Psalm 6:
David is asking God for mercy and compassion for something he has done. He is pouring out his heart to God: completely and honestly. David is showing us that we can be honest with God even when we are filled with anger because God knows everything about us. He wants the very best for us. David realizes that he could be completely destroyed by God's wrath if God were not a merciful God. We can come to God with ALL of our emotions and feelings. We can pour them out at the base of the cross and know that God will take those emotions from us and direct our focus onto what is more important. Be honest with God and he will help you turn your attention from your own problems to Him and His mercy.
Psalm 7:
David was accused of trying to kill King Saul. Imagine the amount of effort that would be put into finding David by the king and his army. But David was wrongly accused of this crime. In fact, King Saul hated David so much that he made up this slanderous accusation in order to have David killed. Saul was tired of David getting all of the glory when they rode back from battle. Saul wanted his people to glorify him and so he wanted David out of the picture.
David could have struck back and fought the king and his army but instead he cried out to God for help. God looks deep into the heart and mind to see our motives and we should take comfort in this. We don't have to impress God, instead we can trust that he fully understands our situation and our fears. When we fully rely on God, he rewards our efforts.
There's a funny thing about evil and violent people - they tend to destroy themselves. Violent people become victims of violence. Evil people become victims of evil. Liars become victims of deceit. During this time of great injustice, David was grateful that he had a relationship with God. When we wonder if anyone in the world is just or fair or honest, we can be assured that God is. He will continue to bring justice and fairness to our lives when we involve Him in our activities. When you're being treated unfairly, ask God to be with you and to guide you through the situation. Then thank Him for being there with you!
Psalm 8:
David recognizes God's hand in everything he sees on earth and gives glory and praise to God for it. He respects God's majesty. How could such a powerful being care one iota for mankind? Let alone, love us so much that He is always in our lives. When we look at all creation, we feel small in comparison - and we should! But God doesn't want us to dwell on our smallness. He doesn't want us to feel worthless and lowly. He wants us to respect Him.
Yet God created man only a little lower than Himself and the angels. Next time you start to question your worth remember God holds you in high regard. He loves you! We are very valuable to the God that created us. After all, He sent His one and only Son here to save us from our sins so that all can have eternal life with God. That's an extremely valuable gift to give and shows how much He loves us. Accept the gift and be thankful!!
Psalm 9:
David is giving praise to God for a recent victory, most likely over the Philistines. In this life, we may face many injustices. We may be falsely accused or misunderstood by our family or friends. We may not be truly appreciated for the love we show to others. We may not be rewarded for the work we do or the services we provide. We may be ignored. But God sees and remembers all that we do and He is to be praised. We must trust that God will vindicate us on His timeline. When we trust in God, we will have God's peace and be free from the worry of how others perceive us or treat us.
God will never abandon anyone who seeks Him. He is with us always! But when we ask for His help we need to first consider our motives. Are we asking for His help to save us from embarrassment or public ridicule or are we asking to bring Glory to God? God knows what we need... but are we doing what God wants us to do?
Psalm 10:
There was a church sign once that read "Does God seem far away? Who moved?" Sometimes we feel as if God is no longer interested in us or our lives. That's just not the case. God is always interested in us, it's just that sometimes we allow life to get in the way of our relationship with God. Life blocks the communication channels by throwing situations in our path. When we try to handle it on our own, we're telling God that we don't need your help. I got this! I sometimes picture God, calling some of the angels over to say "Hey, watch this... he thinks he's got this on his own." We are pushing God away in those situations. It's in those situations that we need His help the most. We must come to Him in prayer and ask for guidance.
The wicked are too proud to bend the knee in prayer. Without God's guidance they never choose the right path. Their decisions are based on their needs and their needs only. They don't ask what God needs us to do for Him. The wicked will be punished for their arrogance and pride. They may have wealth and power but they don't have God. When they die, God will tell them that had their reward on earth. Now they can spend all of eternity in solitude. That brings me to an interesting point that I should make. We sometimes think of Satan as the warden at the prison of Hell, but Satan is the first occupant of Hell. He is not running the show - he is in solitude like all of the other non-believers. This idea of Hell being a place where the sinners will be able to party and carry on is absolutely wrong. Friendship is a form of love. Love is a characteristic of God. Their won't be ANY interaction with ANYONE for all eternity. There will be constant emptiness, dread and despair for all eternity.
What are your thoughts?
The Shepherd
Psalms 11-15
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