Psalms 55:6-7
“So I said, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.
Indeed, I would wander far off,
And remain in the wilderness.”
Selah
David was facing an extremely difficult season in life. The more things began to unfold the more he desired to run away and hide. He writes of his desire to flee to the wilderness far away from the problems and the people that surrounded him. He writes of desiring to have wings that could carry him far from his problems. I don’t think the psalmist is alone in this. I know I have felt this way and have met many believers who long for a way to escape the difficulties of life. I wonder how many of us have wished for our own private get away far from the problems and issues of life? While there is no island or mountain hideaway where we can be saved from the issues of life, there is a place the child of God can run for refuge.
Psalms 55:17
“Evening and morning and at noon
I will pray, and cry aloud,
And He shall hear my voice.”
David made the Lord his hiding place. Rather than fleeing from his problems he brought them to the Lord and encourages us to do the same.
Psalms 55:22
“Cast your burden on the Lord,
And He shall sustain you;
He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.”
Whatever trials you are facing that make you want to hide under the covers, flee to the mountains or even long for heaven take them to the Lord. Take them daily until the Power of God is provided to set you free or bring you through.
Pastor Jim
Old Testament:
Psalm 56- Book Of Tears
1 Kings 1- One Man Army
1 Kings 2- Man Up
Biblically speaking atheism is considered folly because God has gone to great lengths to reveal himself to mankind. Paul, when writing to the Roman church divided God’s revelation of himself into two categories; he spoke of things being manifested “to us and in us.”
David makes reference to the fact that he was born into sin. He realizes that his sin is not just a mistake that he made but a consequence of his very nature. The bible teaches that sin was passed down to us from Adam and has affected all of us making all of us sinners. Reforms are good and necessary both individually and nationally but these reforms cannot change our nature. We can become better husbands, fathers, neighbors and citizens but until we are born again we still have a nature that is unredeemed and we will be forbidden access to heaven.
Have you ever heard the phrase “You can’t take it with you”? It seems like this sentiment might be as old as time itself. Thousands of years ago the sons of Korah used it as a lyric in one of their most famous songs. The basic thought is that when this life comes to an end all that we have accomplished will be left behind. In recent years I heard a similar phrase that carries the same thought, “You never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul trailer.”
Sometimes knowing the setting in which a psalm was written is beneficial to understanding its content. Other times, like in this psalm, the setting is not given because the truth is universal. Whatever our condition, whether we would classify it as good or bad, blessing or trial, God remains the same and is always worthy of the highest praise. The truths tucked away in this psalm transcend every experience the child of God endures. Whatever state you are currently facing, it is a good idea to clap your hands and shout out the loudest praise.
Arguments take place when we have differences of opinion. Both parties think they are right and the other is wrong. When these differences of opinion escalate they often lead to serious divisions. Marriages, families and churches have often been the unwary victims of intense argumentation. When arguments take place we have probably learned what to do when we are in the wrong; we humbly apologize and seek to make whatever restitution is necessary. But what about when we are right. Have you ever considered the proper action to take when you are in the midst of a misunderstanding between yourself and someone you care about? Perhaps it would do us good to reconsider what we do when we think we are right. David wrote;
The Bible has much to say about the poor. The word poor is used almost 200 times in the NKJV of the Bible, Israel as a nation was required to set up a system where the poor was able to glean the edges of the fields to provide food for themselves and their families (This is part of the story line of the book of Ruth). Jesus spoke of blessing the poor, and encouraged His disciples to minister to them. In the book of Acts we see the churches sending aid to believers who were undergoing severe trials caused by famine and persecution and James writes warning the church not to neglect the poor or to treat them any less than we would the wealthy. It is clear that those who are neglected by men are highly esteemed by the Lord. That being said the Bible also places certain responsibilities upon the poor. The welfare system in Israel required the poor to work for the food they received and Solomon wrote that “much food is in the fallow ground of the poor.” When Paul wrote to Timothy regarding the widows he explained that the church had a responsibility to assist the widows who were godly but charity would not help those who were living a wasteful life.
There are times in life when words seem like a raging fire building within us and we are almost forced to speak. This can be positive, like when Jeremiah wrote of being so discouraged he no longer wanted to share the words of God with anyone, until those words became like a fire within him and he could no longer contain them. Or this can be negative, like when gossip burns within us, pleading to be passed on to others; or when in the midst of an argument, we lash out with hurtful words that shatter someone we love.
I am a sports fan. I enjoy watching a variety of athletics, and am always fascinated when an athlete achieves victory, almost effortlessly. No matter what the opponents do, they are unable to stop him. Over the years, I have come to understand that those who seem to win with the least effort, are really the ones who have put in the most effort. They are the ones who are first in the gym and last out. Their diets, workouts, sleep patterns, even off days, are regimented so as to keep them in the best possible condition for victory.
Jim Gallagher 