the inward mind and heart of a man are deep

 Psalm 64:1–10 (ESV):  

1  Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; 

preserve my life from dread of the enemy. 

2  Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, 

from the throng of evildoers, 

3  who whet their tongues like swords, 

who aim bitter words like arrows, 

4  shooting from ambush at the blameless, 

shooting at him suddenly and without fear. 

5  They hold fast to their evil purpose; 

they talk of laying snares secretly, 

thinking, “Who can see them?” 

6  They search out injustice, 

saying, “We have accomplished a diligent search.” 

For the inward mind and heart of a man are deep. 

7  But God shoots his arrow at them; 

they are wounded suddenly. 

8  They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them; 

all who see them will wag their heads. 

9  Then all mankind fears; 

they tell what God has brought about 

and ponder what he has done. 

10  Let the righteous one rejoice in the Lord 

and take refuge in him! 

Let all the upright in heart exult! 

Words can easily entangle and lead us down a path we never really intended on going down. This psalm can remind us how the words of deception, rumours and lies spread, and build into becoming swords, arrows and snares. The little quips and comments grow to transform people into enemies, this is what happened to David. It is bad enough having one person lying about you, saying horrible things and plotting against you, but David had a ‘throng of evildoers’ against him. How did that happen? These enemies and their schemes all started somewhere. There was one moment when something was done or said that has taken over and spiralled. One disagreement, angry word, disappointment, error, jealousy or miscommunication has led to people becoming disgruntled, conniving enemies. It may not even have been anything to do with what David has done or said. People can become our enemies for many reasons. Yet, just because someone is railing against you, doesn’t mean you should do the same. David recognised this. It is important, even when people are horrible to you, to deal with them well - To live above reproach. David did not; shout things back, sneak around after them, try to catch them out or even confront and fight them. He could have done - he was a powerful, mighty king! Even though he could have fought, and won, he did not take matters into his own hands. He could have permanently got rid of these troublesome, lying, deceitful, wicked plotters who attacked him. Instead, David preferred God's way. He talked to God about it and trusted in His eventual salvation, knowing that God’s way is better. David did not repay evil for evil, but he patiently waited for God to start shooting His arrows instead of shooting his own. For David knew that God would transform the situation and cause these enemies to be on the run and descend into ruin because they are attacking God’s man. God preserves and fights for those who love Him, so David was assured that he would not only be rescued by God from this situation, but that it would also be for the benefit other believers too. As they would see God come through and rejoice! (V10). What is your response when people behave like enemies towards you?

It is important as mentioned above, to ensure that you are living above reproach in every circumstance. To make sure that even if people treat you badly, you do not do the same to them. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:39, "I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also”. Jesus' advice - Do not try to squash the behaviour of those acting badly, but let them do it! By that you are showing love and mercy like God does to us. Do not allow yourself to retaliate or become angry, for that is not godliness and you will just end up behaving the same way as those against you and become wicked yourself. Consider the disciples in the book of Acts, they undergo terrible treatment, but do not react in their own strength. They endure torture and imprisonment and glorify and trust in God through it. They did not retaliate, fight or argue back. Instead they imitated their saviour in their loving and merciful responses to those who became their enemies. They are great examples of living a painful, but dedicated life to God. They lived their life fully for Him and that meant they didn’t always behave in the way they wanted to. The disciples understood that Jesus had shown that the battle is not really theirs, that even the enemies are not fighting you, but the godliness that is within. They also realised that any argument or physical fight is not going to change the heart or mindset of the wicked. Only the love and mercy of God can do that. Do you allow this to be the case when you have enemies? Or do you roll your sleeves up ready for a fight?

David also gives us an insight in this psalm that people have many reasons for doing things as, ‘The inward mind and heart of a man are deep’. David has realised that all people have; fears, hurts, joys and hopes which combine to influence their behaviour. David recognises that there are many reasons why someone will act in a certain way because they are ‘deep’. Some get carried away, follow others, respond out of heartache, try to provide security - there are many explanations of why people behave as they do because we are complex creatures. Friends and enemies have reasons to be such, and predominantly it is not because of you. It is because of the deep things that are going on inside of them. The behaviour and decisions a person makes are often not due to one experience or one comment, but there are many thoughts, values and experiences that lead to it. Those who live righteously and those who live wickedly choose to do so as a result of the internal processing of many ideas, ideals, experiences and goals. The things that mould a person into who they become are many and complicated, and they impact how they treat others. 

