Psalm Four… March 16, 2022
For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A psalm of David.
Answer me when I call to you my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
How long will you people turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?
Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself the Lord hears when I call to him.
Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.
Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the Lord.
Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?”
Let the light of your face shine on us. Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound.
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
King David’s son is after him, Absalom wants the throne and David is on the run. David has learned throughout his whole life, even from his days as a shepherd, that when times get tough, go to God – pray to him. “Answer me…” seems to be more like a command than a request to the Almighty God, but I imagine that David’s relationship to God allowed him to call in that manner since he was ‘a man after God’s own heart.’ The trouble he faced was much different than what we have seen, but even you and I have at some moments in our lives where we were close to yelling out to God – ANSWER ME!!!
He then turns his attention to the people around him, probably the ones that are trying to kill him… “How long” will you people turn away from God and seek false Gods? This sounds like he’s talking to himself while he prays and trying to reach out in his mind to try to change his people.
He continues to reason with others and maybe even himself – don’t sin, seek God and offer the sacrifices. Don’t forget to do the things you know you should do! Then, turning his focus back to the Lord, he closes with a prayer of prosperity. People want to know how they will live and prosper and here is the answer… reflect God’s love and light to others around you!
For my 10 years at the Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio I directed the Middle School Choir, well when I was called to join the staff I found the girl that directed that age group was pregnant and decided she couldn’t continue leading them, so it was tasked to me to direct the 6th through 8th grade choir. They didn’t have a name when I started, so I worked with those first singers and came up with ‘Reflections’ and we used that name for the next ten years.
Prosperity is tied into God’s light reflecting through us. Then comes joy and peace and the great feeling of being safe from the chaos that surrounds us.
Every time we stand in front of our congregation leading in worship, we need to be reflectors of God’s joy and peace so others can see how they also can be prosperous, not in currency necessarily, but in our purpose and quality of life. One great way to be an evangelist is to shine God’s light on others, we need to do that with every song we sing!!