Psalm 28 & 39 - Good and Bad Waiting

LINK: Psalm 28 & Psalm 39

BACKGROUND

Psalm 28

In this psalm, David prayed fervently, but God had not answered (see also 13:1; 35:22; 39:12; 40:17; 69:3; 83:1; 109:1; and 119:82).  He wanted God to repay (requite) the evil men for what they had done to him even though they had pretended to be friends!  I love David's honesty. We can have the freedom to be honest with God too.

Despite God's delay, David still exalted God in praise. What are the characteristics of God David points out? 

We do not know what David's difficulty was here, but Absalom's rebellion was a time when he probably cried to God for help, but would he have prayed for Absalom's destruction when the historical narrative involved him praying that his son's life would be spared (28:4-5; 2 Samuel 18:5)?  

Psalm 39

This psalm was for the director of music, Jaduthun. Along with Heman and Asaph, he was a musician David put in charge of worship in the Tabernacle (1 Chronicles 16:37-43; 2 Chronicles 5:12; 35:15). He is also mentioned in Psalms 62 and 77. This psalm has almost a dirge-like quality to it. 

In this psalm, David acknowledged that life was brief and God was his only hope. We will soon be getting into this theme quite a bit when we study the life of Solomon and read Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Jesus also spoke of the brevity of life in Luke 12:20. 

David resolved not to complain about God to others, but he continued to complain directly to God, asking Him to remove His plague. 

REFLECTION 

I have heard it said that "God's delays are not denials."  It is hard to pray and have no immediate answer, but God hears and knows, and He will answer at exactly the time He chooses, and, sometimes, waiting for those answers are part of His program of maturity for us. 

Two years ago. I was saddened and discouraged by a sermon I heard at a church that I was visiting. It reflected some values that needed growth. I prayed for that growth. 

Almost exactly, to the day (Sundays shift every year), two years later, sitting in almost the exact place, I listened to someone that made my heart sing with encouragement! There had been a whole paradigm shift in priorities and values at that same church. God nudged me and said, "Remember when you asked Me for this? This is my answer."  Then I cried. God is SO good. He made me wait, but the waiting made the answer so much sweeter! 

APPLICATION 

What are you waiting on God for?  Keep praying and pressing in closer to God through the process. Remember that waiting means to "twist your heart around God's heart"!  

Waiting in Psalm 28 is a good kind of waiting, but there is a bad kind of waiting that we can apply from Psalm 39! David talks about the brevity of life. Life is short. Are you putting off something that He wants you to do?  Ask yourself this question, "If I only had six months to live, what would I do?"  Do you need to tell someone you love them? Do you need to discipline an area of your life? Do you need to tell someone about Jesus?  What are you waiting for?

PRAYER

Lord, thank You that Your trains are always on time, and they never miss their connections! We love You and want to submit to Your timing in everything. Thank You for growing us in the waiting periods to be more like Jesus. Help us to see areas where we are waiting and not acting too!  You know our hearts, and we submit them to You. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.