Author: Nick Booth

Psalm 40.1-10

It is our first day of a new job.  We spent the last week or so worrying about what the dress code is, who we will meet, are we really up to this new challenge, will we make friends, what time do I have to leave home to get there on time and how fulfilled will we be?  At the same time, we were probably worrying about the impact the job will have on family and other aspects of our life.

Fresh starts bring a surge of emotions.  Some of us grasp them with both hands and go forward boldly while others are more cautious and focus more on the uncertainties.  Probably most people experience a mixture of emotions.  We may also look back at what we have left behind, possibly with relief and perhaps with regret. New jobs are of course just one example of new beginnings. Spiritually committing our life to following Christ is the biggest step and it is so dramatic that Jesus terms it being born again.

David, in Psalm 40, has just reached the point of a new beginning.  He has kept his earlier advice and waited on the Lord. ^{Ps37.7 38.15} The waiting period can be a time of great uncertainty and stress, I think of refugees who are granted the right to stay in the country but then have to begin the process of building an entirely new life, but there are many other examples. David’s first emotion is one of relief and thanksgiving for the new opportunity. ‘I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.’ ^vv1,2 David may have been recalling Joseph’s experience of being placed by his brothers in a pit as they initially plotted to kill him.  Later in Judah’s history Jeremiah was literally condemned to a slimy pit.  As we progress through our Christian life we can look back and identify our own ‘slimy pits,’ and understand God’s grace even though it was difficult to do so at the time.

Now with his feet set firmly on rock David pauses to praise God.  This is such a necessary step it builds the relationship with God.  It puts one’s experience in context and refocuses our eyes and direction.  The most natural thing for the saved is to celebrate with song. ^v3 Part of our witness to the community in which we live is to praise God for his work in our lives and there will be those who see and understand that we have trusted in the Lord. ‘Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.’ ^v3

David goes on to make clear how to continue life in new circumstances.  In verse 4 he sets out what to root our life in and that is trust in the Lord.  He recognizes that the surrounding world tempts us to trust in many other people and things but he urges us to not turn aside to false gods.  To pray for clarity in our lives as to what false gods might grow in our hearts is part of the discipleship path.  David also returns to a frequent theme of psalms, to remember all that God has already done as evidence of God’s purposes for us in the future.  It leads him to declare, ‘None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.’ ^v5

David then addresses the issue of the heart.  The sacrifice that God requires of us is primarily willing obedience.  ‘I desire to do thy will, my God; your law is within my heart.’ ^v8 Paul described this process as being, ‘transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.’ ^Romans12.2

To continue with the fresh start and new song David declares it is a public thing.  He needs to spend time in the company of the Lord’s people where God’s righteousness, faithfulness, love and saving activity is jointly celebrated. ^Vv9,10 It is not God’s plan that his people should be lone disciples.  We are part of one body and need each other.  This is not weakness but strength.

When I was lost – Geraldine Latty

Psalm 39

In the rhythm of life there can be times of calm and times of turmoil.  Turmoil often raises questions and doubts about how one should tackle those problems including what to say or not say.  In the middle of one specific issue it is easy to lose the perspective of the big picture and what remain the important issues.  In the short series of psalms 37,38 and 39 David has echoed wisdom books in the bible.  In Psalm 37 passages were similar to proverbs, in Psalm 38 it was more like Job and here in Psalm 39 much of it accords with Ecclesiastes.

David is not specific about what his problems are but he does attribute some of it to his own sin ^v8 and God’s discipline. ^vv9-11 His troubles are compounded by his feelings of alienation with those around him.  David’s initial response is to keep quiet, ‘I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked.’ ^vv1,2  Why is David not wanting to talk about things?  There could be a number of reasons, he perhaps doesn’t want to appear a fool or disgrace himself.  He maybe does not want to bring disgrace to God in front of nonbelievers.  He might simply be unsure of the best thing to do.  Whatever the reason his anxiety increased, ‘But my anguish increased; my heart grew hot within me.  While I meditated, the fire burned.’ ^vv2,3  In the end he had to speak but not to those around who he did not trust but to the Lord.

