Waiting And Warbling

Psalm 59:11-17

11Don’t kill them, for my people soon forget such lessons;

stagger them with your power, and bring them to their knees,

O Lord our shield.

12Because of the sinful things they say,

because of the evil that is on their lips,

let them be captured by their pride,

their curses, and their lies.

13Destroy them in your anger!

Wipe them out completely!

Then the whole world will know

that God reigns in Israel.

Interlude

14My enemies come out at night,

snarling like vicious dogs

as they prowl the streets.

15They scavenge for food

but go to sleep unsatisfied.

16But as for me, I will sing about your power.

I will shout with joy each morning because of your unfailing love.

For you have been my refuge,

a place of safety in the day of distress.

17O my Strength, to you I sing praises,

for you, O God, are my refuge,

the God who shows me unfailing love.

In the original Hebrew poetry of Psalm 59, verse 17 starts the same as verse 9, except for a couple of letters. The word for “wait” and the word for “sing” differ by only one letter in their spelling. So verse 9 says: “My strength, I wait for you,” and verse 17 says: “My strength, I sing to you.” Maybe there’s not all that much difference.

When you think of David cooped up in his house, soldiers camped on the doorstep, you don’t expect him to burst into song. But why not? He decides to wait for God to display his strength in the situation. And what else are you going to do while you wait? If you’re convinced that God will help you, it makes perfect sense to sing!

Paul and Silas were arrested in a strange city for freeing a girl from a demon (Acts 16). Tossed into a dungeon, they sang hymns as they confidently trusted that God was watching over them. Then God sent an earthquake to free them, which led to the conversion of the jailer himself!

What sort of prison do you find yourself in? Are you convinced that God is watching over you and has the power to free you? Then wait for him to act—and as you wait, sing his praises!

The long, long night is past, the morning breaks at last,

And hushed the dreadful wail and fury of the blast,

As o’er the golden hills the day advances fast!

The Comforter has come!

FRANK BOTTOME

Notable Quotable

“The greater our present trials, the louder will our future songs be, and the more intense our joyful gratitude.”

CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON