Psalm 69

Psalm 69 is a personal lament as well as an expression of confident hope in the faithfulness and unfailing love of God. It is also a prophetic psalm as many of its verses find their fulfillment in Jesus. As an example, verse 9a, “Passion for your house has consumed me” is quoted at John 2:17, “Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.” (See also verse 9b and Romans 15:3; verse 21b and John 19:28-29; verse 4a and John 15:25; and verse 25 and Matthew 23:38.)

The overall theme of the psalm is also an expression of New Life in Christ; the righteous will suffer in the same way Jesus suffered. The Apostle Paul proclaimed this theme eloquently in Romans 8:17b, “But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering,” and again in Philippians 3:10-11, “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (NRSV)

The psalmist also presents two compelling images that help us maintain an appropriate perspective as Christ followers. The first is loneliness. One of the greatest gifts of God is the Christian community. We even have a “huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith” surrounding us (Hebrews 12:1). Even so, there are times when following Christ will seem like we are very much alone in our faith and beliefs. Remember, Christ felt alone, and even abandoned by God, when he hung on our cross. It is times such as these when our faith “is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold.” In these times we are called by the psalmist to remember our “faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world” (1 Peter 1:7).

While there will be times when I very much feel alone, I know I am never alone. Nothing can separate me from God’s love. But, the second image reminds me that neither can I be separated from the observations of others. Friends, family and community know I am a follower of Christ and are watching how I live my life in Christ. This truth is expressed by the psalmist in verse 6:  

“Don’t let those who trust in you

be ashamed because of me,

O Sovereign Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Don’t let me cause them to be humiliated,

O God of Israel.”

Psalm 69:6

Sē’lah

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Reading for July 11, 2012          Psalm 70