David asked God to give him a perspective on his life compared with the eternal nature of the Lord.  He asks God to show him how fleeting life is and concludes, ‘You have made my days a few hand-breadths; and my lifetime is as nothing before you.’ ^v5 This he realizes is true of everybody not just him however secure people might feel.  It is almost as if a penny has dropped, however desperate I might be feeling right now, in truth my objective situation is not fundamentally different to everybody else whatever they might think. This leads him on to grasping that the rush for wealth and by implication other things the surrounding world might bestow on him is simply vanity and worthless.  Jesus repeats this teaching in the parable of the rich fool, Luke 12.16-21.

David turns again to the Lord, realizing that his purpose and life is to be found in him. ‘But now Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.’ ^v7 It is a simple statement but profound.  He realizes that he is naturally a sinner and constantly needs the Lord’s help to overcome sin and be forgiven. ^v12 The sense of being a stranger in the world will not go away but he has the presence of the Lord with him as his inheritance, ‘I will dwell with you as a foreigner, a stranger, as all my ancestors were.’ ^v12 At the same time he finds it difficult to be constantly in the presence of God, as did Job. Job 7.17-21.

My hope is built on nothing less

Psalm 38

There is a difference between self-loathing arising from a distorted self-image and carrying the burden of knowing the unresolved harm one has done.  It is possible to feel deep guilt when there is no guilt.  There are however times when one can have done things that we have refused or failed to address.  This can then build up In our mind and become, ‘a burden too heavy to bear.’ ^v4  It can feel that the more we suppress it the more it affects us, impacting our mood and personality, relationships and functioning, in everyday life.

We see in Psalm 38 that for David consciousness of his sin has not just impacted his relationships with people around him but with the Lord as well.  David is a man who essentially both fears and worships God but he has here committed sin that deeply grieves God and himself.  We can helpfully read this psalm as if it is the experience of someone who has previously not trusted in God but is now burdened down by the weight of his own sense of guilt, convinced by God of his guilt, he is now seeking forgiveness and a relationship with God.  We can do this because much of the language fits that situation but it was not David’s true position.

David experiences God piercing his conscience ^v2 and this has translated itself into physical and mental symptoms. ^vv3,8 He concludes this section with, ‘I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart.’ ^v8 At this point he has stopped fighting and admits his situation before the Lord. ‘All my longings lie open before you, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.’ ^v9 There are those who treat the confession of sin as a superficial thing, a quick fix and move on.  David here shows that it can take time for a truly repentant spirit to work through their situation.  His sin has caused a rift between him and his neighbours and friends. ^v11 He has created opportunities for his enemies to gain advantage. ^v12 In his prayer life he has found he cannot find words and simply has to be in the presence of God. ‘I have become like one who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply.  Lord, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God.’ ^vv14,15

David remains worried that he has enemies that he does not deserve and he reverts to previous complaints to God that people who he has been good to are now falsely blaming him. ^vv19,20 This reminds us that simply confessing sin and being forgiven by God does not remove all troubles from life.  David is aware of his continuing need to be close to God in his prayer, ‘Lord, do not forsake me; do not be far from me, my God.  Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Saviour.’ ^vv21,22

Let us learn to rest in the grace of Christ.  To quote Philip Yancey, ‘Grace means there is nothing we can do to make God love us more . . . and there is nothing we can do to make God love us less.’ (What’s so amazing about grace.)

Broken vessels – Hillsong W-orship

Psalm 37

It is a great challenge for the Christian to know how to respond when wickedness succeeds bringing prosperity, power and happiness to its practitioners, especially when it is at the expense of ‘the righteous’.  This situation does seem to be an ever present reality.  In the workplace it is often bullying leaders and managers who succeed at the expense of employees and this is not limited to private enterprise.  Consider the cost whistle blowers in public services have paid.  At governmental level the power and wealth accumulated by oppressive governmental leaders is a permanent feature of history and no less evident today.  A global perspective brings into focus that a broadly just and compassionate government that prioritizes the weakest in society is a minority position.  In the home the figures for domestic abuse are frightening.  Last year the Office for National Statistics estimated that 2.4 million people were domestically abused in England and Wales.  The church is not immune to the corruption of power as has been highlighted in recent public exposures.

