“My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?” (Psalm 22:1)

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
Psalm 22:1

Enter the very heart-cry of our Savior upon the cross. The words of king David became the words of King Jesus as he hung bloody, beaten, and bruised.

Do you realize what it meant for the Son of Man to utter these words? The Scriptures say darkness covered the land in those last hours (Mk 15:33). What the onlookers saw around them was only a shadow compared to the internal darkness Jesus experienced on the cross. The wrath of our sin. Placed on him. Who knew no sin. He should have never uttered these words.

But see his great love! Jesus bore the punishment we deserved. There must be punishment for sin. We should have been the ones hanging there, experiencing the hell of being utterly forsaken by God. Yet Jesus chose to be our substitute. The only One free from corruption, blameless in his thoughts and deeds—the only One who should have never paid the due price for sin!—this Jesus stood in the sinner’s place.

Do we realize the ugliness of sin? Do we recognize what it costs us? Look no further than Jesus on the cross. Here is a marred, disfigured, grueling picture of sin’s price. Every thorn that pierced his brow reminds us of the shame of every sin. Every lash relinquished on his back reveals the uncountable record of debt we owe. The nails in his hands, the suffocating breaths, the crushing weight of gravity suspending him by a crucifix — here is the pounding guilt we feel in our deepest sins. Yet all of this was placed on him.

Do you see the beauty of grace? Jesus forsaken became our salvation. Justice demanded the cross, but so did mercy. If Jesus did not take your place, you would still owe the punishment for your sin: you would eventually say, “God, why have you forsaken me?” But Jesus owned these words for you. Out of mercy, the Father provided a perfect substitute. Jesus was spotless, pure, innocent. Yet on the day of his crucifixion he was also silent, led like a lamb to the slaughter. He did not defend himself. This was a willing surrender. When he could have called down angels with a loud voice, he instead allowed sinners to verbally abuse him. When he could have waved a hand in power to dismantle his enemies, he willingly stretched them out to be pierced for our transgressions. When he did speak, it was because he bore the weight of our sin: “God, why have you forsaken me?”

Let his words be the assurance of your salvation. When you are guilty, flee to this moment. Your sin was laid there upon him. You have been crucified with him. If he has done this “once for all,” O sinner, then he cannot undo his sacrifice. Believe this by faith: Jesus will never go back on these words. He was forsaken in your place. Therefore you will never have to be.

Long Live the King! (Psalm 20:4–5)

May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!… May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!

– Psalm 20:4-5

Photo by Sebastian Voortman on Pexels.com

Before we assume these verses apply to us, we must look at the broader context of this psalm. Psalm 20 is a Royal Psalm, written to the king, and this is evidenced clearly by verse 9, which says: “O Lord, save the king!” So when we read verses 4 and 5, we cannot insert ourselves into the “yous” and “yours.” No, the psalmist is speaking about the king, asking God to grant all of the king’s desires, petitions, and plans. Of course, this does not prohibit us from asking God for our heart’s desires (see Ps 37:4): only that this psalm specifically is written for the king.

My heart is so anxious to show you how these verses point not to ourselves—but to Jesus. All Scripture finds fulfillment in Him (Lk 24:27). What the psalmist addressed to an earthly king, the Holy Spirit spoke of our eternal King—Jesus, the Son of David, come into the flesh, as one of us. When we see Jesus as the true Messianic ruler promised to the line of David, these verses become wonderfully full. Through the Holy Spirit, the author of this psalm asks God the Father to grant these requests to God the Son. Let us see how Christ fulfills each of these:

Jesus, may God your Father grant you your heart’s desire!

What was the heart of Jesus? Compassion for sinners: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Mt 9:36).

What was the desire of this beating heart? For us to come to Him: “Come to me…and I will give you rest…for I am gentle and lowly in heart…” (Mt 11:28–29).

What does He do when we come to Him? He heals us: “and with his wounds we are healed” (Isa 53:5).

Jesus, may God your Father fulfill all your plans!

What were the plans of Jesus? To do the Father’s will: “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me” (Jn 6:38).

What was the Father’s will? To save us: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mk 10:45)

How did He save us? By giving His life freely: “No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (Jn 10:18).

