Verse of the Day 5/26

Psalm 38:21-22 (ESV)

²¹ Do not forsake me, O Lord!
    O my God, be not far from me!
²² Make haste to help me,
    O Lord, my salvation!

 

Yesterday we considered David's advice in Psalm 37 not to "fret" but to trust in the Lord.  Today's verses come from the following psalm.  They reveal the condition of the heart, it is from a humble heart that realizes that he can't make it on his own.  A heart that realizes that he needs the Lord to be with Him and can't imagine the thought of living, being without Him.  The prayer to God is don't leave me, don't abandon me.

 

The great 19th century pastor, Charles H. Spurgeon wrote, "Forsake me not, O Lord,' now; and forsake me not at any moment of my life. Forsake me not in my joys, lest they absorb my heart. Forsake me not in my sorrows, lest I murmur against thee. Forsake me not in the day of my repentance, lest I lose the hope of pardon, and fall into despair; and forsake me not in the day of my strongest faith, lest faith degenerate into presumption. Forsake me not, for without thee I am weak, but with thee I am strong. Forsake me not, for my path is dangerous, and full of snares, and I cannot do without thy guidance."

The verses and Spurgeon's words bring two Steven Curtis Chapman songs to mind, one is "Declaration" where instead of declaring his independence, Chapman declares his dependence on God to meet his needs.  The other is "Still Listening", it is a song about coming to Jesus in childlike faith, knowing that He is, still listening.

 

The years can take us far away

From the simple childlike faith

But I am longing to return

To the place where I first learned

That God is great, and God is good

So I will speak the words

 

God our Father, once again

I bow my head to pray

You are my Father and my friend

And you hear every word I say

A prayer for forgiveness, a desperate cry for help

Or praise flowing from a thankful heart

Like each time before, I come knowing You're still listening

 

Do you long for His return?  Go to Him in childlike faith, call to Him as David did, in his weakness knowing that our strength for the day, each day is with Him.

 

In Christ,
Mike

 

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Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV

Psalm 38:15-22 New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁵ For I am waiting for you, O Lord.
    You must answer for me, O Lord my God.
¹⁶ I prayed, "Don't let my enemies gloat over me
    or rejoice at my downfall."

¹⁷ I am on the verge of collapse,
    facing constant pain.
¹⁸ But I confess my sins;
    I am deeply sorry for what I have done.
¹⁹ I have many aggressive enemies;
    they hate me without reason.
²⁰ They repay me evil for good
    and oppose me for pursuing good.
²¹ Do not abandon me, O Lord.
    Do not stand at a distance, my God.
²² Come quickly to help me,
    O Lord my savior.