Lead me – Psalm 5
This psalm is like a prayer. It is meditative and almost softly melodic. In the first verse one can almost picture just before sunrise as David awakens in the morning, gets on his knees and has a quiet talk with God. He presents his concerns to God in conversational style. “Lead me, O Lord.” There is no immediate background to this prayer, but given the many exploits he endured as outlined in the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, one can almost assume that there is relevant history to undergird his concerned expressions.
Lead me, O Lord
In this chapter, David wants to be on the right side of God, not in position per se, but within God’s favor. Someone apparently has been on the wrong side of the law, if you would, and this disturbs David. As if God doesn’t know, he points out his concerns and the contrasts between what he has strived to achieve and the missteps of the unmentioned perpetrator. What is poignant though, is that he does not do this in arrogant self-righteous fashion. He merely points out the differences preceded by humbling himself before God and presenting his plea.
His presentation is like that of Moses in Exodus 32. There the great leader gently reminds God of His character. He mentions the potential tainting of His reputation by those who are watching His response. Such does David in directing God’s attention to a problem that perhaps He overlooked. Finally, he ends his discourse by again referring to the righteous, but is careful not to label himself as such. After all, God can distinguish who is who. Yet, he again presents a gentle outline of what the righteous look like and how God has rewarded them in the past and will do so in the future.
This passage is key fodder for a trend that eventually led to God’s identification of David as a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). It reveals that David had a true relationship with God. Evidently, he, like Job, knew Who his Redeemer was (Job 19:25).
Prayer
Dear God, we know You don’t need reminders. Indeed, You are aware of our issues and our circumstances. Often we get off course from Your plan. We now simply say, “Lead me, O Lord”. Amen.
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Sleep in Heavenly Peace – Psalm 4
Psalm 4 almost mirrors or echoes the preceding passage in that David, although he is in distress, calls upon the Lord for help. It is still early in the book, but already shows reliance on God. Despite being opposed and oppressed by foes, identified this time as “sons of men”, he has confidence that the Lord hears him. His relationship with God is so secure, that he is sure that God is there and not too busy or disinterested in his plight. In fact, he can sleep in heavenly peace.
In this chapter, as opposed to chapter 3, he doesn’t even take the time to recount the strength of his foes beyond verse two. He casually refers to it, then moves forward to extol the mercies of God and the benefits of serving Him. Not only has God delivered him from trial, but He has blessed him despite his troubles. That change, of course, must have baffled his opponents!
Sleep in heavenly peace
He encourages readers to worship the Lord and trust in Him. In similar fashion as before, the ability to sleep without fear is a concurrent aspect of this Psalm and again, David is not hesitant to take a well-needed rest at night knowing that the Lord has ordained it and gives him peaceful repose. He can sleep in heavenly peace.
Oh, if we could ever trust God like this. Instead of monitoring and trembling at the perils surrounding us, if we could only look to “Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2)”, the One from whom our help comes. When the storms of life come crashing around us, it is such a comfort to know that we can both lay “down in peace, and sleep, knowing that it is the ‘Lord, only’ Who makest [us] dwell in safety (verse 8).” Trusting God, we too can sleep in heavenly peace.
Prayer
Dear Father, we are in Your hands and under Your care. Please help us remember that safety comes from You. As we take our nightly rest, help us never to fear, but to sleep well—in heavenly peace. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
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