THE VERSE
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!
~Psalm 57:5
THE THOUGHT
This would be a profound prayer under any circumstances, but the situation under which David prayed was especially adverse. When David wrote this, he was hiding for his life from Saul who was trying to kill him. Psalm 57 is remarkable in that, though it was written in such dire straits, it has virtually no “complaints” or “laments.” While many of the Psalms show that there is a place for godly sorrow and lament, Psalm 57 shows David as utterly confident in the face of trial, and actually more concerned with the glory of God than with his own suffering. Think of it: David’s prayer while in mortal danger, hiding from the king who is bent on killing him, is “Be exalted, O God!”
Is your heart this steadfastly fixed on God, that His glory is your soul’s desire even when everything is falling apart? David’s desire was that God would be glorified, even in the midst of his pain. This is the same as Job’s first response to suffering: “Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshipped.” This was Paul’s desire in his imprisonment, when he confidently said, “It is my eager expectation… that now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.”
Oh, that our hearts would be so captured by the grace of God that His glory would be our only aim!
THE PRAYER
Dear God, I want to say with Job, “Blessed be the name of the Lord” when you bring trials into my life. I want to say with David, “Be exalted, O God,” in the midst of my pain. I want to rejoice with Paul, believing that “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” I want Your glory to be my only aim; be made much of, Father, in all the circumstances of my life.
EXTENDED READING
Job 1:20-22
Psalm 57:1-11
Philippians 1:19-21
THE QUOTE
“Following Jesus is an all or nothing commitment.” ~Steve Musser
ABOUT THIS POST
The goal of this post is to encourage you to read and treasure God’s Word. We will be posting verses and meditations like this every day of the week.
Posts in this format are written by Brendan Beale, author of Cross Connections.