Jesus, may God your Father fulfill all your petitions!

How did Jesus pray while He was on the earth? With fervent tears: “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears” (Heb 5:7).

Who did our High Priest pray for with loud cries and tears? You and me: “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word” (Jn 17:20)

What did He pray for in His most trying hour? Our eternal salvation: “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world” (Jn 17:24).

How does Jesus intercede for us now? As our Mediator in heaven: “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

…
How wonderful the truths our Savior has fulfilled! Do you see how this psalm is made complete in Him? Lord Jesus, may we see your glory as you now reign as the King of kings and Lord of lords. May your name be glorified in us. May the desires of your heart to seek and save the lost be accomplished among us with great glory and power. We praise you for being our Great High Priest who always lives to intercede for us. Long live the King! Amen.

Meditations of the Heart (Psalm 19:14)

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in your sight,

O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

– Psalm 19:14

If David knew one truth about God, it was that God considers the inner man before He looks at the outer. When God first called David to be king, he famously told Samuel, “For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Sam 16:7). Thus David’s prayer here in Psalm 19: God, let the thoughts that run through my heart and the words that come out of my mouth be pleasing to you!

Here’s the reality: what matters most to God is your inner life. Jesus told the religious leaders of His day: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness” (Mt 23:27). They had all the religious ceremony, yet lacked a repentant condition. They were high on self-righteousness, but low on self-reflection. They had everything they wanted for temporary satisfaction, yet lacked everything they needed for eternal salvation. They praised God with their lips, but their hearts were far from Him (Isa 29:13).

Notice this: David didn’t separate the inner life from the outer like the Pharisees did. He says in the same sentence, “let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight.” He knew that an inner life of wonder and meditation on God’s grace led to an outer proclamation with his mouth. There was no dichotomy, no separation. Indeed, as Jesus taught, it is always “out of the abundance of the heart [the] mouth speaks” (Lk 6:45). Your words will show you what’s in your heart, and your heart is the source for what comes out of your mouth. What you treasure, value, esteem, idolize—it all starts in your heart. It’s a question of worship.

What a sad thing it would be to live your whole life only to have Christ reveal at the end of time that the “meditations of your heart” were far from Him, focused inwardly, selfishly, and pridefully. We can externally appear righteous and clean, but God knows the inner thoughts of our hearts and minds. This is why this prayer is so important. In effect David is asking: God, change my heart and my mind! Let your goodness and grace be such a present reality in my life that every thought and word is lifted up to You!

The truth is that the murmurings of our heart often flit by too rapidly and undetected for us to accurately diagnose our own condition. That is why we need the Word of God. It is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Ps 119:105). It is a sharp, double-edged sword, able to pierce into the inner thoughts of our hearts (Heb 4:12). We cannot pray David’s prayer earnestly unless we also let the Word of God search us. By God’s grace, we need the divine spotlight to disclose our inner sin—the meditations of our hearts which are too often fixated on ourselves, our possessions, our dreams, achievements, relationships, worries or wants. Then, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we need new hearts. And herein lies the good news of the gospel: our hearts can be transformed through the power of His sacrifice for our sins, the inner workings of His love, and the day-by-day renewal of our minds as we meditate on the grace that is now ours in Christ Jesus. The question is, has the gospel sunk down so deep into your life that the very meditations of your heart are transformed? I challenge you, pray this prayer and see what God will do in your life.

Drawn out of Many Waters (Psalm 18:16)

He sent from on high, he took me;

he drew me out of many waters.

Psalm 18:16

The reality of our salvation is well captured in this one verse. Here we will reflect on two truths: God’s condescension to us, and God’s rescue of us.

First, God’s condescension to us. The verse says that God “sent from on high.” We must let God be in His proper place. He is high and exalted, holy and excellent. He is Creator, Lord, King, Sovereign, Ancient of Days, I AM, and Yahweh. There is no one like this God. He is on high.