When you are on the receiving end of poor behaviour or wickedness, it is easy to consider the person or people involved as wicked. Yet you do not know the inner depths of each person for, ‘The inward mind and heart of a man are deep’. You do not know that they have been through, or why they are acting as they are. Sometimes these people may even seem quite nice and honourable, as they may act wickedly towards you, but they also can seem righteous or good at times! (v5-6) People are complex creatures, we all are. We all have different motivations and reasons for being like we are. We can even seem nice to some and horrid to others. David has noticed how even those plotting evil diligently against him, ‘search out injustice’. Yet they themselves are unjust in their words and actions towards him. It is a conundrum, but not one that any of us can solve by worrying about it. Instead, David does the only thing he can - talks to God about it - the One who knows the innermost being of every man and woman, and he trusts Him to sort it out. David is certain God will bring about the right course of action, and he will wait for it. For now, until his rescue comes, David will take refuge in speaking with God, trusting in His protection, for the time will come when ‘God shoots his arrows’ at these evildoers, and the people of God will, ‘rejoice in the Lord’ for the victory God has brought about. So instead of preparing to fight, why not take guidance from David, who did not roll up his sleeves and prepare for a battle when people plotted against him, but talked to God, carried on his everyday life and waited and trusted in the love and mercy of God to bring salvation and reason for all of God's people to rejoice?

 

Is it well with your soul?

 Psalm 63:1–11 (ESV):  

A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. 

1  O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; 

my soul thirsts for you; 

my flesh faints for you, 

as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. 

2  So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, 

beholding your power and glory. 

3  Because your steadfast love is better than life, 

my lips will praise you. 

4  So I will bless you as long as I live; 

in your name I will lift up my hands. 

5  My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, 

and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, 

6  when I remember you upon my bed, 

and meditate on you in the watches of the night; 

7  for you have been my help, 

and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. 

8  My soul clings to you; 

your right hand upholds me. 

9  But those who seek to destroy my life 

shall go down into the depths of the earth; 

10  they shall be given over to the power of the sword; 

they shall be a portion for jackals. 

11  But the king shall rejoice in God; 

all who swear by him shall exult, 

for the mouths of liars will be stopped. 

In the wilderness, physical or spiritual, you can take God with you. He doesn’t disappear when life gets dull or difficult, dry or barren, but do you include Him in your life when it does? 

David was in an actual wilderness, but was also feeling empty and fruitless in himself. This psalm shows how his internal state is reflected by his natural surroundings. He was feeling thirsty and faint, tired, bored, fed up, living in lack and unrefreshed. Ever felt like that? David could see the similarities between where he was physically to how he was doing mentally, emotionally and spiritually. There was a wilderness around him and also insider him. So, not content to continue living like that, David decided to do something about it. 

For David realised that just because he was in a physical wilderness, it doesn’t mean he needed to live feeling; dull, dried up and barren in himself. So he recalled happier, more fulfilling times. He remembered the joy of praising God in the sanctuary, he recalled the help God has been to him, and that even when he feels like he is just clinging on, God has firm hold of him (v8)! Even now. Even when there are jackals prowling about, scorching heat, little to nourish the body, David takes comfort and refreshment from God as the nourishment for his soul. David knows God is the same now in this fruitless, dry season as He is in the times of partying and plenty, therefore he set his mind to live in the joy of the former times. He intentionally set his heart and mind on his previous experiences that showed God’s presence. He allowed himself to be happy with the memories of what he had been through to encourage and inspire him to keep going in this wilderness. For David knew, that just as at those great times, his soul, his internal state could still be peaceful, content and experience joy, even in the wilderness. Times like this will come to us all, David demonstrates that we can not just survive those times but we can also thrive in them, for he says, 'My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips'. Do you set your heart and mind to be content when the going gets tough?

