The Heart of Encouragement

Our last look at the characteristics of David is possible because David was an avid writer. That's probably one reason why I enjoy learning about him so much. He may have written for his own personal reasons, but his writing became a ministry as he was inspired by God. He wrote prophetically, poetically and inspirationally. At the time he wrote, writing wasn't his main ministry. He ruled the Jewish nation, after all. But his writing is his legacy, and it ministers today.

So, back to this last characteristic. I've hit on it before. He encouraged himself in God. He wrote many of the Psalms, and fortunately for us, we know what was going on his life when he wrote some of them, because the Bible tells us.

He wrote some of his best Psalms when he was going through very hard times, as when he was running from Saul and when he was running from his son Absolum. David wrote his prayers to God, and we get to read them and see just how he encouraged himself in God.  

In one instance, as David was on the run from Saul, David learned that someone had told Saul where he was. In that desparate situation, he wrote Psa 52:7-9:  Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.  (8)  But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.  (9)  I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.

See how his mind and his prayer went from rehearsing his plight to choosing to trust in God's mercy, wait on his name and promising to praise God forever? We can choose to encourage ourselves in God, too. Just remember anything about God.

There was another time when David found out that someone had told Saul where he was hiding. Look at Psa. 54:1-7  To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us? Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.  (2)  Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.  (3)  For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.  (4)  Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.  (5)  He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.  (6)  I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good.  (7)  For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.

David was obviously inspired to write this. I find it interesting that in the same sentence he promised to freely sacrifice to God, he said he would praise God's good name. That must have been his sacrifice. And that's a lesson in how to encourage ourselves in God. Offer a sacrifice of praise.

Here's a Psalm he wrote when hiding from Saul in the cave: Psa. 142:1-7  Maschil of David; A Prayer when he was in the cave. I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.  (2)  I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my trouble.  (3)  When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.  (4)  I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.  (5)  I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.  (6)  Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.  (7)  Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

Think on that one all day. One reason we know David wrote Ps. 119 is because some of the very words and ideas mentioned there come through in places like this. David acknowledged his persecutors here, as he often did in Ps. 119. David asked for deliverance from his persecutors so he could praise God's name. It was for God's glory he prayed for deliverance. We looked at that before.

We could look at so many examples of how David encouraged himself in God. Another great one is Ps. 63. He was running from Absolum here. Take the time to read it. It's full of perspective we need to absorb.

While we're done looking at David's life, we aren't done reading his writings. We will begin looking at prophetic Psalms next.

Don't Blunder and Bobble

I think we all tend to blunder through the day as it unfolds. But how much of life is lived with a conscience set on God's word and what we know about God? I get caught up in the series of moments, and before long, it's bed time. How much of the day did I have any focus on God? As long as there isn't a crying need, I cruise.

God, at least here at the beginning of the day, I acknowledge you. Help me to see the truths below throughout the day. Help me to focus my attention on you today.

Psa 119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.	God's law is His instructions and directions. What comes from loving them? Great peace and no occasion to stumble. Sad to say, but that is almost unimaginable in the day we live. We like to do things our own way and don't want anyone or anything telling us what to do. But like a good parent, God has some instructions for us, and if we'll just obey, we'll save ourselves agitation and wrong choices that reap painful consequences. Learn to seek and love God's law.
(166)  LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.	David waited expectantly for God's deliverance, which he apparently felt confident in doing since he had kept God's commandments. Again, back to the parent/child relationship, when children are obedient, the likelihood of loving benefits is more sure. With God, remember, If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: Psa 66:18  Obedience is step one in a right relationship after salvation. Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (1 Sam. 15:22b)
(167)  My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.	I love God's testimonies, too. I like how David not only recognized God's testimonies from the stories he read of how God dealt with his children, but he kept the testimonies, which means he kept what he learned from them. In general summary, what I learn about God from the Old Testament testimonies or stories, is that he hates sin, but He is very merciful when we recognize our sin, repent and turn back to him. So to keep his testimonies today might mean this prayer, "Lord, I know from how you dealt with the Israelites wandering in the wilderness that you hate whining and complaining. So today, I'm going to be grateful. Thank you for whatever comes my way."
(168)  I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.	And again, David was strong on applying what he knew. He kept God's codes of wisdom and principles to live by and God's testimonies. He did it because he was aware that God was watching him. If I was consciously aware of that all the time, I wonder how differently I would behave and respond to things. God is aware when I go through trials, I know. But He's also aware when I'm doing and thinking anything. That's something to be conscious of.

