Psalms

To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

 ¹ Truly my soul silently waits for God;

         From Him comes my salvation.

 ² He only is my rock and my salvation;
         He is my defense;
         I shall not be greatly moved.
         
 ³ How long will you attack a man?
         You shall be slain, all of you,
         Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence.
 ⁴ They only consult to cast him down from his high position;
         They delight in lies;
         They bless with their mouth,
         But they curse inwardly.  Selah  

I think each of us would benefit in memorizing verses 1 and 2

 ¹ Truly my soul silently waits for God;
         From Him comes my salvation.
 ² He only is my rock and my salvation;
         He is my defense;
         I shall not be greatly moved.
Who hasn't been in a place where they need their trust renewed and need to wait for God?  In God, holding to the Rock, we will not be greatly moved.  Each of us have lived through those times where we need to hear that and we will each find ourselves in that place again.  Because of that, we can all identify with David.  He was in a dark season of his life.

In David's case he was being betrayed by friends and family.  He asked how long they will keep this up.  How long would this season last?  David saw his enemies as unstable as a tottering fence and a leaning wall.  It was just a matter of time before they fell.  He was confident in their demise.  The only thing that brought these men together to consult was a common goal to bring David down.  They were likeminded in their goal and similar in their ability to lie and deceive.  They could look you in the eye and say nice things while inwardly they were cursing you and planning your demise.  Normally these people act alone because they are so self centered they can't act in agreement with others.  But we see it all the time, darkness will partner with darkness against the light. 

David's response to their attack on him was to wait.  This time of waiting wasn't filled with complaining and whining about the situation.  It says his soul waited silently.  This is not so much keeping our mouth shut as much as waiting in peace and having calmness in our spirit.  It's not sitting on your hands in complete inactivity.  It is living and working out a godly life as best we can and waiting on the Lord with peace and the joy of the Lord, regardless of circumstances.  We can wait silently because God is our rock and salvation.  He is our defense.  He is on the throne and calling all the shots.

We are bought and paid for by the shed blood of Christ.  We are not at the mercy of conniving men.  Our salvation is found only in the Lord.  It is not found in our own courage and strength and ability to defend ourselves.

David said "I shall not be greatly moved."  This was a declaration of faith in the plan and sovereignty of God.  It was saying, I won't be demoralized by the circumstances I'm in.

 ⁵ My soul, wait silently for God alone,
         For my expectation is from Him.
 ⁶ He only is my rock and my salvation;
         He is my defense;
         I shall not be moved.
 ⁷ In God is my salvation and my glory;
         The rock of my strength,
         And my refuge, is in God.
         
 ⁸ Trust in Him at all times, you people;
         Pour out your heart before Him;
         God is a refuge for us.  Selah  
Again, David reiterated that he is waiting silently and he adds the word 'alone' on the end.  It's not God and my own courage.  It's not God and luck.  It's not God and anything else.  It is God alone. 

David's expectation is from Him.  Let me ask you, do you live a life expecting a move of God?  When you find yourself in one of these dark places are you waiting expectantly to see how God uses it?  Is he growing you? Is he using you as a testimony that will lead someone else to salvation?

When you're in these dark places, don't forget God is still working and many times that's where we get to witness his greatest work.  It's okay to be expectant of God as long as it is in God alone.  I shall not be moved.  He is that place where we can hide and renew our strength.  It's in Him alone we find salvation and hope.

This is why it is important to have a relationship with the Lord always.  So when you are in these dark times it's already established in your soul that the Lord is your only place of comfort and strength and refuge.  We need to go before him with a quiet soul and pour out our heart before him.

What is in our heart in times like these when we are in pain from betrayal from friends or family or the world?  It's not usually love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.  Many times we harbor bitterness, hatefulness, contentions and strife.  Our hearts are broken, our faith weakened and fear is welling up.  David said in verse 8, Pour out your heart before Him.  We need to pour that dark stuff out of our heart, let go of all that is causing pain, leave it before the Lord.  Trust Him and find refuge in Him.

 ⁹ Surely men of low degree are a vapor,
         Men of high degree are a lie;
         If they are weighed on the scales,
         They are altogether lighter than vapor.
 ¹⁰ Do not trust in oppression,
         Nor vainly hope in robbery;
         If riches increase,
         Do not set your heart on them.
Men of low degree are just men.  All men are of low degree, all men are but a vapor.  Men of high degree are just low men living a lie.  There are no men of high degree.  All men standing apart from the Lord are lighter than vapor.  They don't even begin to tip the scales of righteousness.  They don't impress God and they should find no hope in themselves or any other man.

When a man rises to power because he desires and covets it, he will get there by oppression.  A weak and small man can't rise to the heights he desires so he oppresses those around him to make himself larger.  He puts his hope in money and power of this world.  Being a man of high degree becomes an idol in a man's life.  He sets that idol up and then deceives himself into thinking he is of high degree.

We are not to align ourselves with this thinking of these men.  We are not to set our heart on these things but on the things of God.  We are faced daily with men of low degree.  And we are faced daily with men who try to convince everyone they are of high degree.  And, although it is overwhelming at times, we need not be moved.

 ¹¹ God has spoken once,
         Twice I have heard this:
         That power belongs to God.
 ¹² Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy;
         For You render to each one according to his work.

God said it and we should believe it.  Then God said it again, confirming His own word.  The power belongs to God alone.  Mercy belongs to the Lord.  We are not at the mercy of the world and the people of the world.  We are at the mercy of a merciful God.  Judgment is coming at the hand of God.  If we have repented of our sins and put our trust in Him, the world can't harm our soul and God has promised us salvation.  That is our source of hope and confidence.  When we understand that, what can the world do to us?  We won't be discouraged, no matter what is going on.  We won't be dragged down by men, regardless of their supposed stature.

Where ever I find myself, I will hold tightly to the Lord.  I will wait for Him and I will not be greatly moved.  I will not be moved.