This attitude reminds me of a hymn called, ‘it is well with my soul’. The lyrics are inspiring and behind them is the story of tragedy. The writer of the hymn, Horatio Spafford, within a few short years lost his money and all his children (see this link to read more (story behind 'it is well with my soul'). Yet in the midst of this tragedy, God comforted and spoke to him so that his response was to write the hymn, ‘it is well with my soul’. What an inspiration and a great example of faith! This man was walking through misery, a fruitless wilderness, but he clung onto the fact that he was not walking alone. He did not abandon God, but remembered and valued Him during the life altering pain. Just like David. 

Both men, Horatio and David, knew and experienced the reality that it could be well with their soul in the most terrifying and terrible times of life. The same can be true of you too if you decide that, no matter the circumstances, your ‘soul clings to’ God. These men did not allow life’s tragedies, confusions, dullness or difficulties define their faith, but their faith defined their troubles. These men of God held firm to Him, and He shaped and informed their lives even in the wilderness. They set their minds to remember God and recall His; faithfulness, kindness, power and love even in the darkest times because His, ‘steadfast love is better than life’. Therefore their souls were, ‘satisfied as with fat and rich food’. They were content, although grieving, firm in purpose although confused, and faith-filled although surrounded by trouble and tragedy. They lived all of life with God; the good, bad, and everything in-between. Is this how you live your life?

The lives of Horatio and David give us powerful testimonies of how a believer can live not just in behaviour, but also in mindset. They both understood that no matter the situation, ’it is well with my soul’. Is it well with yours? 

When life brings trouble and tragedy, do you accept and cling to the truth that God is with you, He loves you and is good? His right hand can uphold you if you let Him. Your life could become a great testimony of hope and faith, like these men, if you learn to remember and celebrate God throughout your life no matter the circumstances. You have the great privilege of living life remembering that it is well with your soul because of Jesus, do you? Are you living a life of contentment even when life is unpleasant or even tragic? You too could inspire others, even future generations if you live your life knowing the wellness of your soul in all situations.

it is well with my soul

Riches, power and wealth

 Psalm 62:1–12 (ESV):  

1  For God alone my soul waits in silence; 

from him comes my salvation. 

2  He alone is my rock and my salvation, 

my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. 

3  How long will all of you attack a man 

to batter him, 

like a leaning wall, a tottering fence? 

4  They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. 

They take pleasure in falsehood. 

They bless with their mouths, 

but inwardly they curse. Selah 

5  For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, 

for my hope is from him. 

6  He only is my rock and my salvation, 

my fortress; I shall not be shaken. 

7  On God rests my salvation and my glory; 

my mighty rock, my refuge is God. 

8  Trust in him at all times, O people; 

pour out your heart before him; 

God is a refuge for us. Selah 

9  Those of low estate are but a breath; 

those of high estate are a delusion; 

in the balances they go up; 

they are together lighter than a breath. 

10  Put no trust in extortion; 

set no vain hopes on robbery; 

if riches increase, set not your heart on them. 

11  Once God has spoken; 

twice have I heard this: 

that power belongs to God, 

12  and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. 

For you will render to a man 

according to his work. 

How often do you silently wait?

David says, ‘For God alone my soul waits in silence’. When waiting, most people; complain, sigh, drum their fingers, stomp, groan or mutter, which increases their frustration. David, however, waits silently. Peacefully and patiently standing by for God to answer. How often do you do that - sit in the discomfort of waiting? I imagine it is more likely that most of us rush off to find solutions, sometimes even with the attitude of - “well, I prayed about it, God didn’t answer so I did x, y and z”. This leads to frustration, a decline in faith, and stress. If you learnt to wait for God, I wonder what answers you would get and I wonder what you would learn in the uncomfortable silence. David learnt to allow his soul to be at peace whilst he waited for he realised that, ‘from him comes my salvation’. When you ask God things, do you wait long enough and quietly enough for God to bring you answers and salvation? 

‘’I shall not be greatly shaken’

Is this your testimony? Do the events of life, changes of circumstance greatly shake you? There is a difference between being shaken and greatly shaken. Being shaken is like being shocked, feeling off-guard, seeing the twist in the story and not being ready for it. Greatly shaken is like feeling like your whole world is falling apart. We can all get shaken, surprising and shocking things happen, how do they effect you? If you believe and trust in God, then the things of llifeg may shale you but you shouldn't become greatly shaken. If you do, consider what foundations your life is built upon. Are you trusting fully in God, or is there something else that you lean and rely on; family, money, job, position, health? These things are like ‘a tottering fence’, it doesn’t take much for them to let you down. Yet God is your rock, salvation and your fortress, so look to and depend upon Him, then you cannot be greatly shaken. A storm may come, the fence will fall, but a rock remains firm. 

