For the leader; with stringed instruments. A psalm of David.
I
Answer me when I call, my saving God.
When troubles hem me in, set me free;
take pity on me, hear my prayer.
II
How long, O people, will you be hard of heart?
Why do you love what is worthless, chase after lies?
Know that the Lord works wonders for his faithful one;
the Lord hears when I call out to him.
Tremble and sin no more;
weep bitterly within your hearts,
wail upon your beds,
Offer fitting sacrifices
and trust in the Lord.
III
Many say, “May we see better times!
Lord, show us the light of your face!”
But you have given my heart more joy
than they have when grain and wine abound.
In peace I will lie down and fall asleep,
for you alone, Lord, make me secure.
Psalms 4:1-9
Today the psalmist shows us, again, that we should be joyful in our lives. He reminds us that, “the Lord works wonders for his faithful one;” and invites us to surrender to the wonders of God.
It sounds so easy. Okay, I’ll just surrender my whole life, let go of any control that I think I might have and put all my faith in God. There will be no worry in my life at all. …well, maybe it’s not quite that easy.
How often do I find myself praying, “May we see better times!” instead of just being thankful for the times we have? Do you spend a lot of time, like me, worrying about what will happen the next day, next week, or next month, when we should be enjoying what is happening right now? Similarly, how much time to we lose worrying about what happened in the past?
God is with us NOW, in the present time. We need to live in this moment with the grace and mercy of God, not waste time worrying about the past or the future. If we become more aware of God’s calling in our lives, and learn to strive to follow God’s path, there will be nothing in the future that is worth our worry. “In peace I will lie down and fall asleep, for you alone, Lord, make me secure.”