David Following Hard after God

                   

Pastor John Pittman tells of one of his experiences as a pastor. This is his story, “the parents of a church member known as Ann had taken custody of her children against her wish. The matter was in court. On the eve of the case, Ann and her husband came to pastor Pittman for prayers.  They prayed earnestly that God would intervene and take control of the events in the courtroom the following day. After so much prayer, God said No to all their requests. There was no eloquence of speech and their story was not convincing to the judge. 

One of the witnesses was Ann’s sister who had suffered the same fate. Because of the same parents a teenage son that she loved had committed suicide. And now in her sister Ann’s case she was denied an opportunity give her story. She broke down and wept bitterly. She asked the pastor “where was God today in the courtroom?” Ann too wrestled with God all the way home “God, where were you? Why didn’t you answer our prayers, why didn’t you allow justice to be done?”

David was in the wilderness of Judah when he wrote Psalm 63. He could have got disappointed and walked away from God for allowing what led to this wilderness experience. Where was God? Why didn’t he change the heart of his rebellious son before matters got this bad? David had an unwavering love for his God. In Psalm 63:8 he says to God, “my soul follows close behind you (NIV), follows hard after you (KJV) clings to you “(NASB). 

David is following hard after God because he treasures him and all that he is for David. Following after the Lord involves more than just keeping Him in the distance and in view.  David paints a picture of a small child walking one step behind its father, being gently pulled along and held up from falling. David wants to walk though life, in its changing landscapes, clinging to God. He knows that as long as he walks with the Lord, all will be well with him.

David will stick with God no matter what happens. He will follow close behind God even when the path God leads him to is surprising and unexpected. He has confidence in God’s wisdom and perfect knowledge to guide outcome, even when his human understanding is limited. David will cling to the Lord and move as He moves. He was familiar with the story of how God had used a cloud to guide the Israelites through the “vast and dreadful wilderness” (Deut. 8:15).

In Numbers 9:17-19 we read, “When the cloud moved from its place over the Tent, the Israelites moved, and wherever the cloud stopped, the Israelites camped. So the Israelites moved at the Lord’s command, and they camped at his command... Sometimes the cloud stayed over the Tent for a long time, but the Israelites obeyed the Lord and did not move”. Sometimes they wished the cloud would stop but it kept moving. Some other time they wished it would start moving but it stayed.

When they were about to enter the Promised Land, Moses’ advise to them was “love the Lord your God...cling to him, for he is your life and the length of your days” (Duet. 30:19-20).  In Jeremiah 13:11 God says “ For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to me, that they may become my people, for renown, for praise and for glory; but they would not hear.”

David will follow hard after God. That is simple and yet very profound. God knows the way that we are to travel. He is there to lead and guide us, but we must stay close to Him. Sometimes the way is hard, even though it is the way we must travel. You sure would rather walk those rough places clinging to the Lord instead of trying to catch up with Him because you allowed distance between you.

David’s soul followed close behind God. God responded with care for David, upholding him with His right hand. In Psalm 63:8 he says “your right hand upholds me”. God’s right hand is the hand of power (Matt. 26:64).  David had inner stability and strength in crisis because an invisible powerful hand was upholding him. He stayed steady in the storm because God’s powerful hand upheld and sustained him.

In Psalm 138:7 David says “though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me”. In Psalm 139:5-10 he says, “You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me… If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there… if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me,  your right hand will hold me fast”.

In Psalm 118:13-16, the psalmist sings joyfully ‘I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things! The Lord’s right hand is lifted high; the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!” ’David knew that he was protected by the sovereign hand of God. That was the secret to his peace and stability in the midst of adversity.

God had proven faithful and able in the past.  David was confident that he was still faithful and able. He had found a resting place in the shadow of the Almighty. He was covered by the hand of God. Defeat could not invade that fortress! Life will bring situations that we had rather not face. But what could possibly come our way that the Lord would be unable to handle?

In Isaiah 41 God says “fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand... For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you (Isa 41:10,13).

We are told in Scripture many times that we are held by God. There is a peace that comes when we know that we are in God's hand. He is wise, loving and perfectly on time. He is not indifferent about the anxieties we carry. He plans our lives and guides us. And that guidance is informed by his love. It’s planned in his wisdom and timed in his sovereignty. Be encouraged wherever you find yourself. You are in His hand.

Psalm 63:10-11 says “those who want to kill me will be destroyed; they will go down to the depths of the earth. They will be given over to the sword and become food for jackals. But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by God will glory in him, while the mouths of liars will be silenced”. David was in the wilderness hiding from a conspiracy to kill him. But he was not consumed with thoughts of getting even. He knew that God is just and would judge fairly.

The wicked would not prevail in the long run. Thus David could commit the situation to the Lord and act with the right perspective and balance. He would make it his business to rejoice in God. He would let God deal with his enemies and vindicate him in God’s time and way. He had seen it happen in his life over and over. He knew that God was going to do it again in the current situation. In the end he would glory in God, while the mouths of liars would be silenced.

To fall by the sword has the sense of being killed in battle. Jackals are scavengers; if the body of a human being were to be left on the ground, the jackals would leave just little traces of it. It is to this propensity of the jackal that David refers.  He was a man of war, who had fought on many a battle-field and must have seen the carcasses of the slain mangled by these nocturnal prowlers. Both Saul and Absalom died in battle (1 Sam. 31:1-5; 2 Sam. 9-17). David outlived them both.  

Psalm 63 speaks of praise given to God in gratitude for past help and anticipated future help. In his wilderness David expressed confidence in a personal God. The situation in which David was, there seems as if there was little to praise God for. His life was in danger; he stood in danger of losing the throne. In the midst of all this difficulty, David decided to praise the Lord anyhow. Life may be hard to bear at times, but even in the valley God is good and He is worthy of our praise! (Hebrews13:15).

David turned a “wilderness experience” into a “worship experience”! His whole world was falling apart, but he could sing and rejoice in God. He had a joy not based on circumstances. He had inner joy which he expressed in joyful praises. His mouth offered praises with joyful lips (Ps.63:5). In the shadow of God’s wings he sang for joy (Ps.63:7); The king rejoiced in God (Ps.63:11). You can’t explain that apart from God! David had inner resources to meet every crisis in life.

In many cases man gives God praise in gratitude for blessings. However we should not limit our gratitude and praise to such seasons. We should not make our praises of God dependent upon benefits; even sinners sing praises to those whose hands are enriching them with gifts. Only believers will sing for God even when he takes away his gifts or hides his face. We should always be thankful to God for his unchanging love is truly precious; May the Lord teach us to sing in the desert. 

The words of Psalm 63 are a comfort as well as a challenge. The Psalm’s timeless words apply to any believer whose circumstances have become a wilderness. Every devout soul will be refreshed by visions of God in the wilderness. In the Bible times some of God’s people had refreshing encounters with God in the wilderness: Hagar (Gen. 16:13-14), Jacob (Gen. 28:10–22), Moses (Exod. 3:1-4), Elijah (1Ki 19:4-18).

Are you stuck in the middle of a muddle and longing for God to deliver you so you can praise Him later? Like David, why not let your praises precede the victory. Praise God now!  David said “my heart, O God, is steadfast, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music” (Ps. 57:7).You can echo the words of the servant in Isaiah song, “because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint and I know I will not be put to shame” (Isa.50:7). 

In Psalm 32:6-11 David wrote, “let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you... Many are the woes of the wicked,  but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him. Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;  sing, all you who are upright in heart!”