The God who puts our fears to flight
Life with God is often circular. We experience God, we cry out to him in our need and we worship him when he rescues us—and beforehand too. As we cling to him, he’s the one who holds us fast.
A David psalm. When he was in the Judean wilderness.[1]
1 O God, you’re my God—
I seek you with the dawn’s first light.
My soul thirsts for you
my body faints for you
in a wasteland, dry and desolate.
2 I long to see you as I have in the sanctuary
beholding your power and glory.
3 Since your unfailing love is better than life
I overflow with praise.
4 I’ll bless you as long as I live
lifting up my hands in your name.
5 Satisfied, like I’ve just enjoyed a rich feast
I’ll praise you with joyful song!
6 Lying awake in bed, I remember you—
think of you through the night’s long hours.
7 Because of how you’ve helped me
I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
8 While I cling to you
your right hand holds me fast.
9 But those seeking to destroy my life
will end up dead.
10 Felled by the sword
they’ll be carrion for jackals!
11 With their lying mouths shut in death
the king will rejoice in God.
And all who serve him[2] will celebrate.
David weaves his verbal tapestry out of three intertwining strands—longing for God, experience of God and worship of God. Dire though his situation is, he describes it only in the psalm’s last section in order to keep his focus on God, his situation’s all-important factor. But David has fled to the Judean wilderness because men who twist the truth about him are trying to kill him.
David knows he can’t live without God, whose love is better than life itself. He’s seen God’s glorious power revealed in the sanctuary and found shelter beneath God’s gracious outspread wings. So he commits himself to him and seeks him every waking moment, come what may. As he does, God assures him he’ll come through for him, satisfy him like a rich feast would, and David worships in anticipation.
For everything David does for God, God does far more for him. David clings to God, but it’s God who holds him fast. David sings his thanks for all God’s help. God will have David’s would-be killers killed and that, ignominiously. With their lying mouths shut for good, David’s mouth overflows with joyful praise. And he doesn’t celebrate God’s goodness alone for all God’s people join in.
O God, you’re my God. I long for you like parched land for rain. You’ve been my helper, and I rest under the shadow of your wings. Help me to seek you more than anything else life offers. Deliver me from the evil one, save me from myself, and fill my mouth with joyful songs of praise. Amen.
In your free moments today, pray this prayer:
Because of how you’ve helped me
I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
[1] This may refer to David’s escape from Absalom (2 Sam. 15:28, 16:14).
[2] Lit., swear by him.