Yet here is the wondrous truth: he has condescended to us. God, the Almighty and exalted One, is not remote and distant from us. No, he has sent from on high. Here is the divine initiative: God is on the move. In fact, the entire Bible carries this theme. God is the initiator, the actor, the first mover of our relationship to him—in every way. He gave us life by creating us, he provided animal skins for Adam and Eve when they sinned, he came down upon Mt. Sinai in glory and power, he dwelt in the tabernacle as a picture of his presence, he spoke through the prophets… the list could go on.

But we cannot move on from God’s condescension to us without speaking about God’s incarnation for us. The ultimate act of God drawing near is in the 2nd Person of the Trinity, the eternal Son, who became man to dwell among us. John literally says Jesus tabernacled among us, pitching his tent with sinful humanity (Jn 1:14). He touched the sick, the outcast, the blind and the poor. He stooped down on our level, looked us in the eyes, and loved us. His compassion burned for his sheep, his people, the very ones he created. And in the ultimate act of humiliation he took the cross, condescending into the punishment we deserved for our sin. What a great God! Immanuel, God with us!

Second, God’s rescue of us. The purpose of God’s condescension is always double-faceted: relationship and rescue, for we cannot have the first without the second. God knows our great need: “he [knows] what [is] in man” (Jn 2:25). He knows the “heart is deceitful above all things” (Jer 17:9) and “what comes out of a person is what defiles him” (Mk 7:20). In fact, our sinful condition is much like what David pictures in the psalm: trapped within the torrent of “many waters.” Waves pounding over our heads, our souls gasping for breath—for relief—under the whirlpool of our sin and guilt, we cannot rescue ourselves. We are drowning, sinking to the ocean floor of our debt. Only one thing can save someone who is in this condition: a Savior from the outside.

And this is where we get this beautiful picture: David declares that God drew him out of the many waters. This is the same word, only used three times in the Bible, that describes how Pharaoh’s daughter drew Moses out of the Nile River as a baby; in fact, Moses’ name means “drawn,” denoting God’s divine rescue when he was helpless. Isn’t this us in our condition, drowning and helpless? But isn’t this our great God in his condescension, gracious and powerful? He has taken us out of the torrent, calmed the storm of sin in our souls, and rescued us from the rapids of our rebellion.

Once again, we see the ultimate picture of this rescue in the Person of Jesus Christ. For he himself dived into the deep waters to draw us out, dying in our place. Jesus drowned under the weight of our sin on the cross, just to give us new life. He fell to the depths of the ocean floor, burying our sins with him. Then he resuscitated us in the process, raising us from the darkness of our deadness through his resurrection. He knew this type of rescue would take his life, but he gave it willingly. What a wonderful Savior! What love!

As men and women saved by grace alone and drawn out of the depths by a merciful God, we have nothing to give him except our lifelong worship and devotion. Does your life reflect a humble and grateful acknowledgement of how he has rescued you?

Your Inheritance in Christ (Psalm 16:6)

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance

Psalm 16:6

In this verse, David references the physical property of one’s inheritance, specifically relating to the time in Israel’s history when the 12 tribes entered the Promised Land and divided the land according to tribal “lines” (see Josh 13-19). In this way, David spiritualizes the historic, physical inheritance of the nation Israel to speak about a current, spiritual inheritance he now has in his relationship with the Lord. The central premise of Psalm 16 is that because David has banked his entire refuge in the Lord (v.1), he now lives a life of joy in God’s presence (v.11). This is David’s “beautiful” inheritance: God’s presence forevermore.

Reader, how often do you meditate on the “glorious inheritance in the saints” you now possess in Christ Jesus (Eph 1:18)? Now, in light of the coming of Christ, this inheritance motif takes on profound depth and beauty. Paul picks this up in Ephesians 1 when he declares how our gracious God and Father “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Eph 1:3). The believer’s inheritance, guaranteed by Christ’s death, resurrection and the sealing of the Holy Spirit, is this: we have already received every spiritual blessing in Christ, yet we eagerly await the final day of our inheritance when he returns. Theologians speak of this dynamic as the “already but not yet.” We have already received salvation, reconciliation, forgiveness, power and glory; yet we long for the renewal of all creation when Christ returns in glory.