Window into the Heart

I can't get enough of David's perspective and example. I think God meant for that. There's a reason why we learn about David in 1 and 2 Samuel, and then we get him again in living color in the Psalms. God said that he was a man after his own heart. So it's wonderful we get a window into what made him like that. God wants us to know what a man after his own heart looks like. We see more of it today from the way he looks at life and events in Ps. 119.

Psa 119:161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.	Proper perspective doesn't come naturally to me. If someone is persecuting me without a cause, I don't naturally turn my focus to God's word. But follow me here. David speaks of the idea of others hating or persecuting him without a cause in six Psalms, some of which are prophetic concerning Christ, who said But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. Joh 15:25. The context was Jesus telling his disciples that the world hated him, so they would hate them also. If they persecuted Jesus without a cause, they will persecute us without a cause. How did Jesus handle it? "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34) And "Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously." (1 Pet. 2:23) Those are verses I stand in awe of.
(162)  I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.	This reminds me of one of the purposes of reading and studying the Bible in the morning. It's great to find a verse that hits me just right and carries me through the day as I roll it over in my mind. It's like finding spoil, or booty or treasures.
(163)  I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.	Lying is the opposite of God's law, God's word. The lying I especially hate is the lying my own mind tells me, accusing me of not being good, strong or worthy enough to be close to God. That's a piece of lie to abhor. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Rom. 8:1) It's a slap in Christ's face for me to trust myself to be worthy, good and strong before God. He died so I could be right with God. I choose to stand right in him.
(164)  Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.	Seven is the number of perfection. It's a great goal and reminder to stay close to and praise Him throughout the day. It reminds me of Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. Psa 55:17  David had great prayer and worship habits. I'd love to be like that. It will be my goal today and this week to stop and praise him more often.

What Are We Waiting For?

I think it’s interesting that there was SO much time between when the prophet Samuel anointed David to be the next king and when he actually became king. Remember this? Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. (1 Sam 16:13)

Yet it was uncertain years and so many tears before David actually took up his kingly position.

This reminds me of the fact that I’ve been anointed by the Holy Spirit. I’m a child of the king. I have an inheritance. But there’s a long waiting period before actually receiving that inheritance. There’s a reason for that: But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. (1 Pet 5:10)

David was called, then he was perfected, stablished, strengthened and settled. It happened through trials. The character quality that emerged was a fearless trust in God.

In the Bible, he went from his anointing in chapter 16 to his bout with the giant Goliath in chapter 17. Here are some stand-outs from that episode:

• And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.   (1 Sam 17:32)
• David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee. (1 Sam 17:37)
• Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.  (46)  This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.  (47)  And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.  (1 Sam 17:45-47)

He fiercely believed when he couldn’t see. He proved it. He trusted in the LORD with all his heart; and leaned not unto his own understanding. In all his ways he acknowledge him, and he directed his paths. (Prov 3:5-6)

Here, I won’t go deeply into the other events of David’s waiting period, but to say that Saul presented his clearest challenge. Saul continually hunted David to kill him. People problems dogged him. Yet David grew in favor with God and men as he continued to trust God, just like he trusted God regarding Goliath. When David could have turned around and killed Saul (it would have relieved his anguish and hastened him becoming king), he didn’t. He trusted God to eliminate Saul. His fearless faith was evident in the things he did (killed Goliath) and things he didn’t do (kill Saul).

We have such a clear window into how our hearts are supposed to be during our waiting period. The take-away is, when facing trials. Face them nobly with growing faith. We are being perfected, stablished, strengthened, and settled. Hang in there!

The Heart of David

I’ve noticed that Ps. 119 is a window into David’s soul. He’s my favorite Bible character. So we are going to dive into a study of his life to go along with the study on Ps. 119.

David often talks about God’s testimonies in Ps. 119. To him, those were Old Testament stories that he learned from. God’s testimonies show how he works in people’s lives. Little did David know that he would be part of “the testimony of the Lord” through the recording of his life and his psalms.

