Psalm 89:46-48

Psalm 89:46-48 46 How long, Lord? Will You hide Yourself forever? Will Your wrath burn like fire? 47 Remember how short my time is; For what futility have You created all the children of men? 48 What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave? Selah

"The clock is running. Make the most of today. Time waits for no man. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it is called the present."…Anonymous

“Aw, nuts”...General Anthony Clement McAuliffe in response to the German demand for surrender at Bastogne, Belgium during WWII.

Thought I’d start us off with a couple of quotes. The first one is the “feel good” quote that so many of us have heard that inspires us to just hang on and be thankful for every breath we have. The second one comes from the reality of finding yourself in a situation that you cannot control and the only foreseeable outcome is painful.

That is where the Psalmist is in these verses. He’s caught in that unique place of knowing that he is to trust God because He is completely trustworthy and at the same time watching his world fall down around him. Ever been there?

“How long, Lord? Will You hide Yourself forever?” the psalmist moans. If this psalm was indeed penned by Jeduthan he had reason to be concerned. He had witnessed the kingdom under David and he had watched it grow in strength and wealth beyond what anyone had imagined during the reign of Solomon. He now stands watching the kingdom fall to pieces under the reign of Rehoboam. “How long before this stops, Lord?” he cries. “This is the kingdom of the covenant and it is falling apart!”

Notice the psalmist doesn’t shirk responsibility, “will your wrath burn like fire?” he says. Wrath implies a judgment. The psalmist has already established that God is holy so the wrath is deserved and fair. He is calling upon those heralds of God mentioned in vs 14, mercy and truth.. He is asking to not be consumed totally as a fire would.

He goes on to remind God of the frailty of man. “For what futility have You created all the children of men? What man can live and not see death” he asks? Death comes to us all – we cannot stop the ticking of the clock. The psalmist feels alone without direct evidence of God’s love. A life without God’s presence in it is empty.

But the psalmist has not lost hope. He will not give up on God, in the next verses he uses words like “lovingkindness” and “blessed” in reference to Him. He has not lost hope he is simply calling out to God for mercy and comfort.

What lesson can we learn from this today? If the Psalms are God’s guide to us for everyday worship than we learn that it is okay for us to pour our hearts out to Him. It is never ok for us to doubt God but it is ok for us to lay it all out there. Look closely at the verses starting at verse 38. Do you see doubt? I don’t. I see despair, sadness, confusion and guilt for what has occurred but I do not see doubt. I see someone caught in the middle of the maelstrom looking to the only one who can help. I see someone aware of how short his own time is and seeking comfort and solace from the only one who can give it.

I encourage you to do the same thing during the storms of your own life. God can handle whatever you throw at Him. Never lose hope in Him – he has proven Himself faithful (see Romans 5:1-5).

You know that "aw nuts" quote from the beginning? Do you know how that story turned out? The 101st Airborne found themselves surrounded by a German army that had them outnumbered and outgunned. The logical choice was to surrender but they instead held Bastogne until the 4th Armored got there. General McAuliffe wound up with a couple of medals from the whole ordeal. Just hold your ground Christian, the infantry might just be over the hill. Our General never loses and He's always right on time.

Grace and peace to you all…