So what is our inheritance in Christ? What are the spiritual blessings we have already been given? Following Ephesians 1, Paul tells how we were chosen “before the foundation of the world…to be holy and blameless before him” (v.4) Think about this: God, in his sovereign goodness, before we did anything good or bad, orchestrated and decreed our salvation. Before you were created the cross was in view, the Son of God setting his eyes in love to become the sinless sacrifice for your sin. What wonder and grace!

Paul also tells us “he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ” (v.5). In his sovereign foreknowledge, God decreed he would claim us as his own. The language of adoption is deeply intimate and abundantly rich—we are not impersonally granted an inheritance like a business interaction; no, we are warmly embraced as a son into God’s family. This is not a distant salvation; if you are in Christ, you are united to the Father as a son, enjoying all the privileges of an heir in the house of God. Hallelujah!

Next, Paul tells us that in Christ “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses” (v.7). Here is the pinnacle of our inheritance: salvation. Christ shed his precious blood to purchase our redemption from the bondage of sin. We once were slaves, dead, lost without hope, rebels against our Creator. But Jesus Christ, the glorious King and good Shepherd, laid down his life for his enemies and his sheep. An undeserved act of mercy in sparing us. An unimaginable act of love in giving us his righteousness. What an indescribable gift! The perfect Son dying in the place of rebel sinners, pouring out his own blood to cover the debt of sinful man!

Finally, while we could marvel at every word in this passage, we will highlight one last spiritual blessing. No Christian can stand without it; no saint can claim any of it his own. It is the bedrock of the Christian’s complete life and joy, the ground and completion of our inheritance. What is it?

Grace. “The riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us” (v.7-8). As the song says, “Grace, grace, God’s grace / Grace that is greater than all our sin!” Grace is the lavish favor God pours out on us; the motivated, unrelenting, implacable bend of his will to save, sustain, and secure his sheep forever; the power which grants us a new life, a new love, and a new longing for Christ; the preserving force of his love to keeps us secure in Christ. Our inheritance is grounded in grace alone. Your life has been stamped with the signature of grace. The Christian life is wrapped up in this very reality—the reality which you own, right now, in Jesus Christ.

This and so much more is our “glorious inheritance in the saints.” Let us marvel at everything that our Father has already accomplished for us in Christ, guaranteed to us by the Spirit, and lavished upon us by grace. Like David, we sing: “Indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance!”

Why You Need God’s Word (Psalm 12:6)

The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.
Psalm 12:6

Why is it so important for you to read your Bible on a daily basis? Like a silver bar smelted and refined seven times, I will give you seven reasons today.

First, the words of the LORD are pure words. There is nothing like the Bible. It contains truth of truth, right of right, the only way to know the one true God. When water is pure you can see both your reflection and the bottom of the pond. So it is with God’s Word; when you read it, you see yourself more accurately, yet you also see to the depths of who God is in His beauty.

Second, the words of the LORD are saving words. The Bible is one grand story about these themes: creation, fall, redemption and new creation. It answers the question: “how can sinful humanity be made right with a perfect God?” The answer of course is in the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ—the entire focal point of the Scriptures—the One who came to die for your sins and rise again for your justification. Do you want to know how to be saved? Read your Bible, and it will tell you to “confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, and you will be saved” (Rm 10:9).

Third, the words of the LORD are piercing words. Hebrews 4:12-13 says the Word of God “is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword…no creature is hidden from his sight.” Do you want to know why so many people hate the Bible? Because it points out their sin. Do not read the Bible if you believe you are a good person before a holy God, for you will sorely be disappointed. But do read the Bible if you humbly can admit your need for grace, for surely you will find it.

Fourth, the words of the LORD are guiding words. The psalmist asks the question, “How can a young man keep his way pure?” Then he goes right on to answer it: “By guarding it according to your word” (Ps 119:9). In the Word we read of our inability to be perfect, yes, but in the Word we also see the transforming power of the gospel which gives us the grace we need to be a “new creation” in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). The Bible is not about cheap behavioral fixes to get what you want; no, the target of the Bible is your heart—and God alone knows how to change it.