Look at Ps. 19:7 The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. When we study the testimony of the Lord in David’s life, we become wise, if we pay attention to it.

Another reason to study David’s life has come up in this blog several times recently from what the Apostle Paul said about David: Act 13:21-22  And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.  (22)  And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.

Our goal is to see how David was a man after God’s heart, so we will be women after God’s heart.

First, David had the Spirit of God. The prophet Samuel, at God’s direction, went to the house of Jesse to find out which of his eight sons God had picked to be the king:

1Sa 16:5-7  And he (prophet Samuel) said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.  (6)  And it came to pass, when they were come, that he (Samuel) looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him.  (7)  But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

1Sa 16:11-13  And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.  (12)  And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.  (13)  Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward.

We also have the Spirit if we are saved. But do we live lives controlled by the Spirit? David often did (but not always, we know).

Let’s remember that the Israelites already had a king, Saul. But he was disobedient to God. God had asked him to go to the enemies of God and kill them and the animals. It was God’s way of judging his enemies. But Saul saved some of the animals. When Samuel asked him why he didn’t obey God, Saul said to Samuel, 1Sa 15:20-24  Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.  (21)  But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.  (22)  And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.  (23)  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.  (24)  And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

This tells us what God likes and doesn’t like. He wants us to obey him. When we hear a sermon from the word of God and the Holy Spirit touches our heart and tells us we have failed in some area, we need to ask him to forgive us and turn our heart back to him. He would rather have our obedience than our sacrifices or our praise.

And so, God asked the prophet Samuel to anoint a new king. … The key to David’s success from that point on was that the Spirit of God was on him.

That will be our success as a Christian too... the Spirit of God living in us and guiding us.

Rom 8:8-9  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.  (9)  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

We can’t live by human reasoning. That is living in the flesh. That doesn’t please God.

Zec 4:6b  Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

We can’t live by our own willpower and our own strength. We must live by God’s spirit, who directs us in our hearts and tells us what is the right thing to do.

Gal 5:16  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Walk in dependence on the spirit to guide, and then we won’t follow our own natural desires.

Pro 3:5-6  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  (6)  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

All the Right Motives

I’m impressed with David’s example of having God-directed motives in Ps. 119. He asked for God’s help, but not so he could have a more comfortable, happy life. It was for God’s benefit that David was taken care of, because then he’d obey God better.

When we’re wretched and miserable, that becomes our focus. But David just wanted to know God’s word so he could obey it. He redefined “obedient child.” He didn’t just do what he was told. He wanted God to tell him things so he could obey. Where does a heart like that come from?

As we noticed yesterday, And when he had removed him [ Saul ], he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. (Acts 13:22) 

Ps. 119: 133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.	“Lord, let my footsteps be firm and stable—in your word.” David knew, and we know, that won’t happen if we’re letting any sin control us. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. (Matthew 7:24-25) These verses compare hearing and doing God’s word to founding your life on a rock. What is more firm and stable than that?
(134)  Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts.	David is back to his theme of needing to be delivered from the oppression or cruelty of men. He’s done that several times in Ps. 119. That tells me that one prayer doesn’t take care of people problems forever. Sometimes it’s a daily prayer. Notice where his heart is in this prayer. It isn’t, “deliver me because I can’t take this anymore.” His heart is “deliver me so I will keep your precepts (codes of wisdom and principles to live by). Lord, it’s in your best interest if you deliver me. I’ll be a better doer of your word.”
(135)  Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.	I love this imagery. If God’s face is shining on us, it means he’s showing his favor. David prayed that for himself, and so can we, because God has promised to be merciful and gracious and longsuffering with us (Ex. 34:6-7, my favorite verses). Again, David’s desire for God’s favor isn’t just so he can be happy all the time. He also wants God to teach him his statutes or prescribed tasks, because he wants to do them. What a great child of God David was. How many children will ask their fathers, “tell me what you’d like me to do, because I’d love to do whatever you tell me.”?
(136)  Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.	What a tender heart. David had an unusual longing to obey God. That is so unselfish, I can hardly relate. When you look at his life, other than the Bathsheba time, he was always wanting to do things God’s way. He prayed before battles. He refused to take matters into his own hands (Saul), but left them up to God to handle. He was compassionate to people, just like God is with us and like God would like us to be with others. His is a life worth studying.

