“Lord, where is Your steadfast love of old, which by Your faithfulness You swore to David? Remember, O Lord, how Your servants are mocked, and how I bear in my heart the insults of all the many nations, with which Your enemies mock, O LORD, with which they mock the footsteps of Your anointed. Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.” Psalm 89:49-52
Devotional Thought For The Day
It is a remarkable thing that given all the complaining the psalmist does, right up to the end of the psalm, that he concludes this work with a doxology, praising the LORD forever. This is how we must learn to pray, especially when things seem to go against us and we are rewarded evil for the good we seek to do. We must remember the LORD’S steadfast love, especially the gift of His beloved Son Jesus, our precious Savior, and regardless of our circumstances, continue to affirm God’s faithfulness and love.
We should also find it endearing, how the psalmist has internalized and personalized the evil perpetrated against the LORD and His dear people of faith. The insults and mockery of the unbelieving, hurled in the face of God, are taken into the psalmist’s heart. This is good – only one who deeply loves God cares this much about His Name and His repute in the world. This is taking one’s side with God, and remaining faithful to God no matter what, even if it means suffering shame and debasement. Such love for God will move us to do whatever we can for the sake of His kingdom, to help, comfort, and strengthen our fellow believers.
The psalmist does not view God as the enemy, although when His hand of discipline comes upon us, it often appears as if He is an enemy. I had an interesting discussion with a fellow pastor about this, who went through a very dark and painful time in life. When he commented that God was his enemy back then, I remarked “Yes, it must have seemed so at the time.” His response was gently chastening, “You don’t have to defend God.” He was right – we don’t have to defend God; He can do that well enough without us. However, I wasn’t trying to defend God but rather the dear brother – for in truth God is never an enemy to those who have embraced Him in faith and love. He is an enemy of our sinful nature, even as we are – putting to death the deeds of that old nature [Col. 3:5], but God is love, and He wills only the best for His dear children of faith, and in fact is working all things together for our good. [Rom. 8:28]
So, even in those times when it seems that God has become our enemy, or at the least has forgotten about us or chosen not to answer us and to not deliver us from some trouble, we must remember His steadfast love and His wondrous promises of eternal blessedness in Christ Jesus. It is an exercise of faith to praise God like this in the midst of dire circumstances – but we will have no regrets for having done so when His deliverance does come! And it will come, for God is truthful and faithful and will never renege on His promises. Knowing what He has done for us in Christ Jesus, His redemption, His forgiveness, His eternal love for us, we do not give up but continue to rely on His love and faithfulness no matter what happens to us. So each and every day we include doxology and praise of the LORD, not only for pleasant things, but also for His loving discipline. In faith we join the psalmist in crying out: “Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.”
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, forbid that our troubles and sufferings in this life would ever lead us to consider You an enemy. Keep us firm in faith, and enable us to grow in knowing the greatness of Your love for us, so that we too may bless You and praise You at all times. We know Your steadfast love of old, and we look forward expectantly to Your final deliverance of Your dear people of faith. Thanks and praise be to You forever! Amen and Amen.