Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

“Have mercy on me…” is the beginning phrase of three of David’s psalms, the great song of re- pentance (51) and the twins (56,57). It is the most humble and desperate approach to the ‘Mighty One’. Two people in the New Testament presented this critical prayer to Jesus and received his mercy: “A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, ‘Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter has a demon in her…” (Mt. 15:22) Blind Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by and cried out: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mrk. 10:47) Mercy expelled the demon and brought sight to the blind!

Centuries later Jesus, the Son of David would suffer both verbal and physical attack at the hands of Roman soldiers: “’Hail! King of the Jews!’ they mocked, and they hit him with their fists.” (Jn. 19:3)

“But when I am afraid, I put my trust in you. O God, I praise your word. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? “ (3,4)

Fear is a signal to raise our level of trust in God. Trust is directly related to how much we know and believe his word. David literally ‘praises’ the word. Boice says that the “word” means “the entire revela- tion of God in Scripture up to that time which would include the Pentateuch (Moses’ first five books) Joshua, Judges and possibly Ruth” or the personal words of prophecy brought to him by Samuel that he would be Israel’s King 1 . When the psalmist speaks of “mere mortals” he uses the word ‘Enosh’ meaning ‘frail man’ and is meant to be a contrast with ‘Elohim’ the Mighty One. We will either trust one or the other! The author of Hebrews quotes verse 4 teaching us that every believer has a right to pray this prayer when we are afraid: “That is why we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper, so I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?’” (Heb. 13:6) David was in an environment that caused fear to permeate every part of his soul and mind. • They twist my words- “They are always twisting what I say;” (5) • They plan harmful ways- “…they spend their days plotting ways to harm me.”(5) • They are constantly watching- “They come together to spy on me–watching my every step, eager to kill me.” (6) • They enact wickedness- “Don’t let them get away with their wickedness; in your anger, O God, throw them to the ground.” (7) After David became King of Israel he defeated the enemies that were so abusive to him. “So David did what the Lord commanded, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.” (2 Sam. 5:25) There is a day when God will reconcile all the evil that people do to others. II THEY TWIST MY WORDS - 5-7

III YOU COLLECT MY TEARS - 8-11

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”(8)

David’s sorrowful life as a fugitive had just started. It began in tears as he and Jonathan were sep- arated: “Then David bowed to Jonathan with his face to the ground. Both of them were in tears as they embraced each other and said good-bye, especially David.” (1 Sam. 20:41) His fugitive years also ended in tears with the death of Jonathan and Saul: “How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan! Oh, how much I loved you!…” (2 Sam. 1:26) God has a ‘bottle’ and a ‘book’ that records our sorrows as we journey to- ward the fulfillment of His purpose for our lives. Isaiah tells us that Jesus was “…a man of sorrows, ac- quainted with bitterest grief.” (Isa. 53:3) He feels our sorrows and grief.

“On the very day I call to you for help, my enemies will retreat. This I know: God is on my side.”(9)

Paul quotes and expands the thoughts of this verse in Romans: “What can we say about such won- derful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?”

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