“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.” Psalm 57:5 NIV
Prayer is the language of trust. This psalm is primarily a prayer. Prayer is an acknowledgment that our need is not partial, but total. Prayer says to God and to anyone else around, “I am a dependent person. I am not self-sufficient. I cannot handle this situation in my own strength, but only in Your strength, Lord!” David describes his situation in poetic language here. It is as though he is surrounded by lions or fire-breathing dragons or those whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. They are out to get David, he is outnumbered, and it just seems like a matter of time until he is caught in their net. But right in the midst of enumerating his problems, we encounter verse 5. It seems out of place. It would have fit at the end of verse 6 to close the stanza, after David’s realization that his enemy’s schemes would come back on them. But the verse jars you where it is. Why is it there? During his trials, David suddenly realizes that God is bigger than his trials! Trust is only as good as its object, and a trustworthy object inspires trust. But sometimes it takes intense trials to get us to look to the Lord and discover how trustworthy He is. The question is: Do we allow the trials and temptations we are facing to become giants before us, rather than looking to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who raised Him from the dead, who is now Lord of lords and King of kings.
PRAYER THOUGHT
Lord, teach me to look to You at all times no matter the situation.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord, we confess and repent that we take our focus off You, and allow our trials and temptations to become greater than You, when in reality You are greater than all. AMEN
INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
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