PSALM THIRTEEN

A SONG FOR ALL SEASONS
 
  Psalm thirteen is in effect analysed by the Psalmist himself in the
final strophe.  He sings, "I have trusted in Thy mercy, I shall rejoice
in Thy salvation, I will sing unto the Lord!"  Past, present and future
are wrapped up in these words.  The psalm in itself is a song for all
seasons.  What a priviledge it is to the believer, to know that at all
times, and on all occasions, God was and is, and will be, all we need.

  The song for all seasons is a song of great spiritual stability. 
Just as a three-legged stool will stand anywhere, so will the faith
that rests on "One Lord - One Faith - One Baptism." 
  Strophe 1. Verses1 & 2, is a song of sorrow.  Some of our greatest
music depends on minor chords.  There is no life without its sorrow. 
We often need to be taught not to fight sorrow, but to use it for our
benefit.  The response of David's soul to the sorrow in his life was to
trust in God..."I have trusted in Thy mercy!" 
  Strophe 2. Verses 3 & 4, is a song of supplication.  A time comes
when we have to do something more than just say our prayers.  The Lord
Jesus Christ made supplication with strong crying.  Reality appears
when it is truly a matter of life or death.  "I will sing unto the
Lord!"  The time comes for the dedication of all our NOWS to the Lord. 
We can never go beyond now.  Let us beware lest we adversly affect the
present with the bitterness of the past; and also beware lest we
mortgage the future with the haste of the present.  In a wholly
committed NOW, let us offer our praise to God. 
  Strophe 3.  Verses 5 & 6, is a song of salvation.  "He has dealt
bountifully with me.  This is the song of the believer through all
ages.  God has not only blessed us, He has blessed us abundantly.  God
does not merely deliver us, He gives a glorious victory.  God does not
just welcome us back home, He gives us a feast.  
  THIS IS A SONG OF THE GREAT GOD.  
  In strophe 1. He is the UNDERSTANDING God.  He never forgets, though
we often think He does.  The psalmist felt that he had no-one to talk
to, so he took counsel in his soul.  He had sorrow in his heart day by
day; he could voice these things to no-one but God - but it seemed that
God was not there.  Yet he knew that God understood.  He trusted in His
mercy.  Sorrow will end, for God is merciful and He always understands.

  In Strophe 2. He is the Enlightening God.  "Lighten mine eyes,"
cries the psalmist.  We owe God for every revelation we have received. 
Multiply every truth received by every person you know, then project
the calculation over the Church world-wide, and you will catch a
glimpse of how God opens human eyes to the truth. 
  In Strophe 3. He is the bountiful God.  Consider one small element
of God's bounty - His bounty in nature.  There is enough food in the
world to feed everyone on earth.  Why then does starvation come? 
Because of man's inhumanity to man.  Human political policies, and
human economics, cause starvation.  Men would rather dump food than let
the prices fall.  God taught Israel to share His bounty.  The farmer in
the New Testament who planned to keep it all to himself was called a
fool by God.  We really have a caring, sharing God. 



Copyright (c) 1995, Hedley Palmer. All rights reserved.



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