Psalm 69:34-36

Psalm 69:34-36ESV

34 Let heaven and earth praise him,
    the seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For God will save Zion
    and build up the cities of Judah,
and people shall dwell there and possess it;
36     the offspring of his servants shall inherit it,
    and those who love his name shall dwell in it.

David closes out this particular Psalm with more praise and worship to GOD.  What are some ways that we can praise GOD?  So often when "Praise and Worship" is mentioned, our tendency is to drift towards singing and worshiping in voice.

Fortunately (especially more so for some of us than others ;) ), there are so many other ways we can praise and worship GOD than simply through our voices or musical talent.

What are ways that you can worship GOD?

In your job?

At home?

Online?

With your family?

At the grocery?

With your spouse?

At church?

On the road?

Psalm 69:29-33

Psalm 69:29-33ESV

29 But I am afflicted and in pain;
    let your salvation, O God, set me on high!

30 I will praise the name of God with a song;
    I will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31 This will please the Lord more than an ox
    or a bull with horns and hoofs.
32 When the humble see it they will be glad;
    you who seek God, let your hearts revive.
33 For the Lord hears the needy
    and does not despise his own people who are prisoners.

Once again David is showing who he goes to when he is down, afflicted, in pain.  He once again goes straight to GOD with his request for uplifting, knowing that GOD will hear him.  And once again, he praises GOD, declaring who he is and what he is capable of.

It's very encouraging to me that our songs of praises and our true thanksgiving please the Lord more than a required animal sacrifice - He wants a relationship with us!

These praises and thanksgiving we raise to GOD not only effect our relationship with him, but also encourage other believers.  My positive praise and worship throughout my life can encourage fellow believers?!  That can be scary and awesome all at the same time.  It gives us opportunity and responsibility.

Sometimes it is so easy to think that what we are going through or have to deal with, would have no effect on someone else and their life.  How can my "xyz" be an encouragement or help to someone else?  Our stories, praises, GOD things, no matter how big or small, could be a huge encouragement and just what someone in our circle of influence need to hear to help them along!

GOD wants to have a relationship with each and every one of his children and he also wants his children to create healthy, encouraging relationships with each other!

Psalm 69:22-28

Psalm 69:22-28 ESV

22 Let their own table before them become a snare;
    and when they are at peace, let it become a trap.[a]
23 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see,
    and make their loins tremble continually.
24 Pour out your indignation upon them,
    and let your burning anger overtake them.
25 May their camp be a desolation;
    let no one dwell in their tents.
26 For they persecute him whom you have struck down,
    and they recount the pain of those you have wounded.
27 Add to them punishment upon punishment;
    may they have no acquittal from you.[b]
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living;
    let them not be enrolled among the righteous.

These are some rough verses to wrap one's mind around.  How do we align these verses from King David with Christ's teaching to love our enemies....bless those that curse us.... (Luke 6:27-35)

It took quite a bit of contemplating and meditating on these verses.  I finally happened upon one of John Piper's sermons on this text and the light came on!

If we look at Romans 15:3, Paul is encouraging us to deny ourselves rather than the desire for revenge, "Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, 'The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.'"  We need to forgive just as Christ!  So what's up with these six angry verses in Psalm 69!?

We are to forgive, "let it go", but not because there is no wrath or judgement, but because there IS.  It's just not our job to execute judgement.  I think this quote from John Piper sums it up rather well,

"The fact that GOD will do it, and that it is right for him to do it, is the very means by which we are able to follow Jesus in suffering for the sake of others who have wronged us."

Romans 12:19-21 "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of GOD, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'  To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Another line from Piper stuck out to me and I just love how it reminds us that we don't need to worry about it.

"The burning coals will be purifying if there is repentance, and punishment if there is not.  GOD will decide.  We will approve."

David surely wanted revenge, and he took his thoughts to GOD, leaving them with Him to do as He chose.

Psalm 69:19-21

Psalm 69:19-21ESV

19 You know my reproach,
    and my shame and my dishonor;
    my foes are all known to you.
20 Reproaches have broken my heart,
    so that I am in despair.
I looked for pity, but there was none,
    and for comforters, but I found none.
21 They gave me poison for food,
    and for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.