How then should the Christian live?  Should we change sides and say that clearly righteousness is a waste of time and we would be much better off conforming to the norm where evil doers prosper?  David’s response in Psalm 37 is reinforced through the bible and it is striking how much it accords with Jesus’ teaching 1500 years later.  He is adamant that we should, ‘turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.  For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones.’ ^{vv 27,28}

David characterizes the wicked as enemies of the righteous ^v12 and the poor and needy. ^v14 This is a warning as to reality, ‘The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him. ^V12 and ‘The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death.’ ^V32 It was the same experience for Jesus and the church of the New Testament.

David takes a long view or eternal perspective. Some might say even a naïve view when he says, ‘I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging for bread.’ ^v25 when that clearly is not universally true.  He is however clear that the prosperity of the wicked is a temporary thing and often they become the victim of their own wickedness, ‘But their swords will pierce their own hearts.’ ^v15 He compares the wicked to the grass in the Middle East, green in spring but withered and dry by the autumn. ^v2  Ultimately under God’s judgement the wicked will be destroyed, ‘there will be no future for the wicked.’ ^v38

In the face of wickedness he calls people into relationship with the Lord.  He urges us to, trust in the Lord, ^v3 take delight in the Lord, ^v4 commit to the Lord, ^v5 be still before the Lord, ^v7 wait for the Lord, ^v7 and hope in the Lord. ^v34  Arising from time spent with the Lord and our relationship with him he then appeals to us to not be angry or worry ^v8 and to hope in the Lord and keep his way. ^v34

This is not an easy thing when one has experienced great suffering from the hands of evil doers but this is the over-arching promise of God that was pioneered by Jesus.

‘The salvation of the righteous come from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.  The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.’ ^vv39,40

Trust his heart – Babbie Mason

New wine – Hillsong

Psalm 36

Over several months I had conversations with a man I will call Tim.  He was trying to leave behind a life that had led him to prison and a reliance on drink and drugs because he now had a child that he was not allowed to see because of his life style.  It was an internal struggle but it was also a battle against the deliberate temptations placed in his way by those who encouraged him to continue with his previous life.  There were texts from drug dealers extoling the virtues of their new batch from county lines, people knocking on his door and the offers of superficial friendship in the midst of loneliness and depression.

David, in Psalm 36, recognizes this battle for the soul and he concludes the psalm with a prayer that he is not drawn into the ways of the wicked.  ‘Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.’ ^v11 Translators place different interpretations on the opening verse as to whether it is a message from God or wickedness in his heart, but whatever the source, sinfulness personified is calling to him.  The overriding attitude of sin is arrogance.  Arrogance expressed as no fear or respect for God and a conceited belief that that sin will not be exposed. ‘There is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.’ ^vv1,2  It was Tim’s experience that even as he was trying to leave a corrupt life behind so others were thinking of ways to tempt him back.  We should not underestimate the deliberateness of criminals or even our peer group to encourage us in living a godless life.  Once those decisions have been made it becomes increasingly hard to change direction.  David expresses the personification of sin as, ‘The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good.  He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil.’ ^vv2,3 David makes clear that simply not rejecting evil amounts to complying with evil.

In contrast choosing good over evil is not so much choosing good as the source of goodness in the person of God.  He is love and righteousness, ^vv5,6 as well as where we find refuge from sin and temptation. ^v7 At that point we find a truly satisfying life.  ‘They feast on the abundance of your house and you give them drink from the river of your delights.’ ^v8  David then prays that he will continue to choose God’s life over death.  ^vv10-12

The battle for the soul is a battle that can be won but only by Christ within us. Paul summed that up, ‘If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.’ ^{2Corinthians 5.17}

He’s a chain breaker – Zach Williams