Tag: Distress

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David’s hit song, “Do not destroy!”

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by. I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me. He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. Interlude My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness. ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭57‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The thought of David being a singer, songwriter & musician is just mind blowing. David landed his first real job, outside of tending his father’s sheep, with King Saul. David was hired by the King to provide a soothing, relaxing musical ambience for the court. Saul hired him because David’s music calmed the ever-growing tension in the King’s life. The reason for Saul’s distress – God had not only withdrawn His own Spirit from Saul, but gave him a bad one – a tormenting one! This filled Saul with depression and fear ‭‭(1 Samuel‬ ‭16‬:‭14‬). Saul’s guys promised the King a talented harpist who would help calm him. It was David’s talent that landed him the job working as Saul’s armor bearer and musical therapist!

This Psalm presents quite the flip in the script of David’s life. Now years later, after serving the king, defeating Goliath and leading Saul’s army to multiple victories- David is now a cave dweller, an outlaw, running for his life. What does David do, now that he’s in his own crisis? He writes more songs. Can’t you hear the amazing acoustical echoes deep in the caves of Adullam? I don’t know if it made the top ten list on ancient spotify playlists, but in his distress David writes and sings the song, “Do not destroy!” Maybe it was a harp, heavy metal sound?

David later had this song put into the book of Psalms and we have it still today. David singing out to God, “I look to you for protection, hiding beneath the shadow of your wings…” What beautiful words, written and sung in distress. We don’t know the musical tune or melody line, but we sure know the lyrics, right?

When we feel someone or something is pursuing us. When we can’t seem to catch a break from things going wrong. When there are multiple days of exhaustion just holding onto hope that it will end soon and life can return to normal. We’ve all had these Adullam/cave moments, or multiple cave days in a row. Maybe we don’t sing it, but it helps to read this Psalm out loud to an audience of one. Oh God have mercy on me!

Prayer

​Dad,
The song out of Psalm 34 comes to mind, “I sought the LORD, and he answered me.” This song, “I trust in God,” by Elevation has been circulating in my mind and it has truly been helpful to lift my soul and bring peace. Your Word is powerful to heal and to comfort whenever I am stressed or in distress. Thank you for the presence of your Holy Spirit being with us in troubled times. Amen.

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Adversarial distress much?

Reading Time: 2 minutes

”God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude“ ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭46‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Blue Letter Bible says that this Psalm was written after Jehoshaphat wins a battle in 2 Chronicles 20. However, this Psalm begins with an ominous reminder for all of us over the span of history here on the earth. We are not the only ones groaning in anticipation of finality!

The Apostle Paul wasn’t a scientist nor a meteorologist, but he knew the signs of the times when he wrote, “For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” Romans 8:22. It is interesting that adversarial distress or “trouble,” as the Hebrew word, “tsarah,” suggests, comes from more than just the evil and brokenness of our human relationships. When we sinned, past tense, as in the first couple; when we still sin today, several relationships are damaged and continue in a fractured state.

Our relationship with God was broken, our relationship to other humans was broken, and our relationship with the earth itself was broken. Anyone that has spent even a few years with their marriage mate, family or close friends should immediately realize – relationships are TOUGH. Love is a choice, but it’s also a battle of wills, expectations and constant forgiveness! God gave us the job of tending to the earth itself, but she’s not always a happy camper, right?

Flip on the news and watch the global devastation of volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, fires and funnel clouds. Our own San Diego, California was just shockingly overwhelmed with this random rainstorm and flooded! The psalmist reminds us, even when we battle to regain the beauty of the eden moments, the earth is a wild, untamed beast!

But we should not fear, God is still our refuge and strength. God is willing and able to help us even in these tribulative times of trouble. Even in the chaos of fractured moments with God, each other and the angry earth, God is here among us! God is for us, not against us. God moves towards us, not away from us. God leans in when we recognize our brokenness and humble ourselves before Him. In that holy space of prayer, confession, praise and thanks – God is near and we should not fear. Let the mountains crumble, let the ground tremble, let the waters surge- God is at work redeeming and restoring us and all of creation to himself!

Prayer

Dad,
We are certainly surrounded by stories of human devastation as well as local and global disasters. We sense the tension in our relationships with each other and this beautiful planet we were commanded to care for. We ache and groan for the completion, the finality of Your Kingdom coming and setting all things right. Our relationship with you, each other and the earth. The work, the ransom price for our sin has been paid, so now we wait. Maranatha – Come quickly Lord Jesus. Amen.