Psalm 26, 56, 86, 116, 146
No one is a shoo-in for heaven. Even the
writer of Psalm 26 seeks the LORD’s deliverance. He writes that he has lived a
life of obedience. He even asks the LORD to do the examination of his heart and
mind to see if he is wrong about his own self-assessment (v2). Would you want
to ask the LORD to do this? And yet this is exactly what we need to do. We can
deceive ourselves into thinking we have it together and we need the LORD, who
knows us better than we know ourselves, to come and open up our eyes and
conscience. It will be a painful process, but then cleansing can happen. And
since it is the LORD showing us our failings, He is right there with mercy and
forgiveness.
Psalm 56 records the desperation of someone
who is under active attack. Notice the weaving of his current situation with
his words of trust in the LORD. When we enter the LORD’s presence with our
concerns we are trusting that He will help us handle it. When we enter His
presence, all other concerns seem to be small by comparison to His greatness
(vv10-11). Then, when we are brought through, the LORD gets the credit
(vv12-13). I have made a mess of my life every time I have tried to control it.
When I enter His presence and give Him control, peace overwhelms me and things
work out.
Do you ever feel like there is a battle
raging within you, a battle for the direction of your life? Psalm 86 hints at
this battle when the writer asks the LORD for an undivided heart (v11). It can
be easy when there is an external battle, enemies attacking and you life feels
threatened, to allow fear to overwhelm your faith. We get impatient and
sometimes take matters into our own hands instead of waiting. The writer seems
to remind the LORD of his desperate situation (v14) and then remind himself of
the LORD’s character (v15). This is a pretty good combination, our problem
paired with God’s character.
We must always remember that we are
creatures, not the Creator. Psalm 116 records what happens after the LORD has
brought victory. I love that the writer tells himself to return to rest (v7).
Sometimes we need to stop the negative fear talk that runs through our head.
But that does not mean that we can’t bring our honesty into the LORD’s
presence. We can trust and talk about reality (v10). He trusted and talked
about his affliction. We can talk about our cancer and still know that the LORD
is faithful. Our words are the words of a creature and not His words. Our death
is precious (v15), not something that takes the LORD by surprise. Faith is not a
denial of reality. Faith takes reality into full account and walks into God’s
presence with that reality.
Even the strongest ruler here on earth
leaves his power at the grave (Ps 146:4). By contrast the LORD is forever (v6).
He reaches to the lowest and most desperate of the world (vv7-9). Those without
a voice He hears. And we need to stand with these who don’t have power in this
world. When the political and economic powers run crazy, we need to stand with
the least. Neither side of the political debate in Washington stands with the
powerless. Each is twisting their message to capitalize on the weakness of the
other. Each hopes to gain advantage in the struggle for the direction of the
country. Neither one has the mind of Christ.