‘If riches increase, set not your heart upon them’

When money comes, it is easy to get distracted. Jesus himself tells us, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!" (Mathew 19:24). An increase in money can easily become something that is relied upon. The world functions through money; you need it to buy; food, clothes, pay rent, bills, even fun and entertainment. So it is not easy to stop money having influence over your heart and mind, as you need it to function in this world. Times of blessing and abundance can breed danger for if you end up feeling happy and secure by having wealth, be careful that you haven't taken your mind and eyes off the One who has provided it. Money is fickle and will let you down, even if you feel like you have much. Instead put what you have in right perspective - just consider what you have in comparison to the riches of God! Your plenty is worth less than pennies to God, so look to Him, set your heart upon Him. Money is a resource, not a life source. So use it but do not allow your life to be built around it. God is the source of all things. So base your life, heart and mind on Him for money comes and money goes (just look at your bank account!). Yet God is stable and steadfast. 

'power belongs to God’

Do not waste your time, money or effort trying to gain influence or power, for the source of these things is God. If you want to know what power looks like - look at Him. Consider His power, and the way He uses it. God’s power sustains and loves His creation. Power exists in order to take care of and nurture what God has made - this was God’s mandate for man in the beginning that as humans we should take care of the Earth, this is the responsibility he gave humanity. So whatever power you have, consider, what do you use it for? Are you intentionally using whatever influence and power you have to take responsibility for loving God and His creation? If you are a follower of God, you have responsibility to look after God’s interests. Therefore any power, role or responsibility you are given on Earth, be mindful of how you use it. ‘Power belongs to God’, so ensure that the influence you have is subjected to Him first, and use it as He sees fit. Power is not to be used for selfish gain or vain motives, but all power belongs to God. Therefore if you have been entrusted with some, ensure you honour God with how you use it. For God can give power and He can take it away. It belongs to Him, not you, you haven’t earned it, you don’t deserve it, and you may increase or decrease in it as you go through life for it belongs to God, therefore be a careful guardian of the influence you have. whilst you have it.

In this psalm there are some strong challenges to how you live life, how you use and respond to events, blessings, power and authority. Is all of it submitted to God? Do you, like David, trust in God alone?

Is God in your everyday every day?

 Psalm 61:1–8 (ESV):  

1  Hear my cry, O God, 

listen to my prayer; 

2  from the end of the earth I call to you 

when my heart is faint. 

Lead me to the rock 

that is higher than I, 

3  for you have been my refuge, 

a strong tower against the enemy. 

4  Let me dwell in your tent forever! 

Let me take refuge under the shelter of your wings! Selah 

5  For you, O God, have heard my vows; 

you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name. 

6  Prolong the life of the king; 

may his years endure to all generations! 

7  May he be enthroned forever before God; 

appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him! 

8  So will I ever sing praises to your name, 

as I perform my vows day after day. 

This psalm sounds like the writer, David, is worn out. A petition to be heard by the almighty God, and to hear a response, from a tired and worn out mind. I wonder if this is why it is initially written in quite short lines. It reminds me of someone running, short of breath, exhaling quick sentences as they jog along. 

In the midst of rushing around, and in the busy-ness of life, you can still talk to God. It may be short, snippets of words and sentences, but God is still there to hear them and to demonstrate care to you. David knew that. So, he prayed in every and any situation. He prayed when life was good and bountiful, when it was terrifying, when he was sick, resting, and rushing. Your conversations with God may change as life changes, but do you still make a point of including God as things adapt and change? Do you invite God into your everyday, every day?

Even in the rushing and the worry, God is a ‘refuge’ and ‘strong tower’, but you won’t get to experience that if you don’t look out for Him and speak to Him. David was secure in his relationship with God because he worked at it. He spent time with God, he waited for Him and he intentionally sought Him out and spoke with Him even when he could have been distracted and too busy. David intentionally made God part of his everyday every day. He spoke to God on the run, in the cave as well as whilst resting on his bed and amongst other believers. David spoke to God whenever he could because he valued the relationship, and he knew God cares about, and can have impact on every area of his life. 

