40 Days in the Psalms
Psalms 1-5
Reading of the 5 Psalms was as interesting as it always is. The first five Psalms cover different subjects however each word is so close to reality that it appears to be the voice of my own heart.
Psalm 1 is a comparison between the life of a person who is an ardent believer of God and obeys His Word because he loves Him and wants to please Him in whatever he does. Such a man is happily blessed and will always enjoy God’s blessings because he is God’s obedient and thankful child. His life is watered by God’s Word and he grows in spirit with beauty and grace, achieving worldly success as well as God’s approval. On the other hand the unbelieving man may achieve the riches and treasures of this world but in reality he remains empty handed as he lacks God’s blessings in his life. Such a man who sins and finds wicked ways to please himself and satisfy his ego is actually walking towards self-destruction. God is pure and only loves the righteous and abhors evil. He will not keep company with the sinners and they will be separated from the attendance of the righteous on the Day of Judgment.
Psalm 2 talks about rebellion against God and David wonders how Nations and leaders deny the Greatness of God and not acknowledge His Benevolence? God is still Merciful and Kind towards the unbelievers and encourages them to follow the righteous path so that they can receive God’s blessings which will save them from ruin.
Psalm 3 & 4 are David’s sincere and earnest prayers in troubled times where he implores God to come to his help and ward off his enemies. David has utmost confidence in God and knows that God is faithful; He delivered righteous people from all kinds of disasters in the past and David has full faith that God will stand by him when his enemies, who outnumber him, try to bring him harm.
Psalm 5 is a morning prayer where David continues to beseech God for his Mercy and Divine assistance against his enemies.
I would like to elaborate upon Psalm 5 which is a morning prayer.
Main point of the passage
David is anxious for God to respond to his prayers; he is praying to him fervently, but God, in His Divine Judgment, is quiet. We see that David’s faith is unfaltering and he is praying with full devotion. In fact, we observe that where his prayers stop, he starts talking to God and tells Him details which God already knows. David, who looks up to God for all his needs in peace time is totally devastated when he is surrounded by enemies and above all, his own son Absalom has ousted him from his throne in Israel. He is completely shaken, however, from reading David’s prayers we see that his spirit is still not broken as he has the support of God, who is Supreme.
We observe that David is calling out to God with an intensity which can be seen from the way he articulates his words. In the Old Testament a repetition of something is used to apply emphasis and saying of something thrice is for extreme emphasis. Here David calls out to God in three ways which appear to convey extreme urgency: 1. “Listen to my words” 2. “Consider my sighing” 3. “Pay attention to the sound of my cry”. Then again he addresses God by saying “Lord”, King” and “God”. It shows the love David has for God as he knows that God will step forward to deliver him from his troubles.
He knows that God cannot tolerate evil hence David is imploring God to save him from the violent and wicked people in the guise of friends. David states his connection with God as “besed” which can be described as most loving, intimate and faithful relationship. He knows that God displayed His besed love in the past when he saved the people of Israel and for him when God appointed him king. David is confident that God will not forsake him or leave him at the mercy of his enemies as God is faithful to his righteous followers.
Most Important Truth from the Text
The most impressive fact that strikes me is David’s unfaltering faith in God. The most important truth is that God is always there when you call out to Him, He never disappoints you and never forsakes you if you are His child and look up to no one else but Him. Obeying His Word and living by His rules ensures His Divine help. If God is by your side, you need no one else as He is your biggest strength.
What is one area in your life from a practical perspective that the text pointed out
It saddens me to say that nothing has changed over centuries. Even in this day and age there are people who foster hostility and animosity against believers, rejecting God as their Savior. Living in a country where the Muslim Majority looks down upon the Christian Minorities and curtails their rights and mete out derogatory attitudes wherever they can, I am reminded of the plight of David when the people he lived with and served as a rightful king, revolted against him. The fact of the matter, however is, that God is on the side of the righteous and never ceases to be faithful to his children. I am happy to admit that God has always listened to my prayers and has always been my greatest strength and support in all kinds of adverse situations.
