Coming to the End of Ourselves (The Way to a Fresh New Beginning)

 

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Worship in Word 

Ps 32 Of David. A maskil. Title: Probably a literary or musical term 3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. NIV (2011)	Ps 32 A Maskil of David. 3     For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4     For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah ESV (2016)
Ps 32 A Psalm of David, Mas'-chil. 3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. 4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. KJV	Ps 32 A psalm of David. 3 When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. 4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude Holy Bible: New Living Translation Tyndale House Publishers. (2015).

I. Covered – vv. 1-2 II. Conviction – vv. 3-4 III. Confession – v. 5 IV. Call – v. 6 V. Confidence – v. 7 V. Counsel – vv. 8-9 VI. Contrast – v. 10 VII. Celebrate! – v. 11

Blessed – vv. 1-2 Lament/Languish – vv. 3-4 Exonerate – v. 5 Seek – v. 6 Shelter/security – v. 7 Educate – v. 8-10 Delight – v. 11

 

I. Conviction/ Lament/Languish – vv. 3-4

 

David began Psalm 32 on a high note of celebration centered around a person blessed with forgiveness – whose sins have been covered and no longer held against them. But he has not answered the question, “David are you speaking only in generalities, or do you have someone specific in mind?” In verses 3-4, he answers that question. In doing so, the celebratory tone gives way to somber reflection. That is because the person David has in mind is himself.

Yes, the first two verses can and do address anyone rescued and restored from a life marked by sin—the common plight of all humanity after the fall of  Adam. And he wants to highlight the joy found when the Lord forgives one’s transgressions. I believe that is why instead of starting at the beginning, David begins with the results and then recounts what led up to this state of blessedness.

The blessed one, therefore, in the first two verses does not just refer to a hypothetical person but also to David himself. Through his own experience, David hoped others would also enter into the communion of the forgiven. To do this, he first recounts his agony when he kept silent about his sin. Let us start in verses 3-4  and follow David on the path that ends in a state of blessed joy. That end is found in verse 5, but before David arrives, he must first come to the end of himself.

Worship in Witness

“What we have here is a failure to communicate” is a memorable line from an iconic movie that debuted in 1967 (Cool Hand Luke). If you allow me, may I borrow this phrase and rip it entirely from its original context? In verses 3-4, David confesses that he was guilty of a “failure to communicate?” I will go into this a little deeper in my next journal entry.

But first, may I also apply it to myself concerning God and my wife? When my wife left me eight years ago, I was crushed. Not wanting to be alone and in a surrounding that reminded me of her, I moved in with my mother for several months as I sought help through counseling and time in God’s word. My journey began in the Psalms during this time, which ultimately led to this blog you are reading.

During that time, it would have been easy to cast all the blame on my wife. Instead, I came to the end of myself and recognized the sin in my own life that was part of the problem. The idolatry of placing God in a secondary place in my life behind my wife and financial concerns. The physical before the spiritual, which in reality, sputtered throughout our marriage. I failed to include her in some of the most critical decisions that affected our marriage and family (I assumed that she and I were on the same page).

Did recognizing and confessing these things fix everything? No, and if we look at David’s life, it did not fix everything for him either. But while my wife has not come home, God has been restoring and blessing me. But I had to come to the end of myself first.

Am I perfect? By no means! Anyone who has kept up with my blog knows that is not so. Do I experience times of sadness and depression? Certainly! But my Shepherd is the same One that led David through both green fields and the shadows.

David testifies that through it all, God’s “goodness and mercy” followed him “all the days” of his life. And the LORD’s “goodness and mercy” also follow me – but it is still my earnest prayer that my precious wife would join me again in following our great Shepherd.

 

Worship in Promise, Prayer, Poem, and Praise 

Source: Logos Media Collections

 

We Will

Ours is not just a “pie in the sky by and by” religion.

For we know...

We “will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13)

We will travel the wilderness and also rest in verdant fields of green and waters serene.

We will traverse valleys that are dark, gloomy, and stark

We will relax at tables of plenty though surrounded by enmity.

 

And in all this...

We will be pursued by God’s goodness and mercy. (Psalm 23:2-6)

Goodness, which protects us from the enemy who seeks our ill

Mercy, when the winds of sorrow and pain bring a chill

Goodness, not bought with money nor healed by a pill

Mercy that was shown and supplied on Calvary’s Hill

 

To My Father’s House, I Go

Over the hills and through the valleys

To my Father’s house, I go

My Shepherd knows the way

And leads me all the day

Be they bright or a stormy fray

 

Over the hills and through the valleys

To my Father’s house, I go

My Good Shepherd, I will follow

In pastures green, by still waters to swallow

In dark vales and deepest grotto

 

And when at last Your mansion, I see

With goodness and mercy following me

I will enter its gates with praise to Thee

And thankfulness, for I am happy and free

Because in Your presence forever I’ll be!

 

The Goodness of God, as sung by We the Kingdom

I love You, Lord, oh, Your mercy never fails me
All my days, I've been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up until I lay my head
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

And all my life, You have been faithful
And all my life, You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

I love Your voice; You have led me through the fire
In darkest nights, You are close like no other
I've known You as a father; I've known You as a friend
And I have lived in the goodnеss of God, oh

And all my life, You have been faithful
And all my life, You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

Your goodness is running after; it's running after me
Your goodness is running after; it's running after me
With my life laid down, I'm surrendered now; I give You everything
Your goodness is running after; it's running after me
Your goodness is running after; it's running after me
Your goodness is running after; it's running after me
With my life laid down, I'm surrendered now; I give You everything
Your goodness is running after; it's running after me

And all my life, You have been faithful
And all my life, You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

I sing of Your love, God, oh

And all my life, You have been faithful
And all my life, You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God

 

Lyrics: https://genius.com/Lifeway-worship-goodness-of-god-lyrics

Video: https://youtu.be/qVEOJzAYIW4