Fifth, the words of the LORD are inspired words. Not inspired in the sense where someone has a “lightbulb moment,” but inspired in the sense that these are God’s very words to us. 2 Timothy 3:16 says “All Scripture is breathed out by God…” Do you want to hear God speak to you today? I assure you, you don’t need a voice from heaven or pie in the sky; you need the Bible. God speaks to you in His Word, and His Word speaks to you about the Son.

Sixth, the words of the LORD are sufficient words. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 continues by saying “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable…that the man of God may be complete.” Every day you are tempted to replace God’s Word with the newest way to have the “good life.” The world around you will advertise relentlessly to tell you what you need. Comfort. Material goods. Success. Wealth. The list goes on. Friends, there is only one source where you can have your deepest needs fulfilled: the fountain of God’s Word, and more specifically, in the living waters of Jesus Christ, who gives you the intimacy and fellowship you so desperately need with God. Do you lack anything today? The Scriptures can make you complete.

Finally, the words of the LORD are everlasting words. Isaiah 40:8 says “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Oh believer, do not give yourself to the fleeting world and all its pursuits, for it will all come crashing down like sand. Instead, build your life upon the solid Rock, the Word of God, the firm foundation of Jesus Christ. When your life comes to a close, what will you carry with you into the next? If you have gained Christ, you have gained eternity; if you have gained the world, you have lost everything.

There are innumerable reasons why you need the Word of God, but I pray these seven alone are enough to convince you to mine the treasures yourself.

So what are you waiting for?

The Big Nose Called Pride (Psalm 10:4)

In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”
Psalm 10:4

The greatest killer of love for God is love for self. Pride is the deadly expression of believing in your own strength, wisdom, or abilities above God’s. In this verse, there are three “A’s” that pride produces in our lives: arrogance, avoidance, and abandonment. We will look at each briefly.

First, pride produces arrogance. The Hebrew of the first part of this verse literally reads that the one who does not seek God is as “wicked as the height of his nose.” Can you picture that? Pride is like someone with an abnormally large nose. He is so full of himself that he can’t see past his own two nostrils!

Like the big nose, this is what pride does: it focuses all your thoughts inwardly and selfishly. Someone did you wrong? You must take revenge. You don’t get what you want? You’re entitled to it. Do you see the danger in this? When your head gets so full of your own desires and self-declared “needs,” your vision becomes so narrow that you miss the point of your life: to live for God, and not for yourself.

And this will inevitably lead to the second production of pride: avoidance. The psalmist says that “in the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him.” This is actually very logical. How can someone who is so focused on themselves ever make time for God? There is great application here for us, a caution against seeing our time as primarily ours. Think about the measure of your day. Is there time for seeking God in it? Do you have a regular, daily time of prayer and reading the Word? If you honestly assess your life, what do you spend time on? What is the first thought and desire when you get out of bed? Be careful to not allow self-absorption to turn into a drastic lack of seeking God. Our tendency to rely on ourselves for purpose, strength, success, and control in our lives ironically keeps us from depending on the One who knows exactly what we need. Do not allow your nose of self-interests and self-desires to become so big you can’t bow your face to the ground in worship of God!

If not stopped, ongoing pride may lead to this last devastating effect in our lives: abandonment. Notice the thought life of the person described in this psalm: “all his thoughts are, ‘There is no God.’” This is no longer a casual “I forgot about God” due to becoming so focused on ourselves; this is an outright rebellion against Him because we believe in our own power and self-direction. In reality, this is like the very first sin of the Garden: throwing off God’s authority and Word in exchange for becoming wise in our own eyes. This is subtle; it doesn’t happen in one day. Rather, continued avoidance of seeking God due to focusing on our own dreams and desires will slowly produce in us an apathy towards the things of God, and, in turn, will cause us to no longer sense our need for Him. Why trust God for my needs when I can do it myself? Why pray when I have so much to do? Most of us will not readily admit to having such blatant thoughts, but isn’t this the underlying current of our lives when we don’t seek Him?

In application, let us be careful to avoid the pitfalls of pride today. Instead, let’s heed the words of our humble Savior who strongly reminds us: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mt 16:24).

Or, as the psalmist would put it, don’t have such a big nose.

