Messengers of the GospelSample

Psalm 143: I, Me, & My

"So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed.” Psalm 143:4,

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.” Psalm 143:8

“…may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” Psalm 143:10b (NIV)

There are nearly 40 pronouns in the twelve verses of Psalm 143. Most of them are “me, my, and I.” While David might sound a bit conceited and self-centered, he was not. He was having one of those days. He was in a situation that was taxing, depleting, and required more than he could provide. He turned to the Lord and said, “…may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”

Two words come to my mind that define this Psalm: desperation and surrender. When we encounter situations that create desperation within us, we are on the edge of making a really good decision or a really bad one. Desperation calls us to react. We will consider every option, every idea, and every possible solution to resolve our problem. The “what ifs” can be exhausting. The angst and anxiety can cause us to say, "My spirit grows faint within me." The word dismayed in verse four includes the idea of being confused about what to do. When desperation rises within us, we need to surrender our options to the Lord.

The Psalmist did.

So should we.

Desperate moments need the kind of resolve that only God can provide.

Surrendering to the Lord is unlike surrendering when your enemy has defeated you. Surrendering to the Lord is surrendering to the One whose love towards you is unfailing, whose power is without measure, and whose understanding and knowledge are without limitation. He sees the paths we cannot see. He knows what we do not know. To benefit from His unfailing love, we must let go of being the first responder to our situations.

David prayed and cried out to the Lord. He paused to encourage his weakening faith by remembering how the Lord proved Himself faithful in times past (verse five). He spread out his hands in surrender to the Lord and sought Him (verse six). Beginning with verse eight, you can feel how David was experiencing the strength of the Lord as he lifted his eyes and focused on the Lord’s unfailing love.

Then, in verse ten, David prays a powerful prayer. This verse should be on your refrigerator, on the mirror in your bathroom, in your car, and circled in your Bible.

“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”

Teach me to do your will- Please help me to be a good student in your classroom. Help me to listen to and learn from what you say.

May your good Spirit lead me- I choose you. Goodness resides within you. I trust the goodness of your heart like no other. Please help me be a good follower of your leadership in moments big and small.

Lead me on level ground- Your ways are far more secure and safer than mine. Your ways are righteous and will bring me out of trouble (verse eleven). Mine are troublesome.

Friend, the good Spirit of God resides within you. He waits patiently for your safe surrender. In every moment that requires trust, trust in the One who is good and who resides within you. Let the morning bring you word of His unfailing love as you put your trust in Him (verse eight).

Reflection:

Use Psalm 143:10 as a guide to your own prayer today. Put the following words into your own words and apply them to your situations. “Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”