The Songs to Choir Master, the Psalms to the Chief Musician written and penned by the hand of David, the man. Breathed and expressed by God – who made him. When the Book is opened, when my heart fails, I almost think the song is my wail.
But then something happens when the words are read again, suddenly, I realize, This is Jesus, my Friend:
“Save me, O God!
For the waters have come up to my neck.
2 I sink in deep mire,
where there is no foothold;
I have come into deep waters,
and the flood sweeps over me.
3 I am weary with my crying out;
my throat is parched.
My eyes grow dim
with waiting for my God.
4 More in number than the hairs of my head
are those who hate me without cause;
mighty are those who would destroy me,
those who attack me with lies.
What I did not steal
must I now restore?” Psalm 69 verses 1-Four.
Sorrows, deep sorrows rushed in like a flood. Jesus, He knows what its like when bitter griefs steal the heart.
Sometimes, I’m so concerned about ‘me’ that I fail to see that the whole entire mess and sin was nailed upon the Tree.
“Twas not the insulting voice of scorn So deeply wrung his heart; The piercing nail, the pointed thorn, Caused not the saddest smart:
But every struggling sigh betray’d a heavier grief within, how on his burden’d soul was laid the weight of human sin.
O thou who hast vouchsafed to bear, Our sins’ oppressive load, Grant us thy righteousness to wear, And lead us to our God.” (A poem in response to the Psalm 69, by Spurgeon in his devotions, this morning, now mine).
So today, I choose to leave my devotions with a song that I can sing in my heart, or with voice speak and say:
“Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble everywhere? We should never be discouraged; Take it to the Lord in prayer. Can we find a Friend so faithful? Who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness; Take it to the Lord in prayer.”
“Are we weak and heavy laden, Cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior, still our refuge! Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do Thy friends despise, forsake Thee? Take it to the Lord in pryer.
In His arms He’ll take and shield Thee; Thou wilt find a solace there.”
“What a Friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry, Everything to God in prayer! Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer!”
“What a Friend we Have in Jesus,” written by Joseph Scriven in 1855, but today, these old words will take residence in my heart and give me peace and help my soul revive! (I sing it even with emphasis, mine.) Will you also choose a hymn, or a new song instead, of worry and fret – let us choose ‘faith’ instead!