Tell me your wishes ㅡ Ps 61 ㅡ

The original Korean text: https://blog.naver.com/stevision/50103236155

 

>> 2 ... Lead thou me to the rock that is higher than I; ... 5 For thou, O God, hast heard my vows, thou hast given me the heritage of those who fear thy name. 6 Prolong the life of the king; may his years endure to all generations! 7 May he be enthroned for ever before God; bid steadfast love and faithfulness watch over him! 8 So will I ever sing praises to thy name, as I pay my vows day after day. (Ps 61) <<

 

My brethren, can the faithful God give the answer, "No! You must be a tail among people, and you must go to ruin," to a man who has given him this prayer, "My Lord, it was my fault. Please forgive me. Restore the blessing you promised me"? Can God, who is full of love and faithfulness, give such a response?

 

God can give such an answer depending on the situation. Sometimes God says, "Don't tell me your wish," because he is a faithful God. Let me give you an example. Esau, Isaac's eldest son, sold his birthright to his brother for a bowl of red pottage. Later, Jacob who had bought the birthright was naturally blessed by his father Isaac with the blessing, "You'll be the head of your brother, and you'll be blessed with a lot of heavenly and earthly blessings by God." Esau, who realized all these late, came to his father Isaac and besought him for blessings. But Isaac, who could not say two opposite things with one mouth, was not able to revoke the blessings given to Jacob and to restore the blessings to Esau. Let's suppose that Esau gave God this prayer, "My God, bless me and make my descendants prosper!" But the faithful God could not nullify the blessings proclaimed to Jacob, but would probably say to Esau, "No, I cannot hear your prayer. Your descendants will be servants of Jacob's descendants. No matter how hard your descendants may try, they will never get out of slavery."

 

After Saul was blessed by God and became king, he changed his mind and betrayed God, so God made David king of Israel. God promised David the position of the king of Israel through prophet Samuel. Let's suppose that, when God's decision had been confirmed, Saul prayed to God, "My God, I've sinned against you. Forgive me. My God, please preserve my throne, let me live long, let my descendants be kings forever after me, let them prosper!" But it had been firmly determined already that the kingship of Israel would go to David, David's house would be powerful day by day, and David's descendants would be prosperous day by day. God had to bless David and his descendants. So there ought not to be rivals to David's house in Israel at that time. God is a faithful One, so he must protect David and his house firmly. As such he cannot help but give an answer to such a prayer of Saul, like this: "No! I can't grant you and your descendants the kingship. And you must die early, because you'll hinder David from becoming king if you live long healthy. Your descendants must grow weaker day by day, so that David's house may keep the kingship." Yes, my brethren! God is faithful, so he gives him, who lost good blessings and opportunities, who handed them to others, this answer, "You can't be restored!" Possibly God would like to restore him if he could. But such blessings and opportunities are limited in number; therefore, if they have gone to others already, he cannot but say flatly to the loser praying to God with tears, "No!" God says "No!", because he cannot be double-tongued, and because he must keep the promise he gave someone else as a faithful God.

 

On the contrary, God says to someone, "Tell me your wishes." To whom? It is he who has taken the opportunity to receive God's blessings, that is, he who has received the words of blessings and promises of God and has obtained them. God adds blessings to blessings. God promises someone a blessing and gives another blessing if he keeps the first blessing of God successfully. David received such blessings. Today's Psalm 61 is David's poem. There is a passage in the Bible that summarizes David's life well: "Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. The time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. Then he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honor; and Solomon his son reigned in his stead. (1 Chron 29:26-28)" This means that David's wishes written in Ps 61 all have come true. God promised David to make him king, kept the promise, and heard David's other wishes. David received blessings on blessings.