David not only spoke with God, but kept his word before God as he understood the importance of taking his responsibility in the relationship. David says he will, ‘perform my vows day after day’. He recognised the importance that he take ownership for the relationship he had with God as he knew it was a two way thing. God is not just there whenever David wants Him to be, but David also has to work at keeping the relationship strong, and that includes keeping his promises. So whatever David promised God he would do, he did, every day. David did his best to please God and to obey Him, he understood that his response to God was as important as God’s response to him. David’s everyday life reflected the faith he had because he not only talked to, and about God, but his behaviour and decisions reflected the faith he had. He kept his promises to God and vowed to do better. He included God in every part of his everyday life. Do you? Do you make and keep your promises? 

Finally, in this psalm we see David’s humility before the throne of God. Even though David knows what it is like to be a king, he is not The King, and so he subjects his authority, influence, power and responsibility to God. He asks God to give him a long life, and he also requests that God allows His, ‘steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him’. David knows he can do well if he has the love and faithfulness of God tangibly in his life. He understood that the best king is not one who wields his power and authority, but one who subjects it into the hands of God. David was a great king because he acknowledged that all he had influence over was in the hands of God. So, whatever God gives you to do in life, do it well, to the honour and glory of God. You may not be a king, but wherever you have influence and opportunity, ask for God to help you in His steadfast love and faithfulness, for then you will do well. God made people to be kings, and He made people to be servants and every other role in-between. As you diligently perform the, ‘good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do’ (Ephesians 2:10) ensure that you are performing these duties in a way that demonstrates worship and honour to God. Include him in your everyday life, every day, then you will know God as your refuge and strong tower too.

King David is a great example for all of us. He had the right perspective of his role and responsibility. He lived subject to God and in close relationship with Him everyday. He made sure he spent time with God, spoke with Him, learnt about Him, kept his vows, and lived under His authority. David lived his everyday life with God every day, do you do the same?

The Lord is your banner

 Psalm 60:1–12 (ESV):  

1  O God, you have rejected us, broken our defences; 

you have been angry; oh, restore us. 

2  You have made the land to quake; you have torn it open; 

repair its breaches, for it totters. 

3  You have made your people see hard things; 

you have given us wine to drink that made us stagger. 

4  You have set up a banner for those who fear you, 

that they may flee to it from the bow. Selah 

5  That your beloved ones may be delivered, 

give salvation by your right hand and answer us! 

6  God has spoken in his holiness: 

“With exultation I will divide up Shechem 

and portion out the Vale of Succoth. 

7  Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; 

Ephraim is my helmet; 

Judah is my sceptre. 

8  Moab is my washbasin; 

upon Edom I cast my shoe; 

over Philistia I shout in triumph.” 

9  Who will bring me to the fortified city? 

Who will lead me to Edom? 

10  Have you not rejected us, O God? 

You do not go forth, O God, with our armies. 

11  Oh, grant us help against the foe, 

for vain is the salvation of man! 

12  With God we shall do valiantly; 

it is he who will tread down our foes. 

Often when we read of David in battle, we hear of the victory that comes. Yet it was not always so, as we can surmise from this psalm. Here David tells us how their defences were broken, the people have seen ‘hard things’ and are staggering to safety (v4). They need delivering as they are being beaten and having to retreat. It feels as if, ‘you do not go forth with us, O God’. So instead of running in triumph, celebrating victory, the Israelite army is having to run, in fear, to the ‘banner’ (v4) - A symbol of retreat. The banner was at the rear of the army, a visual representation of who you belonged to. Especially important in war as you could easily get disorientated. It was important to be able to see where you needed to go to re-join your team if you got lost, injured, or needed rest. For Israel, their banner also reminded them that God was with them (Exodus 17:15, 'The Lord is my banner'). The banner therefore represented for David and his army that God is the Commander of the battle, their protector, guide, refuge and safety, a fortress they can run to. A place of retreat where they can be reminded that God is present and so they can be comforted, restored and re-engaged. In this battle, they needed that. They were fighting and felt like they were losing, so they had to run for safety and restoration. 

