Psalm 39

Alcoholics Anonymous and other twelve-step programs adopted a prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr that has become known as The Serenity Prayer:

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;

Courage to change the things I can;

And wisdom to know the difference.”

This is a good prayer for all of us, because Christians are always challenged with knowing what God expects us to do, and what God wants us to let Him do. This is the great dichotomy of the Christian life and God’s wisdom is needed to understand the application of the Apostle Paul’s assertion, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13) Perhaps a better way of making that statement is, “I can do everything God wants me to, through Christ who gives me strength.”

The Psalmist was well intentioned; he did not want to sin with his words. His solution was simple, to avoid saying something sinful, he wouldn’t say anything. His plan came crashing down when he realized he couldn’t refrain from speaking good. (The Prophet Jeremiah, and many others, including me, experienced this same frustration: “But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!” (Jeremiah 20:9)

The psalmist’s frustration leads to his musings about how his failures make him feel so small, as measured against the eternal, infinite majesty of God. His musings leads him to conclude, “And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.” (v.7)

The psalmist wanted to please God and felt a great burden for what he believed he had to do to earn God’s favor. When he failed to measure up to his self-imposed standards, he experienced punishment from God. Jesus has freed us from having to perform to please God. Our new life in Christ enables us to live in harmony with God where our focus is not on what we have to do to please God; rather, it‘s on what we get to do, because we are the beloved children of God. We do not have to live in fear of God because Jesus has accepted the punishment for our sins. God’s discipline is not fearful because it is flowing from the love of Christ, who died for us while we were yet sinners.

When I mediate on the blessings of living life in Christ, I conclude with the psalmist,

“And so, Lord,

where do I put my hope?

My only hope is in you.”

 

Sē’lah

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What word or phrase in today’s reading of the Psalms

 attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

Reading for June 10, 2012           Psalm 40

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