 

Now let's look at David's wishes one by one. "Lead thou me to the rock that is higher than I. (v. 2)" David achieved many that ordinary people cannot do. It was possible thanks to special help of God. It is impossible for an ordinary man to kill Goliath, to win all wars, and conclusively to become a king from a shepherd, a country bumpkin. What David who experienced such miracles could say was, "Jehovah is my strength." My brethren, you absolutely need God who helps you, in order to reach a high place where you can't climb for yourself. Tell God often about your wishes. "Let me dwell in thy tent for ever! Oh to be safe under the shelter of thy wings! (v. 4)" David took refuge in God whenever he was in danger. I suppose he would do so also when he became a king. When he was not a king, he didn't feel the infinite responsibility for the nation and the people. However, when he became a king, the responsibility of king for his people must have been an unbearable burden for him. Perhaps beyond imagination is the stress of David, the king of a country around which there were hostile nations. Whenever David felt the threat of surrounding countries, he went to God and sought refuge in him. God delivered this David from all dangers. "Thou hast given me the heritage of those who fear thy name. (v. 5)" After the division of Israel into north and south dynasties, numerous coups took place in Israel (the north kingdom), and a lot of kings and their houses perished; but David's descendants inherited David's throne from generation to generation in Judah (the south kingdom). God gave the throne, the best thing in the world, to David and his descendants for everlasting heritage. What a precious blessing of God indeed! "Prolong the life of the king; may his years endure to all generations! (v. 6)" David lived long. 70 years is a long life for a man in old days. Therefore God heard this prayer David made: "May he be enthroned for ever before God. (v. 7)" I hope that you, like David, pray to God, "Let me live long enjoying great wealth and honor," so that you may receive David's blessing.

 

God unilaterally promised David through prophet Samuel that he would be the king of Israel. David probably thought immediately: 'The promise that I will be a king means the end of the kingship of Saul and his descendants. I must be on the strain and become a king who pleases God lest I be like Saul. The promise will at last be my blessing only in that way.' Now David has a new prayer-item. David makes a vow (an oath) to God. "Thou, O God, has heard my vows. (v. 5)" This means that David had prayed to God, "I'll do this for you, so give me that blessing." We can know what David's vows were from his whole life. Perhaps they are as follows. 1. I will make you (God) my King and obey you thoroughly all my life. 2. I will not seek help from people or other gods, nor will I acknowledge such gods. 3. I will establish God's justice in Israel. 4. I will forbid idolatry in Israel. 5. I will completely repel all invasions of foreign nations and keep the security of the people of God. 6. I will establish a religious system to worship God in Israel. 7. I will hand over the throne to him whom you choose.

 

Such a vow is the same as saying that he wants to live like that, and God showed 'steadfast love and faithfulness (v. 7)' to David because he felt infinite trust and love for David who had made such a vow. Yes, my brethren! If we really want to live rightly before God and pray to him, "Help me to live a just life," he accepts our prayer gladly and gives us the strength and opportunity to live so. How many temptations and trials must have occurred to David when he became a king? King is the perfect place to sin (if you want to sin). Common people must suffer hard and arduous works to make a living, while David, a king, must suffer much pain in order not to sin but to live a good life. Nevertheless David lived as his vow and eventually achieved a successful life. If you are a Christian with heavy responsibility, you need to give a vow to God, "I will live like this: ... ." Because this prayer will lead you in a right way, and God will help you live like that because of that prayer.

God's glory is enhanced if David who became a king by God's help lives in the blessing of health and longevity. People find the God full of sincerity, steadfast love and mercy in David's life who was blessed by God. It is God's glory that David prospers and succeeds. Therefore God heard all David's prayers. My brethren, never and never miss the opportunity God gives you! Be alert indeed when a blessing and opportunity comes to you. The main factors that cause you to miss the opportunity are doubt, pride, inattention, indolence, and disobedience. Never lose your blessing like David. Let other blessings be added to your first blessing by keeping it well as David did. God says to one who has kept the first blessing successfully, "Tell me your other wishes!"

 

May all of you be blessed with David's blessing.

 

If there should be anyone who has missed good blessings and opportunities like Saul, don't despair. May God have mercy on you, forgive you, and lead you to other good ways.

 

Chong Tack Kim

                                - Dongtoma Sunshine Church -