Knowing His Name Helps You Trust Him (Psalm 9:10)

And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.
Psalm 9:10

Over time, discovering someone’s true character will either create trust or distrust in a relationship. For instance, a healthy marriage is built on years of trust demonstrated by loyalty, fidelity, and kindness to one another. As soon as one of these is broken by an act of selfishness or lust, trust is decimated.

This principle holds true in our relationship with God—except we are the only ones whose character needs improvement. Have you ever thought of this? God’s character is perfect. He is perfectly good, trustworthy, loving, kind, just, patient, and faithful. David phrases it this way: those who know your name put their trust in you. In other words, the more you know who God is for you in Jesus Christ, the more you should trust Him.

There is an old song that says “Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, and to take him at his word” Now how could the hymnist write this line? Because she knows the character of her God. How can you ever take someone at his word if you do not first trust where he will lead you? Oh! The good news is that our God will always lead us into His goodness and mercy; in fact, they follow after us! (Ps 23:6) There is nothing sweeter than to trust in the One who pursued us “while we were enemies” (Rm 5:10). ‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus today!

I love the other reason David gives for why he has put his trust in God: for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you. Note how the LORD is in all-caps: this stands for Yahweh, God’s covenant name with Israel. Anytime God’s name is mentioned in this way, it should remind us of His never-ceasing, faithful, irrevocable, covenant love for His people. David understands this when he declares Yahweh has not forsaken His people.

Hear this today beloved: if you are in Jesus Christ, if you have trusted in His sweet, precious name, then your God will never forsake you. Like a good Shepherd keeps the sheep within his pen at all times, there will never be a moment your God lets you slip out of His sight. Though at times you may feel lost at sea, the Anchor of God’s grace keeps you steady-bound. And though often your own mind tempts you to despair and doubt these very promises, the Holy Spirit is your everlasting Comforter, always drawing you back toward the true light of Jesus Christ.

Finally, note our responsibility in this verse: Yahweh does not forsake those who seek him. Not that your salvation and assurance is kept by how well you seek God; rather, seeking Yahweh is the posture of someone who truly has experienced God’s grace. Do you have a desire to be with the Lord? Does the thought of simply seeing His face conjure emotions of awe and longing? Oh beloved, how I pray for you to love seeking Jesus. Like searching for a priceless treasure, our souls will not be content until we find Him. We could travel the whole world and see all its beauties but never be satisfied until we have beheld the Son of God. But here is the good news: He is not hidden. Indeed, the light of the world has come; we only need to look into the Word and “behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn 1:29).

To end, make these lines of hymnody your prayer to God today, for you know His sweet name, and you have put your trust forever in Him:

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!

How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er!

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

O for grace to trust him more!

You are Small yet Seen (Psalm 8:3-4)

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?
Psalm 8:3-4

There is a two-fold wonder in these verses which should bring us to our knees in worship of our great God.

First, there is God’s transcendence—His complete otherness. This is noted in how wondrous and voluminous God’s creation is. Take this verse practically today. Join the psalmist in beholding the grandiosity of God’s creation. Go outside on a clear night and behold the moon and the stars; realize how small you are in comparison to the expanse of space. Or rise early and marvel at the explosion of a sunset; see the Master Artist strike the sky with scarlet and crimson. God placed us here in this big world that we, with the very eyes He gave us, might see the works of His fingers and worship. This one observation is true: when we behold creation, we are awe-struck; we know we stand in the work of our great Creator. There is One who is higher, mightier, wiser, more powerful than we. Like David, we bow in worship.

But there is something greater in this verse than God’s sheer power as Creator. The second of this two-fold wonder is God’s immanence—His nearness. David strikes the chord with a question: God, with all you have created, from the spinning galaxies to the beaming moon—with the seemingly infinite expanse that makes me a speck of dust in the universe—why do you still care for me?

Oh what a glorious truth! The question is not meant to be answered. For the answer is in our response: we are meant to worship. This powerful, completely-other-than God who created everything in our eye’s sight (and everything outside it) has drawn near to you and me. David says God is “mindful” of us. This means He is aware of us and knows our every need. Jesus teaches us the same: “your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Mt 6:8). If God created the stars, moon and planets, holding them together with the gravity of His glory—how will he not also care for you, O child of God? There is nothing you need which He is not capable of providing, yet in His wisdom He knows how to provide in His timing. Rest in the perfect power and provision of our great God today. He is mindful of you.

