November 21
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DEAL KINDLY WITH ME FOR YOUR NAME’S SAKE
But You, GOD, the Lord, deal kindly with me for the sake of Your name;
Because Your mercy is good, rescue me;
22 For I am afflicted and needy,
And my heart is wounded within me.
23 I am passing like a shadow when it lengthens;
I am shaken off like the locust.
24 My knees are weak from fasting,
And my flesh has grown lean, without fatness.
25 I also have become a disgrace to them;
When they see me, they shake their head.- Psalm 109:21-25
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Enduringword.com comments on verse 21 as David understood that it wasn’t enough to have his enemy judged. David needed help from God, from Yahweh Adonai. He asked on the basis of God’s name and mercy, not on the basis of his own righteousness. How many of us ask God for His help for God’s sake and not for our own sake? This amazes me because only a few of us believers actually do serve God authentically. Most of us come to God for help so we can be comfortable and get delivered. In other words, we want to get something or a favor from God for our own benefits, whether it is a need or a desire.
Verse 22 says “For I am afflicted and needy” which is a confession of the state of his heart, how poor and needy it has become. David shows that he was the one broken in heart mentioned in verse 16. David’s misery was also physical. He felt his life was wasting away, complaining that his flesh was so weak. The hateful enemy either caused this physical weakness or took advantage of it. Being able to discern what the enemy’s tactics are is a clear indication of David’s intimacy with the Lord. He sees what these wicked people have done to him. They have depleted his energy and have somehow made progress at bringing him down. Yet, David knows that his Lord is faithful to deliver him and bring him vengeance and justice. Verse 25 says “I also have become a disgrace to them, when they see me, they shake their heads”. His enemies shook their heads in both pity and disgust when they look at him. How often do we automatically seek approval from man? In verse 25, we see David’s observance of how his enemies look at him. Should we be concerned how others see us or shouldn’t we only care how God sees us?
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REFLECTION
• How can we let go of “selfishness” when we ask God for help?