From shepherd boy to king, David’s life was one of hardship, danger, exaltation, grief, remorse, redemption, joy, and friendship with God.
He was crowned and chased and tempted, impoverished and blessed. He was a rags to riches epic tale, and a story of how the mighty can fall. He victoriously faced a giant, and yet he hid in fear of a crazed ruler. He killed a lion, but he wrote songs of great sensitivity and love. He experienced loneliness, and he danced in great joy at the Lord’s work. His life was filled with contradictions as he attempted to follow God’s plan and lead a nation.
The realness of David’s life and experience allow us to identify with him. We, too, face our giants, although not always victoriously. We sometimes cower in fear at what this world may bring upon us. We suffer through loneliness and despair, and we exult with great joy at the blessings of God. Perhaps this is why the book of Psalms speaks with such tenderness to our hearts.
Psalm 25 is a song written by David. It is 22 verses long, each verse beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In this psalm, David lifts his heart to God once again. He asks – pleads – for God’s guidance and leadership. He acknowledges the difficulty of living in a world of wickedness. He prays for God to remember His promises and His work with the children of Israel. He praises the character of God, and he states his devotion to seeking God.
This psalm spoke to my heart as I read it.
- Do I need guidance? Yes!
- Is this world difficult? Yes!
- Has God kept me in the past? Yes!
- Is God good and righteous and merciful and faithful all of the time? Yes!
My reading and study of this psalm ended in my own prayer.
Show me Your way, O Lord;
Teach me Your path.
Lead me in Your truth, and guide me,
for You are the God of my salvation.
I wait on You all day long.
You have always been good, Lord,
but I haven’t.
Forgive my sin. Forgive where I have strayed from You.
Deal with me mercifully
for Your name’s sake.
Keep me teachable and willing to listen to Your truth.
Don’t let me get caught up in the despair and faithlessness of this world.
You are good and upright.
Redeem us, O Lord!
With all that David is remembered for, if he were today I believe he would tell us that the greatest discovery of his life was his experiential knowledge of the sureness of God’s grace and faithfulness.
May God reassure your heart as you read His word.
Psalm 25:20 O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.
Photo – St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge ©Beth Mims
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