Psalms 27:1-14 Wait For It
David is clinging fast to the promises of God. He encourages himself to wait for the Lord. No matter how long it takes; David will wait for it.
I LOVE David’s resolve! I cling to God’s promises too but I don’t have David’s patience. He spent years running from Saul, waiting to be made the king God promised him he would be. He didn’t put his hand out and ‘help’ God with the process. He kept on trusting.
David’s greatest desire is to be as close to the Lord as possible. He didn’t ask to be king. He didn’t ask to be rich or famous. He didn’t even ask for a long life or good health. He asked only to “dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of [his] life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple” (verse 4b). Anything else that comes in his life comes second to this one desire.
David KNOWS that ALL the things he didn’t ask for will be taken care of in the completing of the one thing he did request. David’s request is something that he has to work on, not something that is simply granted by God. By making this request, David is asking God to help him live a life that pleases God. He is asking God to increase his patience and faith. And there is NOTHING that increases patience and faith more than exercising them!
David got a LOT of opportunities to ‘exercise’ these two pillars. David faced enemies as long as we have known him. I’m sure he faced spiritual challenges even as a child. We see his first enemies being a lion and a bear who were after his sheep. From there we meet Goliath and all the enemies of Israel. Then we find David’s own king chasing after him. These are just a few of the enemies David met before becoming king. After he was king, all the nations around him that came against Israel made the enemy list. Even his own son, Absalom, made that list! With each enemy David sought the Lord for help. And he trusted in the promises God had made to him previously. Talk about ‘power lifting’!
David held no illusions about a quiet and peaceful life. He KNEW there would be at least one “day of trouble” (verse 5b) and that he would encounter “enemies all around me” (verse 6b). So how did David deal with these inevitable occurrences? By praising God with his whole heart and seeking His face. By going to the tent of the Lord and offering sacrifices of joy and singing to the Lord.
There were also times in David’s life when he KNEW he had displeased God. His FIRST act when confronted by his sin was to repent. He wouldn’t try to hide his sin or even play down the significance of it. He RAN to God and threw himself on His mercy. He prayed first that God would even listen to him. And He did! God ALWAYS hears when we come to Him with a repentant heart.
One thing that David clung too also was that God’s promises to him would take place on THIS side of the grave; or at least the ones concerning him would. “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!” (verse 13). A lot of promises we look forward to once we reach Heaven. Seeing Jesus face to face is one of them.
David was promised that he would be king and that his son Solomon would sit on the throne after him. These things had to take place while David yet lived. And they had to go against the enemies that tried to keep them from being realized. Twice David’s own sons tried to derail God’s plans. First was when Absalom tried to take David’s throne right out from under him. The second was when Adonijah set himself up to be king as David was nearing the end of his life.
David trusted God to protect His plans, no matter who had to be moved out of the way to accomplish them. And he trusted God to see him safely through whatever he had to do in the process. David held the sword and God strengthened the arm. It took faith and patience to wait on the Lord.
Father God, I wish I had David’s patience WITHOUT having to go through David’s trials! You have built my patience over the years through trials of my own but they don’t compare to David’s. You have also given me a song in my heart like You did for David. I’m pretty sure I would have crumbled without Your music. Your music calmed me enough to help me wait. And it always spoke of Your promises to me. THANI YOU for that.
I don’t know what You have next for me or if there even is a ‘next’. I’m content to wait for Your direction. Thank You for where You have placed me now and how You have allowed me to be able to give into other people’s lives in many different ways. If this is my ‘forever more task’ I’m good with that. If not, help me move when You say move and walk where You direct me. I don’t know what promises You have left for me on this side of the grave. I’m holding fast to several for later. Be gentle with me as You continue to work on my patience and faith. Teach me to wait.
