom rule in Israel and David knew that so I am sure that this encouraged him and even though He was down hearted we see in this first part of Psalm 61 that David cried out to the Lord in prayer in verse one. The phrase “from the end of the earth” is speaking spiritually because even though David was not too far from Jerusalem he was away from where he worshiped the Lord at the tent where the dwelling place of God was he felt that he was at the end of the earth. We know that David took worship to the Lord very seriously, something that we all should do.
We also see in verse three that David refers to God as “Rock” something we have seen in other psalms written by David. David knows that in himself he cannot handle this difficult situation so he desires to go to the Rock that is higher than he is.
In verse three we see the history of David’s trust in the Lord and how the Lord in the past has taken care of David and got him out of some very difficult situations and so David reminds the Lord of this in his prayer. I believe that this kind of prayer is pleasing to the Lord, for when we pray in this way God knows that we have remembered His work in our lives that He has done.
We see something familiar in verse four and that is that David wants to dwell with the Lord forever, David wants to be in the tent where the presence of God is where the two cherubim’s were on the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies. Now we know that David was not a priest and could not enter the Holy of Holies but David knew about this from the Scriptures. Believers today can enter into the presence of God for when the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross the curtain that divided the holy place from the Holy of Holies was torn from top to bottom opening up the Holy of Holies to all who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation. “19 ¶ Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:19-22)
“You Have Heard Me”—Confidence in the Lord (vv. 5-8): “5 ¶ For You have heard my vows, O God; You have given me the inheritance of those who fear Your name. 6 You will prolong the king’s life; His years will be as many generations. 7 He will abide before God forever; Appoint lovingkindness and truth that they may preserve him. 8 So I will sing praise to Your name forever, That I may pay my vows day by day.”
In verse five we see that David speaks of the vows that he had made to the Lord while he was wandering in the wilderness, vows that had to do with how he would lead the people of Israel. David lead the people in a godly way, in a way, for the most part, honored the Lord. We find these words written in 1Ki 15:5 “because David did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the case of Uriah the Hittite.” When we go to the account of David’s life in 1Chronicles we do not even see the incident of David and Bathsheba and Uriah at all, and the NT does not mention it either. I think that we as believers must remember that because our sins have been paid for that they are as far away as the East is from the West. When we sin and we will sin we must do as 1John 1:9 instructs us to do “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We are to agree with God that what we have done is sin for God is just in forgiving our sins because of what Jesus Christ did on our behalf.
In verse six and seven we see that David is talking about the covenant that the Lord made with him about having someone from David’s family on the throne forever and that someone is Jesus Christ the Lord who is the greater Son of David and who is on the throne at this time and will remain there forever. There were many sons of David that were not good kings, who did evil in the sight of the Lord, but when you look back at the genealogy of Jesus Christ in the books of Matthew and Luke you will see a bit of a difference in them. Most commentators believe that Matthews’s genealogy is the kingly line through Solomon to Joseph while in Luke’s genealogy most believe that the line goes through David’s son Nathan to Mary. I believe that David knew that Messiah would come through his family and for this David was truly in awe of the grace of God.
Dr. Wiersbe writes “David’s concern was not for his won name or family but for the future of Israel and God’s great plan of redemption. His own throne was in jeopardy at that time, but he had confidence that God would keep His promises. ‘May he sit enthroned forever’ (v. 7 AMP) meant ‘May King David live out his full life,’ protected by God’s mercy and truth, but to believers today it means, ‘May Jesus Christ reign forever!’ The throne of glory is secure, for God has set His King on His holy hill of Zion! (2:6). In view of this, let’s follow David’s example and trust the Lord, call on Him, obey him ‘day after day,’ and sing His praises.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I want to go back to one of the comments that I made about the forgiveness of God and the grace of God, something that David knew much about. I want to live my life to do the will of God in my life and when I sin I want to confess my sin right away to the Lord so that I do not have any long lists of unconfessed sin, and in that way I can be in fellowship with the Lord. When David was confronted with his sin by Nathan he confessed his sin right away, he did not argue with Nathan and I cannot argue with the Holy Spirit when He convicts me of sin.
I also want to remember that the Lord is my Rock who is higher than I as David wrote and because of this I desire to rely on the Holy Spirit of God to lead me so that the works that I do are the works that the God planned for me to do in eternity past (Eph. 2:10).
My Steps of Faith for Today: Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and do the works that God has planned for me to do in eternity past. I desire to seek the Holy Spirit to search my heart for unconfessed sin (Psalm 139:23-24). I desire to continue to learn contentment (Phil. 4:11b).
3/20/2012 9:40:49 AM
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