GOD knows everything as David portrays in these few verses.  He knows everything we have done, all the wrongs (and all the rights).  He knows every reason people have to glare, snarl, laugh, or dismiss us.  He knows every enemy and the issues they may or may not have with us.

GOD knows how we feel.  He knows the desperation, the fears, the frustrations.  He knows that so often those who we go to for comfort fail us and let us down, whether intentionally or simply through human nature.

In verse 21 it's so very interesting that David's words could be Christ's words on the cross a thousand years later.  GOD not only knows everything in his all powerful, all knowing ways; Christ also knows through human experience what our trials, fears, and frustrations can be.

Our GOD is not an all knowing, aloof, disinterested deity.  He's been here, He knows through experience and wants to help us!

Psalm 69:16-18

16 Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good;
    according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.
17 Hide not your face from your servant;
    for I am in distress; make haste to answer me.
18 Draw near to my soul, redeem me;
    ransom me because of my enemies!

David is so confident in GOD through these verses.  We know he has been dealing with difficult people and problems as we read this chapter.  In the previous verses David prays very specifically to GOD, asking for help with the exact feelings and issues that he is dealing with.  I really appreciate how both before and after giving his list of "woes", David affirms what he knows about GOD.

Steadfast love is good

Saving faithfulness

Abundant mercies

How often do we get wrapped up in all our troubles and problems and forget to acknowledge who and what GOD is?  Our struggles and life are big to us, but GOD's steadfast love, saving faithfulness, and abundant mercies are bigger!  

Psalm 69:13-15

Psalm 69:13-15ESV

13 But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord.
    At an acceptable time, O God,
    in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.
14 Deliver me
    from sinking in the mire;
let me be delivered from my enemies
    and from the deep waters.
15 Let not the flood sweep over me,
    or the deep swallow me up,
    or the pit close its mouth over me.

I absolutely love David's prayer here, and how it, almost word for word, gives his fears and feelings from the first four verses over to GOD.

GOD cares how we feel.  He wants to know how and why we're struggling with things.  Yes, GOD knows everything, but He wants to hear from us.  Young children don't need to tell us they need food and clothing, but hearing them speak and communicate with us creates a relationship.  GOD wants a relationship with us too!

Whenever I think of praying and asking GOD my Father for help, Matthew 7:9-11 crosses my mind, "...which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?  If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give good things to those who ask him?"

GOD loves us and wants to hear from us!

Psalm 69:9-12

Psalm 69:9-12ESV

9 For zeal for your house has consumed me,
    and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
10 When I wept and humbled my soul with fasting,
    it became my reproach.
11 When I made sackcloth my clothing,
    I became a byword to them.
12 I am the talk of those who sit in the gate,
    and the drunkards make songs about me.

These verses remind of today's culture and it's opinions of Christians.  The world calls us names, makes jokes at our expense, and more recently has become more and more vulgar with their mockery.

It's so easy to think that today is the worse it's ever been, but King David, a King of GOD's people, had to deal with these exact same trials and persecutions.  GOD was with David then and He is with us now.

It's so very important to remember that criticism of our faith and belief in GOD are actually an attack on GOD, not us.  Stay focused on GOD, commit to a life that mirrors Christ and let GOD take care of the mockers.

Psalm 69:5-8

Psalm 69:5-8ESV

5 O God, you know my folly;
    the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.

6 Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me,
    O Lord God of hosts;
let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me,
    O God of Israel.
7 For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach,
    that dishonor has covered my face.
8 I have become a stranger to my brothers,
    an alien to my mother's sons.

Such an interesting combination of verses these four are.  David's admittance to stupid choices, sins, and horrible wrongs; his hope that his actions didn't reflect poorly on others; and the fact that he is persecuted for his belief in GOD.

David was down and focusing on quite a bit of negatives...and where does he go?  Straight to GOD to tell Him how he feels.

Our Father GOD is not aloof, is not distant, is not too busy for us.  In Isaiah 54:10, Isaiah shares GOD's words with the Israelites,

"For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you."

GOD was speaking to His chosen people who had sinned innumerable times-just like us.  I absolutely love the end of this verse in Isaiah, "has compassion on you."!  GOD's great grace, love, and mercy is amazing!