To me a showing of wealth would only cumber my life. It would load me up with watchin’ after it, and I’d spend more time at that than roamin’ the high country.”
–Louis L’Amour (Bendigo Shafter)
“They spend their days in wealth, And in a moment go down to the grave.”
–Job 21:13 (NKJV)
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“When you bask in your own riches, you stop looking to God to meet your needs.” (William Petersen) In this portion of Psalm 40, David is looking at his problems in the same way. He probably started out thinking that he could handle the problems himself, but soon found out they were multiplying faster than he could count. Imagine, having more problems than the hairs on your head. In despair he began to lose courage.
11 – Lord, do not withhold Your compassion from me; Your constant love and truth will always guard me.
12 – For troubles without number have surrounded me; my sins have overtaken me; I am unable to see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my courage leaves me.
13 – Lord, be pleased to deliver me; hurry to help me, Lord.
14 – Let those who seek to take my life be disgraced and confounded. Let those who wish me harm be driven back and humiliated.
15 – Let those who say to me, “Aha, aha!” be horrified because of their shame.
16 – Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; let those who love Your salvation continually say, “The Lord is great!”
17 – I am afflicted and needy; the Lord thinks of me. You are my helper and my deliverer; my God, do not delay. (HCSB)
David had troubles! When reading this portion of Psalm 40, there are three aspects that stand out. The first was David’s iniquities. God forgives sin, but sometimes we still have to face the consequences of those sins. Notice he says, “my sins,” for there must have been many. Those sins, though forgiven, can still cause us problems. The key: do you focus on the number of your problems or upon God’s plans?
Second, his enemies were ready to overcome and devour him. They laugh at him, they scorn and mock him, they delight in his troubles and seek to add to them. “Aha! We’ve got him now!” (vs 15, NLT). They gloat at seeing him in his troubles, and want him to fail and fall.
Third, David knew he had help. He has been forced to be patient in the midst of it all, now he cries to the Lord not to delay. In other words, “I need help, and I need it now!” Notice that David remembers, in the midst of all these troubles and trials, to praise the Lord. He knows that he was always on the mind of God. Remember those two things in your time of trouble: continue to praise the Lord, and know that you are always on His mind. God’s care for us is always greater than our troubles.!
“Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind,
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in thee I find,
O Lamb of God, I come! I come!”
–Charlotte Elliott