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PSALM 54 (NIV Study Bible)
For the director of music. With stringed
instruments. A maskil of David. When the Ziphites had gone to Saul
and said, “Is not David hiding among us?’
1.Save me O God, by Your Name, vindicate me by Your might.
2.Hear my prayer, O God, Listen to the words of my mouth.
3.Strangers are attacking me, ruthless men seek my life – men
without regard for God.Selah
4.Surely God is my help, the Lord is the one who sustains me.
5.Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in Your faithfulness destroy
them.
6.I will sacrifice a freewill offering to You; I will praise Your
name, O Lord, for it is good.
7.For He has delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have
looked in triumph on my foes.
I write this Psalm study at the end
of what has been an incredible ten days…
incredible services, the London team record an inspiring worship
project,Paris going so very well, hundreds being saved, new songs
galore, a powerful Vision night, and an incredible God-encounter
weekend culminating in yet another God-honouring, Jesus-adoring United
worship project. I am humbled and overwhelmed at the power, magnitude,
faithfulness and loving-kindness of our ever-living Saviour.
Thank you team, for continually living as lives POURED out as a sacrifice
before the throne… as we must, lest we become full and bloated
withthe goodness of God… let it spill over EVERYWHERE you
go.
As we have learned, the MASCHIL is an instructional Psalm, and David
wrote this particular Psalm to commemorate the treachery of the Ziphites….
who revealed his position to Saul on two occasions. Saul was so VERY
jealous of David, and tried to take his life 21 times!!! Can you
believe that? And the Ziphites were trying to do all they could to
hand David over to Saul… I guess to find favour with the King.
Isn’t it incredible what people will do for recognition, promotion
and perceived success. Not even think twice about using a person,
breaking someone’s trust, breaking someone’s heart, continually
pushing themself to the front and willing to do whatever it takes
to stay there!! Such is the life consumed with self…. so opposite
to all that the Word teaches us, and all that Jesus showed us as
He lived on earth to love people and point them to the Father.
Galations 5 gives us the blueprint for a life lived IN CHRIST… describing
the fruit of the Spirit and what it looks like in our lives….The
Ziphites were not bearing much of these types of fruit… love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness
and self control. Verse 26 says.. let us not become conceited, provoking
and envying each other.
David’s response in this Psalm however is so strong… well
aware of his many enemies, well aware of the dangers before him… but
instead of responding to accusation etc, with more of the same, David
took his petition to God.
He boldly asked God to ‘SAVE ME….HEAR MY PRAYERS…’He
reminded God (as if He needed reminding!!!) that the people after
him were not lovers of God, and that God had promised to protect
him.
Then he declares….. The Lord IS my helper
GOD is with those who UPHOLD me
God will bring EVIL unto his enemies
God HAS delivered me from trouble
I WILL freely sacrifice all to God and PRAISE HIS NAME FOREVER..
I find it amazing how quickly David here turns his fear into FAITH,
his dread into stepping stones of promise… what a great lesson.
Notice that before his words start to change.. he says SELAH ( pause….calmly
think on that…) then after his moment of waiting on God, His
strength is renewed, His language is different, it’s as if
someone has put a new set of glasses on him, to see through eyes
of the Spirit.
How many times have you so wished that you had looked at your circumstance
through the eyes of the spirit, rather than the eyes of your flesh??
For me, many many times.
The simple but powerful instruction of this Psalm, is to be trained
on how to view your enemy….view him as small, under our feet,
totally and utterly defeated….. and then speak to him like
that. The other point here that I am aware of, is that God honours
His covenant with his people, He does hear our prayers, and runs
to our rescue when we humble ourselves, call on His name, and pray!.And
lastly, Never forget the power of the blood of Jesus… Calvary
holds all the answers to every problem…. for it is by the
blood, the ultimate price that was paid, that we are free.
OK... take this study on board, think about the areas in your own
life where you feel like the enemy is coming to accuse, oppress,
and deflate. Now… SELAH… think on the promise of God….
and PRAISE your way to your answer….
Stay strong… for the battle is on for your worship…… Darls
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