King David's Example

I've been reading the Psalms quite a bit lately. And while I realize that David did not write all of them, he did write around half...which is quite a feat. I remember listening to a Piper sermon talking about, "Songs that Shape the Heart," and the sermon addressed our privilege of always finding ourselves in the Psalms. No matter where we are or what emotion we are experiencing we can constantly find the words to articulate it in the Psalms...and that is an amazing and precious gift.
As I've been thinking on David's ability to articulate emotion and thoughts better than most of us; the thing that consumed my thoughts was his brutal honesty. David never hesitated to let everyone know what was going on in his life. He was the kind of guy you would never ask more than once how he was doing if you didn't want the real answer. If you disagree see Psalm 40:12, a Psalm that was sang in the temple as worship:
"For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails within me. "

Can you imagine singing those words? In any case...that is far from my point. In every Psalm no matter what the emotion or reason for writing we always see the name of God being praised, and the Psalter has faith that God will deliver him or her from whatever the particular circumstance. I chose David for this reason: David's life in 1 and 2 Samuel is marked by tragedy, trial, adversity, and mourning. The man endured more pain and sorrow than most of us could imagine- and yet in the midst of all his pain and suffering he could turn to God and speak endlessly (about 73 Psalms worth) of the goodness of God. No matter what the circumstance or situation David never refused to acknowledge the greatness of Yahweh...there was no doubt. While he may temporarily feel forsaken his assurance was in God- his fate rested in the hands of his God who has never failed, will never leave him nor forsake him, and who created him and placed him in the midst of whatever struggle and pain he was currently enduring.

Throughout history the Christian church has been marked by an ability to suffer nobly- and the reason for this is those people who suffered long and endured most were granted a portion much greater than whatever they faced in this day. They knew Jesus- and that was all that mattered. I find myself so often complaining about where I am in life; wanting more; unhappy- and quite honestly a whiner.

Oh wretched man that I am. How glorious is God that He would look on me with love? Give me grace to walk this path Father- and I pray that I would suffer greatly in order to make your name glorious to whoever may see.