Not Forsaken

The past few months I have struggled to choose joy. The weight of some friends’ circumstances as well as some of our own feels heavy. Although I know God is more than able, and I have been encouraged by meditating on God’s characteristics that remind me that He is more than able to handle every circumstance, I battle with choosing joy, thanksgiving, and praise instead of getting lost in the hard stuff.

I think that is why Psalm 9 caught my attention. It is both praise and plea. Thanksgiving and lament. Joy and hard stuff. Choosing joy, thanksgiving, and praise does not mean that we ignore the hard circumstances. And hard circumstances, suffering, doesn’t mean we can’t still choose and have reason for joy, thanksgiving, and praise.

There are some pretty strong arguments that Psalm 9 and 10 were originally one psalm not two. The psalms together form both an acrostic and a chiastic structure (words or theme repeated in reverse order). They contain several of the same words or phrases. I would encourage you to stop and read both Psalm 9 and 10, and then we’ll focus on themes of praise and plea.

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;

I will recount all of Your wonderful deeds.

I will be glad and exult in You;

I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

Psalm 9:1-2

The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed,

a stronghold in times of trouble.

And those who know Your name put their trust in You,

for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.

Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion!

Tell among the peoples His deeds!

For He who avenges blood is mindful of them;

He does not forget the cry of the afflicted.

Psalm 9:9-12

For the needy shall not always be forgotten,

and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.

Psalm 9:18

Why, O Lord, do You stand far away?

Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble?

Psalm 10:1

O Lord, You hear the desire of the afflicted;

You will strengthen their heart; You will incline Your ear

to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,

so that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more.

Psalm 10:17-18

I don’t know about you, but I tend to dwell on the difficulty of my situation. At some point, I remind myself of truth and talk to my all-knowing, all-powerful, sovereign Father God about it (usually). Then I might even get to praise and thanksgiving. David begins Psalm 9 with effusive praise and thanksgiving that flows from his whole heart. He recounts God’s wonderful deeds. He is glad. He exults (rejoices) in God and breaks into songs of praise to the Most High. You would think that David was on vacation, sipping lemonade by the Mediterranean Sea, with not a care in the world.

Yet, we discover starting in verse 3 of Psalm 9 and continuing throughout Psalm 10 that David’s enemies are still around. David uses the words “oppressed” (vs 9:9; 10:18) and “afflicted” (vs 9:12; 10:17). David is giving thanks and praising God with his whole heart midst oppression and affliction. He also instructs others who are oppressed and afflicted to sing praises to the Lord and tell of God’s deeds (vs 9:11).

David begins with thanksgiving and praise because he knows who his God is and what God has done for him already. In verse 9:13, David asks God to be gracious to him, to see his affliction and to lift him up. Why? So he can be affliction free? Take that Mediterranean vacation? The reason David gives is, “that I may recount all Your praises . . . I may rejoice in Your salvation.” David asks for God’s intervention, so that God can be glorified. I would guess that David was thankful when God granted him physical comfort and help, but that was not his primary focus. David was all about God’s glory. David could praise God midst affliction because he trusted God to act in loving care for him (vs 10).

As I mentioned earlier, choosing joy, thanksgiving, and praise does not mean we ignore hardship. It doesn’t mean we have a continuous smile painted on our face. David brought his plea to God enveloped in what he knew to be true about God. Beginning with thanksgiving and praise puts our circumstance and pleas into perspective. It reminds us Who we are bringing our plea to. It reminds us that God is more than able to accomplish what is needed, and He has all wisdom and knowledge to know what is needed.

David describes God as “a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble” (vs 9:9). God has not forsaken those who seek Him (vs 9:10). God is enthroned (vs 9:22) meaning He reigns. He is sovereign. He is mindful of and does not forget the cry of the afflicted (vs 9:12). God does not forget the needy or remove the hope of the poor forever (vs 9:18). God strengthens the heart of the afflicted and inclines His ear to hear them (vs 10:17). He executes justice for the fatherless and the oppressed (vs 10:18).

There are times we may feel like God is far away from us and hiding in our time of trouble (vs 10:1), but this is not truth. When these feelings come, we need to turn to truth. We need to trust God who will never forsake us or allow us to be separated from Him (Romans 8:38-39). We need to trust that God is faithful and will do what He has promised.

First thing in the morning is the time I struggle the most with my thoughts. Although I am not faithful every morning, I have been trying to pray first before I even get out of bed. I set my book of puritan prayers and one on confession next to my bed as a reminder and a jump start (because I am so easily distracted to other thinking). I have several people that I pray for daily right now, so I pray for them within the context of who God is and what He has already done. Again, I am not faithful in this. I forget and start the day with circumstance-focus instead of God-focus. I still get lost in the hard stuff, but I am thankful that even when I am wandering around in the hard stuff, God has not lost me. He doesn’t forsake us because we forget to be thankful and praise Him.

At the cross, Jesus endured more oppression, affliction and suffering than we will ever know. He was in anguish. He cried out, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Jesus was forsaken so that you and I would never be forsaken by the Father. And even in His anguish, Jesus brought glory to the Father by His willing, joyful obedience even unto death (Hebrews 12:2). For those in Christ, we have Jesus perfect record of bring glory to God in every circumstance.

Reflection

1. In your hard stuff, what is your default – complaint, worry, emotions run amok, prayer, praise, thanksgiving?

2. When are you most tempted away from thanksgiving and praise? What is a specific, pro-active step you can take to choose joy, thanksgiving, and praise instead of getting lost in the hard stuff? Possible ideas are verse cards with the truths you need to be reminded of. Review them each day. Calling or texting a friend when you feel yourself going the opposite way of thanksgiving and praise. Ask them to pray. Making thanksgiving and praise a regular part of your day.

3. Write out the “God is. . .” truths from Psalms 9 and 10. Which is most encouraging or comforting to you and why?