Sometimes, in life, you need to retreat to the ‘banner’ too. You need to reming yourself that the Lord is your banner, just as He was Israel's. God is your refuge, retreat, safety, fortress and restoration. In life, you will get tired, hurt, and feel lost. God is waiting for you to run to Him. He can remind you that He is the commander, refuge, safety, protractor, guide and healer. He will refresh you and re-equip you for the battles you face, are you running to Him? God is waiting for you. 

Battles are never won by an individual, so you cannot do it alone. You do not need to, and should not be trying to. If you are a member of His army, and you are leading your life following Him then you are on His team, and He is your banner. You do not have the vision, strength or the level of strategic planning required to even navigate the battles that are coming but God does. He has the might, understanding and plan to get you through and to bring about His promises. Are you running to Him to hear what He has to say so that He can guide you to where you need to go?

When you seem to be losing, battling, struggling, feeling like you need to refresh, rest or retreat, what do you do? You should be running to God, your banner. You need to rest and re-evaluate sometimes. Make sure that when you do you’re not sitting by yourself doing it, trying to fix things and navigate battles alone, but that you are under God’s banner. Going it alone causes anxiety, stress, worthlessness and worry. Sitting with God however creates vision, peace, strength, restoration, healing, power and brings, ‘great salvation’.

As David sat and reflected under the banner as he wrote this psalm, he felt as if God had rejected and abandoned him and the Israelite army. He was wondering who was leading this battle? If God isn’t in it, should they be? Yet he and the army are fighting for their lives, their families freedom and the nation of Israel, surely that's a good thing? They are under pressure, frantically caught in the fight that they are losing. Yet they are God’s people, His army, trying to do God’s will. How can this be the situation? How can they be defeated? David came to God in his disappointment and confusion when it seemed like they were losing the battle. It seemed that David was failing in the mission even though he was trying to honour God and do His will. Sometimes that happens. Sometimes we feel that the battles and missions we are on are failing even though we know God has us on this path. I know that I have struggled with knowing God has sent me to do things and then it seems like life has become a battle. As a family we have experienced emotional turmoil and physical hardship, we have suffered, dangers have come and unexpected battles have needed to be faced. So where is God when these things happen? Does it mean that we have messed up and got the call of God wrong? Has God disappeared or withdrawn? No! It means that we need to continually run to God, our banner to sustain us in every way. When life looks bleak, disappointing and like a losing battle shift your gaze and look for the banner then run to it! For God is there and He is ready and waiting for you. In the battle, God is present - look for Him. He can envision and equip, restore and heal you if you go to Him.

Do you know the game, capture the flag? Each team tries to take the other's banner down, then they have won. When you are on God's team and He is your banner, then guess what?! You are never going to lose! His banner has been flying for eternity and will continue to stand in victory, so when the battle comes ensure that you run to Him for He will not let you down. You are on the winning team, so run to His banner for strength, refreshment and re-envisioning, with God as your banner what have you got to fear or lose? 

David knew he was on God's team, yet things got really desperate and difficult for him, so he ran to God as his banner and was upfront and honest with Him. He was wondering where God was, for wherever he looked, he didn’t see Him. He saw hard things, staggering, quaking land, torn kingdom and broken defences (v1-3), a far cry from victory. So, David says;

“You do not go forth, O God, with our armies. 

11  Oh, grant us help against the foe, 

for vain is the salvation of man! 

12  With God we shall do valiantly; 

it is he who will tread down our foes.” (V10-12)

David tells God his experience, and wonders, God, where are you? For David cannot see God at work right now, only the enemies work, and it seems like the other side is winning. Yet, he still knows that if God turns up, ‘we shall do valiantly’ and there will be ‘salvation’. David's trust in God was steadfast. He knew that following God wasn't easy, that living a life of faith is hard and that sometimes God seems distant or even absent, but that doesn't mean He is. It just means that he lost sight of God and so needed to search for the banner. For the banner still stands and will stand. So when you know you are doing the things God wants you to, don’t be surprised if life gets hard and becomes a battle. It is an opportunity to run to God, seek and see His salvation and remind yourself whose banner you are fighting under.