What Made David Great?

I just returned from a missions trip to India, where it was my privilege to teach the characteristics of David to a group of women who had never sat under a woman and learned the word of God. I hope they were as rejuvenated by the spirit of David as I was. We looked at the fact that he had the Spirit of God in him (as we do if we know the Lord), and he had a fearless trust in God, was fair and kind, was often a quiet warrior, was spiritually dependent and independent at the same time, and he encourage himself in God. There were more lessons, but those certainly stand out.

I encourage anyone to study David’s life from 1 and 2 Samuel and from the Psalms. We’ve had a good look into the mind of David in our study here of Ps. 119.  These verses show what made him a great character. They serve as his testimony, and we know that we learn great things from God’s testimonies. Today, join me in looking at Ps. 119:97-100.

Psa 119:97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.	The best thoughts we can have all day are the ones focused on God’s word. David loved to meditate on God’s law—all day.  We tend to meditate on things all day, usually whatever is top of mind, whether that be problems, projects or people, etc. I think it’s a great idea to find some verses in the morning and think on them all day. Wonderful go-to verses are Prov. 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  (6)  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
(98)  Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.	David also thought on God’s commandments, and he recognized that a good understanding of them made him wiser than his enemies. He said “for they are ever with me.” Did he mean God’s commandments were ever with him, or his enemies? I suspect he meant God’s commandments were ever with him. He looked at them as treasures to guide him through the minefields of his enemies. That’s how he had the grace to go through what he did with Saul pursing him relentlessly. We also can be wiser than our enemies if we will focus on God’s solutions rather than our problems.
(99)  I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.	We can be on top of the world when we understand and grasp God’s testimonies. We can live encouraged, not because we read “Our Daily Bread” in the morning for a boost, but because we ponder God’s ways shown in his word, and we trust him. It gives us more understanding than our teachers.
(100)  I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.	Not only can we have better spiritual understanding than our teachers, we can have more understanding than wise people of old. Think of any famous philosopher through the ages. They knew nothing truly unless it was God’s precepts. David certainly had a life-altering grasp of God through his word, and that’s where he found his strength and his glory. I think he had that level of understanding because of his enemies. They drove him to seek God. When we have challenges, may they drive us to God and his word and not to despair.

Others May Fail. God Won’t. Bank on it.

David is one of my favorite Bible characters. I’ve kept a close eye on him lately because I plan to teach ladies in India a character study on David shortly. Why don’t I teach them a character study on a woman from the Bible? Because we don’t know as much about any character as we do David, and it doesn’t matter—man or woman—we can all learn how to navigate life from looking at David’s testimony. In our study today, we see more of what David endured and how he did it. He couldn’t have done it without God. He knew that.

Ps. 119:85  The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law.	David continues on with the grief his enemies caused. In his day, they often captured man or beast by digging a pit and covering it with twigs, hoping the intended would fall in. Wicked men use wicked schemes. But we know that God often uses their schemes to catch them. (Think of Haman in Esther.) David knew this fact well. Elsewhere he wrote He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. Psa 7:15
(86)  All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.	David could have focused entirely on the plight his enemies caused, but he was a master at encouraging himself in God, so he coupled thoughts of his unjust treatment with thoughts of God’s faithful commandments. Maybe another way of looking at his prayer in this verse is “Your commandments are faithful, my enemies are not. Help me.” As long as he had this godly focus, he could expect an answer. 1Jn 5:14-15  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:  (15)  And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
(87)  They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts.	This is the sentiment of true godly people. It reminds me of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Dan 3:17-18  If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.  (18)  But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. Like David, they also determined not to forsake God’s precepts, no matter what happened to them.
(88)  Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.	It’s a breath of fresh air when we, like David, realize we can appeal to God’s lovingkindness. David did it often. That is a whole study in itself. But God commits himself to showing us lovingkindness, which is better than life (Ps. 63:3). Here he appealed to God’s lovingkindness with the promise that it would benefit God, because David would keep God’s testimonies. It’s OK to say, “God, if you don’t come through for me in a special way, I’m going to fall in every way there is to fall.” Watch what God does.