Week 34: Day 5

Intro: Hi, it's Esther here. Today we are going to dig into a Psalm, written by a guy called David, who was facing all sorts of problems and challenges. Yet in the midst, he manages to cling onto the goodness of God.

Bible: O Lord, I have so many enemies; so many are against me. So many are saying, “God will never rescue him!”
But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy mountain.
I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me.
I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side.

Victory comes from you, O Lord. May you bless your people.

Thought: Ever had a day where you feel like everything is going wrong, and the problems just keep stacking up? You wake up late, miss your bus, you rush out the house so quick you forget your lunch, forget your homework, all before 9am... eugh. Awful.

Sometimes, though, it’s not just a bad day. Sometimes it’s a bad week, a bad month, a bad season... that drags on... Where each day feels like a battle.

It is in this kind of situation that we find David as we read this psalm – he's fled the city and his family because he is scared for his life. His own son has tricked him and turned the people he has ruled as king for years against him. His enemies surround him, and the idea of resting seems laughable. Each day brought with it new uncertainty and fear and falling asleep must have been a real risk.

And he turns to God with complete honesty: he gets real with God about the situation he sees – “I have so many enemies, so many are against me.” Hear what’s behind those words: “God, I’m scared. I feel outnumbered and overwhelmed and I don’t know what to do.”

David is crying out to God: no pretending. No acting like everything is okay. No fancy words. No filter. Pure honesty. He gets real with God. Rather than bottling it up, He gets his anger and his fear out in the open with God.

But he doesn’t stay in this place. Did you clock his turning point? Three key words: “But you, Lord”

“But you, Lord” - he goes from biting honesty - stating facts about his reality and how he feels; to stating facts about God’s reality and who God is.

“But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high. I cried out to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy mountain.”

I like to imagine him saying this through gritted teeth - that God is a shield around him – he stands between him and his enemy.

That “God holds his head high”: that God gives him courage gives him courage to keep going, to raise his eyes and look up. “That God has answered”- that the creator is close and he cares.

He answers us, from a place of authority and power. And then because of that... because of this truth of who God is, David can rest. He can sleep... when the world is heavy, a nap is always a good idea.

”I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the Lord was watching over me.” Sleep is an act of trust. A nap is always a good idea!

”I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies who surround me on every side.” We don’t fear, because God is with us and he sustains us.

Victory comes from you, O Lord. May you bless your people” The psalm ends with a declaration of faith.

I don’t know what kind of world you find yourself in today – whether you’re having a good day, or a bad day. But what I do know is this: that we can be honest with God. That being truthful about our reality to him, is always the best idea: tell him how you feel - he can take it.

And let the reality of who God is, sink in: that he is your protector, your shield. The one who invites us to lay down our striving and struggling and to rest - a nap is always a good idea.

Challenge: Take David's lead and try to write a psalm of your own in this format – begin by stating something which is true and feels difficult or overwhelming. Don’t hold back! Then, using the phrase ‘but you’, list some of the things you know to be true about God which mean you can trust him in this situation. Then ask God to do something about it.

Prayer: God, thank you so much that we can be honest with you, that we can bring our heartache, heartbreak, our struggling and our striving to you - and that you can take it. Thank you that event though the reality of my situation might be big, that your reality and your goodness is real. Help me to be honest with you, God - and to know the truth of who you are. Help me to rest safe in the knowledge that you're good. Amen.