David’s experience was so shattering because not only was he being personally attacked and having to wearily keep on going for survival, but good people, fellow warriors and friends were dying. That is what happens in war. There is loss, distress, fear, confusion, pain, suffering and sometimes, defeat. That is why there is a banner available for you to run to. It is not giving up or turning back, but running to God for rest, refuge and restoration. Run to God and implore Him to show up and do the work, for great is His salvation. Remind yourself that you are on God's team, and that He fights so that His, ‘beloved ones may be delivered'. He will sustain and help you. Even if you feel defeated, it doesn’t mean that you have lost. David was still king even when he was fighting a losing battle. Nothing can change the promises of God so keep your eyes on Him as your banner.

Whose strength are you living in?

 Psalm 59:1–17 (ESV):  

1  Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; 

protect me from those who rise up against me; 

2  deliver me from those who work evil, 

and save me from bloodthirsty men. 

3  For behold, they lie in wait for my life; 

fierce men stir up strife against me. 

For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord, 

4  for no fault of mine, they run and make ready. 

Awake, come to meet me, and see! 

5  You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel. 

Rouse yourself to punish all the nations; 

spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah 

6  Each evening they come back, 

howling like dogs 

and prowling about the city. 

7  There they are, bellowing with their mouths 

with swords in their lips— 

for “Who,” they think, “will hear us?” 

8  But you, O Lord, laugh at them; 

you hold all the nations in derision. 

9  O my Strength, I will watch for you, 

for you, O God, are my fortress. 

10  My God in his steadfast love will meet me; 

God will let me look in triumph on my enemies. 

11  Kill them not, lest my people forget; 

make them totter by your power and bring them down, 

O Lord, our shield! 

12  For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips, 

let them be trapped in their pride. 

For the cursing and lies that they utter, 

13  consume them in wrath; 

consume them till they are no more, 

that they may know that God rules over Jacob 

to the ends of the earth. Selah 

14  Each evening they come back, 

howling like dogs 

and prowling about the city. 

15  They wander about for food 

and growl if they do not get their fill. 

16  But I will sing of your strength; 

I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. 

For you have been to me a fortress 

and a refuge in the day of my distress. 

17  O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, 

for you, O God, are my fortress, 

the God who shows me steadfast love. 

David acknowledges in this psalm that he has no power to protect himself or his family as he is surrounded by the enemy. They are like a pack of howling dogs surrounding him. Wherever he is, there they are lying in wait for him evening after evening. What chance does a lone man have against a pack of ’bellowing’ beasts that prowl around? How terrifying it must be to feel in such a position, to be surrounded by those desiring your demise with no chance of escape. To hear those howls and packs in the night, not knowing how near or far away they are, but hearing the bloodthirsty cries threatening death. What would you do; give up, try to hide, fight back, run away?

For David, this is happening night after night, so he cannot hide. The howling threats are heard constantly, yet why have these threats not been carried out? David has been in this situation for some time so he has had a chance to observe what is happening. He hasn’t reacted in a panic-stricken way, he hasn't run away, hidden or fought back, but has noticed what is happening and talks to God about it. He has looked on for long enough to realise that these people’s bark is worse than their bite. They are making a lot of threatening noise ‘bellowing’ about David’s demise in order to terrify, but they are not getting close enough to actually harm him. Therefore David does not take their bellows or howling seriously. In fact, he sees the funny side - what harm are the hungry dogs even if they growl and howl when they can’t get to him?! What problems are they really causing? They are just winding themselves up, getting hungrier, more frustrated and making a noise! David may be able to hear them and see their threatening behaviour, but he knows that he is safe. Why? 

Through this situation, no matter how natural it is to feel unsafe in the city at night with howling noises around him, David has seen that night after night he has been protected. He has encountered threats but come to no harm. He has been able to return home to sleep in safety, not because he has bodyguards but because God is his ‘fortress’. David has seen how God has been protecting him. Therefore he does not need to take the words, shouts or threats seriously because God is his strength and fortress. David is so confident, assured and safe that he knows that God is laughing at these enemies! (v8). 

When you feel attacked and surrounded by people wanting to bring you down, what is your response? Do you become terrified by their howling and their threatening behaviour? Or do you take time to consider, what power do they really have? People may say horrible things, restrict your privacy or  watch your movements, but what can they actually do to you? They may come against you and try to make life difficult for you, but they cannot ultimately change your life unless you let them. For, if you are one of God’s people, He is your strength and fortress, and He laughs at them, so you can too!

