Psalm 143
This is another Psalm of David, and my reading suggests that he was not in total control of his life at the time of writing.
I remember a song from many years ago "Spirit in the sky", there is a line in that song "I'm not a sinner, I've never sinned, I've got a friend in Jesus"
The Psalm starts with a thought that is pretty different from that song -
Lord hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy
In your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.
Do not bring your servant into judgement, for no one living is righteous before you.
Some people may believe that Christians are "Holier than thou" and the media takes great pleasure in pointing out the foibles of people of faith.
However, certainly I am not that holy, there are a whole bunch of people who do much bigger and better good works than I do, and there is stuff I do that I'm not proud of.
The secret of acceptance by God is not going around acting all pious but admitting that I am not perfect and regularly fall short, at this point I have no choice but to throw myself on God's mercy and forgiveness.
David has his opponents who at this time are crushing the life and spirit from him, he is pursued, crushed and dwelling in darkness, like the dead.
At the lowest point, in dismay and growing faint, David remembers the good times when God seemed close.
I meditate on the days of long ago, and I consider what your hands have done.
Sometimes it is all we can do to hold on to what we know of God and keep going.
David prays to God to rescue him, but no answer is present in this Psalm - however David did end his life in his palace and his children became kings after him, so perhaps there is an answer in the longer term.
This is another Psalm of David, and my reading suggests that he was not in total control of his life at the time of writing.
I remember a song from many years ago "Spirit in the sky", there is a line in that song "I'm not a sinner, I've never sinned, I've got a friend in Jesus"
The Psalm starts with a thought that is pretty different from that song -
Lord hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy
In your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.
Do not bring your servant into judgement, for no one living is righteous before you.
Some people may believe that Christians are "Holier than thou" and the media takes great pleasure in pointing out the foibles of people of faith.
However, certainly I am not that holy, there are a whole bunch of people who do much bigger and better good works than I do, and there is stuff I do that I'm not proud of.
The secret of acceptance by God is not going around acting all pious but admitting that I am not perfect and regularly fall short, at this point I have no choice but to throw myself on God's mercy and forgiveness.
David has his opponents who at this time are crushing the life and spirit from him, he is pursued, crushed and dwelling in darkness, like the dead.
At the lowest point, in dismay and growing faint, David remembers the good times when God seemed close.
I meditate on the days of long ago, and I consider what your hands have done.
Sometimes it is all we can do to hold on to what we know of God and keep going.
David prays to God to rescue him, but no answer is present in this Psalm - however David did end his life in his palace and his children became kings after him, so perhaps there is an answer in the longer term.
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