Thoughts for the Day

Thanksgiving for Deliverance and Prayer for Help. Of David.

I waited patiently for the Lord;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the desolate pit,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the Lord.

Happy are those who make
the Lord their trust,
who do not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after false gods.

Sacrifice and offering you do not desire,
but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt-offering and sin-offering
you have not required.
Then I said, ‘Here I am;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me.
I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.’

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me;
O Lord, make haste to help me.

But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, ‘Great is the Lord!’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

During Advent we shall look at the people, places and symbols that invite us to prepare for the coming of the Christ-child at Christmas. They will not necessarily occur in the right order! Today we look at 'Trusting God' .

Psalm 40 is almost three thousand years old, yet it has such relevance today. We don't know what David has been delivered from, but it's something immense, perhaps from the torments and trials after being anointed King (1 Samuel 16.1-13) when for years King Saul sought to kill him. Or it could be later after becoming King and capturing the Jebusite city of Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5.1-10).

Psalms 37 and 40 are linked. In the first David waits patiently and quietly for God to answer his petition. He is to "be still", and "not fret" about the ways of the wicked, for "though we stumble we shall not fall headlong for the Lord holds us by the hand". Today, we too are to wait for the Lord, whether it is to hear the result of an x-ray, a job application, or whether we will be made redundant just before Christmas. Whatever our world throws at us we are to trust in God's plans for our life.

In Psalm 40 David follows up the theme of trust after God has rescued him from his time of torment and trouble. He exclaims, "Happy are those who make the Lord their trust". Then, disregarding the traditional "burnt offering" and "sin offering" as a sacrifice to God, he offers himself. "Hear I am", he says, "I delight to do your will, O my God; (for) your law is within my heart."

Two hundred years later Isaiah was to have a vision of God on His throne and he was to answer God, "Here am I, send me." This call would be answered eventually by Jesus, who like the prophets would put his complete trust in God.

Almighty God,
King David and the Prophet Isaiah
placed their trust in You.
May we, like them,
also put our trust in You,
knowing that like a Father
You only want the best for us.
When we have doubts
or when we are frightened
give us the confidence to
feel safe in Your hands.
Amen.