Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

This is desperate, agitated prayer seeking the intervention of God. The troubles we face will work for our good if it causes us to pray. It is filled with unrestrained emotions and a sense that the Lord is not listening to his problem but in reality, it is Asaph that is not tuned in to the provision and perspective of God. Jesus modeled this type of prayer for us in the garden of Gethsemane: “…he began to be filled with anguish and deep distress. He told them, ‘My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death.’ He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground, praying, ‘My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine.’”(Mt. 26:37-39) “You don’t let me sleep. I am too distressed even to pray! I think of the good old days, long since ended, when my nights were filled with joyful songs. I search my soul and think about the difference now. “(4-6) The Lord would not allow the psalmist to sleep until he resolved the question of God’s integrity. Delitzsch translates this first sentence as “Thou hast held…the night watches of my eyes 2 .” Asaph was digging into the deepest recesses of his heart as his thoughts hovered between ‘then’ and ‘now’. His mind was glorifying his memories and minimizing the present work of God in his life. If we only focus on the old times we will never receive the new things that God has for each one of us. “…but I am focus- ing all my energies on this one thing; forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead…”(Philip- pians 3:13) The inquisitive nature of Asaph reaches its full expression in these 6 searching questions into the nature and character of God. The answer that we choose to believe about his unchanging attributes de- termines our spiritual fate; the correct answer to all 6 is a resounding ‘no’! • His acceptance- “Has the Lord rejected me forever?” II THE PROMISE FORGOTTEN - 4-9

• His favor- “Will he never again show me favor?” • His love- “Is his unfailing love gone forever?” • His promise- “Have his promises permanently failed?” • His kindness- “Has God forgotten to be kind?” • His compassion- “Has he slammed the door on his compassion?” (7-9)

God cannot deny himself or act contrary to his nature. These things are not what ‘he does’ but who ‘he is’ and these essential attributes of his character are available to all who call upon him.

III THE PAST REMEMBERED - 10-15

“And I said, ‘this is my fate, that the blessings of the Most High have changed to hatred.’(10)

The uncertain meaning of the words causes it to be translated in two distinct ways. First it pres- ents God in a negative way; the modern interpretation by Peterson in the ‘Message’ version says: “’Just my luck’ I said. The High God goes out of business just the moment I need him.” The second interpre- tation is cast in a positive frame such as Martin Luther’s translation: “The right hand of the Most High changes everything.” The main point is that no matter how negatively we view God in the beginning, it is vitally important that we end up seeing him positively as he truly is. I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are con- stantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about them. (10-12) Asaph is tempted to believe that all of the blessings of God’s love, favor and kindness have changed to hatred until he begins to remember the wonderful deeds of the Lord through the centuries. When he chooses to believe, the great power that he is recalling in memory is made available to him in experience! He begins to declare with his mouth what he believes in his heart to be true about the Lord and his strength. • God is Holy- “O God, your ways are holy.” (13) The pathway to God’s power is through his ho- liness. • God is Mighty- “Is there any god as MIGHTY as you?” (13) • God is Miraculous- “You are the God of MIRACLES and WONDERS!” (14) • God is Powerful- “You demonstrate your AWESOME POWER among the nations.” (14)

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