So, consider how you will handle the next situation where you feel got at, let down, surrounded and accused. Where is your hope and strength going to come from? Are you going to battle alone, hide in fear, run away or look to God as David did, and depend on Him to deliver you from the noisy dogs?

David, even though he was a warrior, a slayer of giants and a leader of an army, he had no power to fight these enemies.This is why David calls out to God, ‘O my Strength’. David acknowledges that all the strength, power and victories he has been through have come from God. David has no power or might in himself, it is God who has been the source of his strength. God defeated Goliath, the Philistines and countless other raiders and enemies, God just allowed David to be a part of it, and David allowed God to use him. So, in this current situation where David is surrounded and harassed, he knows God will once again be his strength and fortress. For he realises that the things he had previously overcome were because of God being his strength, and God hasn’t changed, just the situation has. God’s power never fails, never sleeps and never runs out. Your strength and power will though. 

So, what do you do when life gets difficult? Do you try to power through? Or do you involve God who is able to be your strength just as He was David’s? You don’t need to battle alone. The howling dogs are scary when you’re out at night by yourself. So don't try to deal with them by yourself, relying in your own strength. Instead of feeling harassed, scared and limited you can rest in the security of knowing God’s refuge and strength. Why rely on your own capabilities when you can have a strength that is so much more dependable and steadfast? A strength that has; defeated nations, created and sustained the world and brought salvation to all mankind. Surely this kind of strength can help in whatever situation you face!

What do you do when you get fed up?

 Psalm 58:1–11 (ESV):  

1  Do you indeed decree what is right, you gods? 

Do you judge the children of man uprightly? 

2  No, in your hearts you devise wrongs; 

your hands deal out violence on earth. 

3  The wicked are estranged from the womb; 

they go astray from birth, speaking lies. 

4  They have venom like the venom of a serpent, 

like the deaf adder that stops its ear, 

5  so that it does not hear the voice of charmers 

or of the cunning enchanter. 

6  O God, break the teeth in their mouths; 

tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord! 

7  Let them vanish like water that runs away; 

when he aims his arrows, let them be blunted. 

8  Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime, 

like the stillborn child who never sees the sun. 

9  Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of thorns, 

whether green or ablaze, may he sweep them away! 

10  The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; 

he will bathe his feet in the blood of the wicked. 

11  Mankind will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; 

surely there is a God who judges on earth.” 

Why are some people intent on evil and others intent on good? Where does right and wrong come from? Is there ultimate justice for the goodness and the badness in the world? These are a few of the question this psalm of David seems to be dealing with. At some point in our lives, we too consider the same things. Many people wonder why there is evil and suffering in the world, where does it come from? Why do some people have influence when their desires are harmful to others? It is good to consider these things, we can learn about life, ourselves and our own moral standards as we consider the big questions of life on Earth.

David was considering such things as he saw people grow from one form of injustice to another becoming venomous, cunning, deceitful and destructive. We can see from this writing that David is pretty fed up with seeing these people going around thinking they are ‘gods’, hurting the innocent and vulnerable. He got so incensed by the evil actions of 'the wicked' that he desires all these people to be violently punished as they seemed to go from one form of evil to another. Even though it seems like the rich and powerful, the corrupt and lying are those that have influence and power, one day God will, ‘break the teeth in their mouths’ - Their words will be futile, their attempts to cause harm will fail and they will ‘be like the snail that dissolves into slime’. These are David’s prayers for justice. He has seen enough of life, of good and evil to observe that the wicked seem to do well for themselves, and it has driven him to passionately pray for their destruction and obliteration. 

Are you fed up with some of the things you have observed in your community, country, family or government? If so, what are you doing about it? If you are moaning to other people, getting increasingly annoyed and bothered by the descent of the world into chaos and wickedness then how does that help? Turn your frustrations into prayers. 

Pray for God to break the evil in this world. He can; break teeth, tear out fangs, make things disappear, blunt, dissolve and put to death. You can know that when you see something that is unrighteous and evil, God doesn’t like it either. So, are you partnering with Him to see an end to it and trusting that one day you will be rejoicing when vengeance comes?! There is power in prayer. You can seek the end of the evil practices of this world plus you can vent your emotions and ask God for solutions. God will listen and those of this world can learn that For, ‘Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely there is a God who judges on earth’.