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| My cup overflows - Psalm 23:5 |
Psalm 30 1 I will exalt you, Lord, for you rescued me.
You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
and you restored my health.
3 You brought me up from the grave,t O Lord.
You kept me from falling into the pit of death.
4 Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones!
Praise his holy name.
5 For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may last through the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
6 When I was prosperous, I said,
“Nothing can stop me now!”
7 Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain.
Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered.
8 I cried out to you, O Lord.
I begged the Lord for mercy, saying,
9 “What will you gain if I die,
if I sink into the grave?
Can my dust praise you?
Can it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear me, Lord, and have mercy on me.
Help me, O Lord.”
11 You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy,
12 that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!
David wrote this Psalm as a song of praise for a hard lesson learned and as a song of faith for the temple he would never see built (it was built by his son, Solomon).
Security had made David felt invincible. Although he knew that his riches and power came from God, they had gone to his head, making him proud. So he decided to number the people to show off his great strength (1 Chronicles 21:1-22:6). God sent a great plague on Israel to discipline David. David too, suffered illness.
Wealth, power and fame have an intoxicating effect on people, making the recipients feel self-reliant, self-secure and independent of God. But the false sense of security, can be easily shattered; the world of 'me' comes crashing down like an avalanche.
I often think that if I had more money, I would be better off, more secure; but I can see that God knows me very well. He loves me so much that He provides what I need when I need it - He knows how to keep me close to Him. God knows wealth, power and fame requires great stewardship. Jesus said, "When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required" (Luke 12:48) I am still learning to be a good steward of what He has given me.
David repented and he called on God for deliverance. Like a shot given by a doctor, the discomfort of God's anger lasts only for a moment, but the good effects go on for a long time. God's anger can be a sharp pain that warns us to turn away from sin. God loves us enough to stop the sin. David made his request in Psalm 30 based on what he knew about God's character - that God is loving and righteous ...and He loves to deliver His people.
