Psalm 28:1-9, 39:1-13, 41:1-13, 42:1-11, 43:1-5, 2 Samuel 16:16-17:23

28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. 

My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

I long for the day that this is true for me.  but not yet.  I noticed that David begins laments with crying out to God and ends with praising him.  

 

39:1 ... I will put a muzzle on my mouth ...

How many of us need to do that?  A closed mouth gathers no foot.  A favorite saying of mine is "Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can break your heart."  Words are used so casually, yet they have such power.  Often we don't realize the intense power of the words we use.
 

42:1 As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, ...  

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?  

3 My tears have been my food day and night, ...  

5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? 

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and  

6 my God. My soul is downcast within me; ...  

7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; 

all your waves and breakers have swept over me.  

8 By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me-- 

a prayer to the God of my life.  

9 I say to God my Rock, 

"Why have you forgotten me? 

Why must I go about mourning, ...?"  

11 Why are you downcast, O my soul? 

Why so disturbed within me? 

Put your hope in God, 

for I will yet praise him, 

my Savior and my God.

Psalm 42 has been one I have read often these last few months.  I especially like v3 - 'my tears have been my food.'  It seems that I have wept more this year than I have ever wept.  I am only just beginning to see glimmers of hope - never mind putting my hope in God. Some talk about filling their cup to overflowing - I pray for a little in the bottom. I am parched. I long for water. I have been in a drought - a spiritual drought. 

 

Now back to David's story ...

16:23 Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel's advice. 

The advice was *like* that of one who inquires of God.  It didn't say that he *did* inquire of God.  We need to be careful of who we get advice from.  

Then Absalom was given different advice by a different person.  David was informed of the plan to kill him and he escaped.  Ahithophel went home and hanged himself after learning his advice was ignored.  I know there has to be more to it than this.  One day I will catch up on the previous chapters and figure out "the rest of the story."