Psalm 33
pt 6
Having walked us through some important Reasons to worship God, David now directs us, guides us, to formulate our devotion to Him along those lines.
All He does is Right and Righteous, v.4
He has Created this Whole Universe in which we live, v.6
The Counsel of the Lord is Irresistible, v.11
His Eye is ever upon those who fear Him, v.18
Therefore:
20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.
This idea of “waiting” in scripture is very interesting. Those who would see a great man or a king in those days would sometimes be required to wait a very long time in order to see him and present one’s request.
Likewise the Lord teaches patience and trust to His own by having them seek Him, sometimes for long periods, before He answers. The relative status of the creature and the Creator is ever preserved just as the relative status of Deity and worshiper must be.
We learn that He is not a dispensary ever at our beck and call but the LORD, the Almighty God, the Ruler of Heaven and Earth Who has been gracious and merciful to us, granting us the privilege of petitioning Him under the umbrella of the Great Work of His Son.
He is indeed our Help and Shield, even carrying out that Mercy as we perceive His silence to our particular request.
Ps 25:3-5
3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.
4 Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.
The believer is taught to ‘wait’ expectantly, having assurance from the revelation of God and the peace that He gives to those who trust Him that He will hear and answer the prayer of faith.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
Paul said, “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against That Day.”
Faith has ever been an integral part of petitioning God. There is no audience with Him without it, so even as the soul ‘waits’ for His answer concerning some particular need there must be an enduring patience and
a wisdom which understands, even the delay in His answer is an act of Love intended to grow, mature and bless His child.
22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
Notice that David did not include anything concerning the performance of duties as a part of the presentation of his case to God. Man’s duty is “hope” which is Faith, and the “hope” is for “Mercy” which only YHVH (the LORD) can give.
“Be merciful to us, O LORD, even as we wait in Faith.”
— May 24, 2020