But more than this: know He is near. David says God cares for you. But how is this true? How can the transcendent God draw near to such lowly creatures as ourselves? The answer is in Jesus. There is no greater proof that God cares for you than the coming of the God-man, Jesus Christ. “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Col 2:9). Do you need comfort today? Jesus became like you in every way and sympathizes with your sorrow. Do you need rest today? Jesus says “come to me, all you who labor…and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28). Do you need peace today? The God-man says “my peace I give to you” (Jn 14:27). If you ever doubt the nearness and care of God, you need look no further than Jesus Christ. The Creator entered the world as a man to seek and save the lost. The same hands which spun galaxies like a spider are the same hands which bore a splintered cross to save us from our sins. Oh God, who am I that you care for me? His love is proven in those nail-scarred hands.

So we have these two truths hanging together just as gravity holds together the galaxies: God is way too high for us to understand, but He has also drawn so near so we know He cares. The same God who knows all things—to the very depths of our being, the hidden things we dare not uncover—loves us to the highest heavens.

So look at the moon and the stars tonight: see how little you are in comparison to creation. Yet also look at Jesus Christ: in the eyes of God you are most precious—precious enough to be bought with the spotless blood of the lamb.

Oh God, who am I that you are mindful of me?

Let God Test Your Heart (Psalm 7:9)

Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous—you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God!
Psalm 7:9

The elements in this verse should serve as frequent prayers for those who love the Lord. We will explore three ways to pray like David:

First, we should pray: let the evil of the wicked come to an end. In the Hebrew the request is more emphatic: “please let it cease!” David’s enemies were close around his neck; at any point those who disregarded God might have their way with his life. While we may never cross such direct evil or threats against our lives, there has always existed in man’s hearts a rebellion against those who seek after the Lord. Christ himself was no stranger to this evil. But what did he do in the face of his persecutors, the ones who sent him to the cross? He “did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten” (1 Pt 2:23). Are you tempted to enact revenge for yourself today? Like David you must entrust the evil in the world to the justice of God: Oh Lord, only You can make it cease once for all! But please, we pray, Your kingdom come!

Second, we should pray: God, may you establish the righteous! For David, righteousness meant a heart which sought the Lord and kept its way blameless—not necessarily perfect, but nonetheless sincere. Such an attitude of God-seekers can be found in Psalm 27:4: “One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life…” Oh, how this prayer should be ours! God, establish in me a heart purely devoted to pursuing you. Keep me blameless in my love; rid my heart of any blemish which threatens a sincere and pure devotion to Christ! And when we fail in this regard, as those who stand on the other side of the cross and empty tomb, we trust that Christ’s perfect life has been accounted to us as righteousness. Oh God, establish more of your people who will seek and honor you in righteousness!

Lastly, we should pray for God to test our minds and hearts. This dual phrase “mind and heart” means the deepest parts of our being, the places where no one else can go but God. Therefore praying this last prayer will truly discern whether we are in the first category (the wicked), or the second (the righteous). To ask God to search your heart is indeed a frightful prayer—who knows what will be exposed? But it is necessary, for those who truly love Christ cannot stand their own sin; they need it exposed and eradicated by the cleansing power of the blood. Praise God the fountain is open and flowing full of grace!

Sadly, the wicked alway seek to hide their sin as one who obscures his deeds in the late hours of the night. As Paul says, “it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret” (Eph 5:11). Oh reader, please hear! God cannot be fooled. Either we run to the cross, bringing our darkness to light, knowing our sin separates us from a loving God yet Christ reconciles us; or we attempt to conceal it, standing under the judgment of a righteous God, avoiding the piercing eye of our Creator who calls all to account for everything said and done. Please do not be the latter. If there is sin in your heart today, let it be exposed.

I assure you, if you confess your sin, he is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness (1 Jn 1:9).

Tag: psalm