of Psalms 69. The passage begins like this:
"Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God..."
Let me pause here to amply warn you, my handful of dear readers, that if you are looking for the witty humor that prevailed in most of my previous posts (unless I have overestimated my wit), then perhaps you should reread the post titled "I have very dexterous...". This is a post about my walk with God, and my interpretation of His words.
The psalmist is crying out to God. It is easy to see that he is beyond troubled or upset; he is in mortal peril. Even as he calls for help, the floods and the miry depths are already claiming him, and though he is trying to reach for God, he has
already reached exhaustion. This is often how I feel, especially in recent times. I can see that I am on the brink of destruction, yet I have no strength to run to God, no voice to call out to Him, and no sight with which to look for Him. What's more, the psalmist says, "
I have come into the deep waters". Likewise, I have to confess, no matter how much I try deny it, that I have also come,
by my own choice, into the deep waters; it is by my own doing that I am on this brink of destruction. That is called
self-destruction, and anyone who destroys himself deserves the fruit of his labors. However, our God is good, and the psalmist continues:
"But I pray to you, O Lord, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation. Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink."
Despite his surroundings and the situation at hand, the psalmist calls upon God's
great love. He knows that God will rescue him from the mire and keep him from being claimed by the depths. It is his knowledge of this
sure salvation that gives him confidence. God
is good; His love is
greater than
great; His salvation is
sure beyond all doubt. Because of our God, in times when I feel like the psalmist, about to be claimed by the depths -
even if it is due to my own mistakes and flaws - I can call out to God and be sure of His salvation, because of His great love for me.
~ So I'll praise you God of earth and sky, how beautiful is Your unfailing love ~