Day 106 – Psalm 56, 120, 140, 141, 142

Talking Points

• Again we see David’s turmoil in dealing with the attacks of people. It becomes clear that words and slander are at least as upsetting as physical attacks and violence. David seems more upset over his character and integrity being defamed than he is the threat of swords or spears.
• Psalm 120 is a song testifying to God’s acts of strength and deliverance in the past. Our courage and confidence in God today is bolstered by our remembering His faithfulness in the past. We should sing of His greatness revealed in past days!
• I’ve often said you could tell a lot about a person if you could hear them pray. In Psalms 140, 141, and 142, we have 3 prayers of David. They are prayers that are offered to God in times of great despair. We see David’s openness before God, revealing his concerns, his urgency, and his need for help. We also see his profound dependence on and his trust in God. How perfect that God records both. David is a person who can be overwhelmed with the difficulties of life and, at the same time, know it is God who overcomes those same difficulties. Weird thought: What would our prayers reveal of us?

Thoughts

You may have heard it said, “God’s Word is His revelation of Himself to us.” Those sound like deep, profound words, words heavy with meaning. But, what does that really mean? It means that God wants us to know Him. He wants us to know what He is like, what His character is, what brings Him joy, and what saddens Him. The God who created all things not only invites us to know Him, but through His Word, He makes it possible.

Today, in one of our Psalms, if we are careful, we see a pretty amazing glimpse of our God’s interaction with us. He intimately cares about us. Be sure, He is magnificent, powerful, and beyond our wildest comprehension. He creates all, sustains all, and rules over all. The uncountable stars of the universe, He holds in His hand. And, that God — He deeply cares about you. He genuinely cares for me.

Friend, it is not some generic concern. It is not some general care, hoping for the well-being of His creation. No, it is intimate, caring even about each tear that falls from our cheeks. Listen to what He reveals: “You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle, Are they not in Your book?” (56:8). Don’t miss the God revealed in these lines. When you hurt, He knows it and He cares. When your tears roll down, He takes note of it, and it matters to Him. And, when your heart is broken, He records it; it’s important to Him. Oh, the love of our God! He truly cares for us.