1To You, O Lord, I call; My rock, do not be deaf to me, For if You are silent to me, I will become like those who go down to the pit … 7The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.
Calling for help and praising God permeate the book of Psalms, and we find both in this psalm. Structured very clearly into four sections, the psalm is relatively easy to understand and, therefore, quite useful for helping us foster worship and praise during difficult times.
Cry for help (vss. 1-3). The emotion of this psalm is generated by David’s struggle with God’s delayed answer to his need. He calls out to the Lord, cries out to Him, and lifts up his hands (vs. 2) – all expressions of earnestness. He pleads, “Do not drag me away with the wicked …” (vs. 3). When we read Scripture like this, we must not gloss over it as stale, somber liturgical wording; these are the words of a man who desperately seeks the Lord amid his trying circumstances. Present-day readers need to read with empathy to catch the emotive sense of the psalm. Picture David reading this psalm to us in person, with elocutionary force, that is, using vocal inflection, verbal emphasis, facial expressions, and hand gestures to convey his meaning. We might think of this as reading with imagination.
Call for justice (vss. 4-5). Rarely can we ask God for help without asking for justice. This is the idea that we don’t just want relief from our problem but complete eradication of the source of the problem. In David’s case, he asks God to deliver him from future crises like his current one by judging and condemning his adversaries and turning their plans against them. This sentiment seems strange for us in the NT times, living under grace and being taught to love our enemies (Matt. 5:43-44). We might note that David experienced great military success in battling the enemies of God, but this psalm tells us he was a person who relied on God when in conflict. His battles were not out of hatred for his enemies; he deferred vengeance to God. This man of God knew and understood the Lord to be forgiving toward all who repented of their wickedness, but he also knew God to be perfectly just. And that helps us understand his prayer here for justice. He doesn’t want justice to create a better life for himself or satisfy a personal need for vengeance; he wants justice that reflects on the Lord God as just. And this leads to praise and worship.
Individual praise and trust (vss. 6-7). The essence of faithfulness is not in living a so-called “blessed life” that lacks difficulty or emotional struggle. No. Faithfulness is holding on to God as our hope no matter our situation—not just enduring conflict but rising above it to focus on the greatness of God. Here David falls back on the promise that God will hear his request, expressing this as though it has already happened. He writes, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him.” The change from addressing God directly (“You, O Lord”) to third person (“Him”) is as though David is talking to himself (see Ps. 42:5 for an example of David’s self-talk). He reassures himself by repeating his trust in God. When we rest on God’s promises to us, our hearts naturally rise in praise: “Therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him” (vs. 7).
Communal praise and trust (vss. 8-9). David was always looking out for the greater good beyond himself, so he finishes his psalm with a focus on the community and God’s help for all who follow Him. The Lord is not only David’s strength and shield (vs. 7) but also the strength of all the faithful and their “saving defense” (vs. 8). So he asks God not only for his own rescue but also for the rescue of other loyal followers of the Lord (vs. 9). In David, we see the reflection of our Lord’s heart, for when Jesus was dying on the cross, He was mindful of the needs of others, in particular, the thief on the cross next to Him, His earthly mother, His executioners, and the entirety of humanity.
Lord, when I am going through struggles, remind me of the needs of others so that as I encourage myself with Your promises, I may help others find God to be great in the midst of their struggle.
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