04222023 Habit

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God who delivers. God is with us in all situations, and no situation is too hard for Him to handle.

I was recently noting how often the titles of David's psalms identify the situation he was in at the time. When he fled from Absalom his son (3). Concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite (7). In the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul (18). When he changed his behavior before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed (34). When Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone into Bathsheba (51). When Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul, and said unto him, David is come to the house of Ahimelech (52). When the Ziphims came and said to Saul, doth not David hide himself with us? (54). When the Philistines took him in Gath (56). When he fled from Saul in the cave (57). When Saul sent, and they watched the house to kill him (59). When he strove with Aramnaharaim and with Aramzobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt twelve thousand (60). When he was in the wilderness of Judah (63). When he was in the cave (142).

David was in some difficult places in his life. Just a few verses from these psalms reveal that his enemies were numerous (3:1), there was no one to deliver him (7:2), others said that even God could not help him (3:2), death threatened (18:5), and his spirit was overwhelmed within him (142:3).

Probably the most interesting thing to me about noticing the psalm titles was the realization that calling out to God was a habit with David. We have all these different instances in which the precise situation was recorded; these particular psalms were written as prayers in those difficult situations. We have quite a list of specific times when David cried out to God, but the psalms listed above are not the only times David did so. We could read many other psalms in which David also cried out for help, although the specific situation is not recorded in a title. Nevertheless, each of those additional psalms also reflect David's habit of crying to God.

Notice the typical things that David said when he cried to God. “Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God (3:7). “Hear my prayer, O God” (54:2) “Be merciful unto me, O God (56:1). “Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God” (59:1). “Bring my soul out of prison” (142:7). No matter what the trouble was, David's habitual state was to seek help from God.

Habitually, these psalms often end in a similar way. When David cries out for help. it is absolutely normal for him to expect God to give it, and David intends to praise God in response. “I will praise the LORD” (7:17). “I will praise thee forever” (52:9). “I will freely sacrifice unto thee” (54:6). “I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning” (59:16). “That I may praise thy name” (142:7).

So David habitually cried to God in times of trouble, whether or not the psalm identifies the situation. David habitually said that He would praise God for deliverance. Did David follow through with his intentions? He sure did! In fact, the situations described in psalms 18 and 34 are precisely that. So some of David’s times of praise are also identified by situation. Are these the only psalms of praise? Definitely not! Just like David has many psalms for help that do not identify the specific situation, so he has many psalms of praise that do not identify the specific situation. So, yes, his praise is also habitual.

What type of praise does David give? “Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great” (18:35). “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles” (34:17).

What is your current “when”? When cancer comes? When the government gets ugly? When your children struggle? When new believers stray? When trusted leaders compromise? When the finances fall apart? Whatever your “when,” you can turn confidently to the God who can help, and you can have every expectation of being able to praise Him for that help. May God help each of us to grow in making both our dependent cries and our grateful praise habits of life.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA