Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

1. The Choice of Patience - “ Don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you. Think about it overnight and remain silent. Interlude”(4)

Though David was a mighty warrior he was not motivated by anger and hatred. His wise advice is to put an ‘interlude’, or ‘Selah’ of 24 hours between an offense and our response. Even when Shimei bitterly cursed him as he fled Jerusalem he lived out his own advice and held back his anger. Abishai, one of his generals demanded, “ Let me go over and cut off his head! ” David wisely told him ‘no’ and replied: “ Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to do it. And perhaps the Lord will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses.”(2 Sam. 16:9,11,12) Paul quotes this verse in his Ephesians letter: “ And ‘don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you’ and adds the thought, “ Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil.”(Eph. 4:26,27) David’s advice to “ think about it overnight ” is in regards to his ac- tions of angry response. Paul’s advice to settle anger issues quickly was to insure a free flow of for- giveness from the heart. We can’t go to sleep with anger; it is a most disagreeable ‘bed-fellow.’

2. The Choice of Faithfulness - (5) “ Offer proper sacrifices, and trust in the Lord. ”

David and his men were on the run so they would not be able to make the sacrifices in Jerusalem that were required by the Law of Moses. He might have been speaking of the inward and spontaneous sacrifices that characterize a New Testament believer: “ With Jesus’ help, let us continually offer our sac- rifice of praise to God by proclaiming the glory of his name. Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to God.” (Heb. 13:15,16) The key to the Christian journey is to keep moving faithfully on.

3. The Choice to Look Ahead - (6) “ Many people say, ‘ Who will show us better times?’ Let the smile of your face shine on us, Lord. ”

David could easily have been tempted to compare the disaster he was facing with the days before. He did not succumb to the nostalgia of the past but sought the present reality of God’s love. He be- lieved in the promising future that God had for him. “ …but I am focusing my energies on this one thing; forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead…” (Phil. 3:13

4. The Choice to Rejoice - (7) “ You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant har- vests of grain and wine. ”

Happiness is a choice we can make. We can either rejoice, which means ‘recover joy’ or we can succumb to the negative circumstances that abound in life. David learned this great truth and now put it into practice in this dark moment. He was a happy fugitive! “ Always be full of the joy of the Lord. I say it again-rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4)

5. The Choice to Rest - (8) “ I will lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.”

Worry is the great ‘killer of the soul’ and here we are instructed to rest in the care and wisdom of God. We can only rest when we learn to lay our burdens down. “ Then Jesus said, ‘come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls.”(Mt. 11:28,29) David rested upon his sleeping mat on the evening of the crucial battle against Absalom’s armies. He had made the right choices.

1 Keil & Delitzsch

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