Sunday
Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught at the voice of the enemy, at the snares of the wicked; for they bring down suffering upon me and revile me in their anger. . . .
But I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. . . .
Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. But you, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of corruption; bloodthirsty and deceitful men will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust you.
(Psalms 55:1-3, 16-18, 22-23, NIV)
Today’s verses are a part of a prayer of King David in which he pleaded for God’s protection from a conspiracy in Jerusalem. Someone, who at one time “enjoyed sweet fellowship” with David and was his “companion” and “close friend” (v. 13-14), had turned against him and David was fearful. With a heart full of anguish, he prayed that God would save him from his distress.
The closeness of David’s relationship with God is captured in verse 18 where it reads: “He [God] ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me” or “he [God] hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me” (KJV). In the middle of this crisis, King David prayed with confidence that God would give him peace and safety because of the closeness of his personal walk with the Lord. Then, with words dear to the hearts of many Christians over the centuries, David declared: “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you” (v. 22). Despite his fears, David put his trust in the Lord and it was because of this trust that he could weather the storms as King of Israel.
David’s personal relationship with the Lord, a relationship of shalom, was summarized by his song of praise: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior… As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect” (II Samuel 22:2-3a, 31-33, NIV).
Prayer
Almighty God, our Rock, our Fortress, our Deliverer, give us the faith of David so that we can rest in you as he did. Teach us to trust in you and to cast our cares on you. Thank you for loving us despite our unworthiness. Amen.