Day 26

Psalm 13 part 1: Read here – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2013&version=NASB

—This is a Psalm of the soul’s journey from self to God.

Starting in discouragement and despair, David finishes in a place of trust, joy, and encouragement. One of the reasons for David’s psalms being perpetually popular is that we always find ourselves there somewhere. 

The question ‘how long?’ is repeated 4 times. It seems that every child of God has asked this question at one time or another and that every follower of God has felt neglected by God – or at least that they have waited a long time for God to do what needs to be done. For millennia the question has been asked. It is even in the last book of the Bible. (Rev 6:10) 

Feeling distant from God sent David into despair. Of course, God did not hide His face from David – but David felt like it. When we have such strong feelings, then the feelings create their own reality. 80% of life happens between our ears, your perceptions and feelings can become your reality, but not necessarily the fact of the matter. God has given us feelings as an expression of His image in us.  Whatever reality feelings present us; we cannot live our lives ruled by them. Our feelings are affected by our fallenness. We can’t trust our feelings because of this. In this sense, it was all right for David to feel these feelings, and good to take them to God. We should never accept the reality of feelings as “real” reality. Be my feelings what they will, Jesus is my saviour still. 

No wonder David was discouraged! Taking counsel in his own soul (v2) had led him to sorrow in his heart daily. When I am discouraged and depressed, the answer is not looking inside myself, but in looking to the LORD. 

 Many times, when I am confronted with problems, I find this to be true: The more I think about the problems, the more down-cast and stressed I get. But when I pray about the problems, a glorious sense of release and peace comes. Herein lies the value of a daily time of worship and reflection with scripture.