- Joined
- Oct 26, 2007
- Messages
- 12,543
Make me hear joy and gladness, [That] the bones You have broken may rejoice. Psalm 51:8
In the ancient Middle East, a lamb that strayed from the shepherd and the flock put itself in great danger, since the surrounding wilderness was home to fierce animals. If a lamb continually strayed, a shepherd would break one of its legs. Until it healed, the lamb depended on the shepherd to carry it around and bring it grass. Once it healed, the lamb would usually stay nearer the shepherd than any other sheep.
Sometimes God allows accidents and misfortune to cause you to focus on Him and His doings. His desire is for you good and to draw you closer to Him, though it might not seem good at the time.
When he uttered the above verse, David was repenting for committing adultery with Bathsheba and for arranging for her husband to be slain. It almost seems inappropriate for him to pray, “Make me hear joy and gladness” and to ask that he might soon “rejoice.” It seems he should have been pleading for God’s mercy and forgiveness. That is, in fact, what he’d been doing in the rest of this psalm.
But David had tremendous faith in the Lord’s lovingkindness. He knew that God was merciful, and he had the faith to look beyond his present distress to anticipate full restoration and the return of happiness. May you hope for the same.
In the ancient Middle East, a lamb that strayed from the shepherd and the flock put itself in great danger, since the surrounding wilderness was home to fierce animals. If a lamb continually strayed, a shepherd would break one of its legs. Until it healed, the lamb depended on the shepherd to carry it around and bring it grass. Once it healed, the lamb would usually stay nearer the shepherd than any other sheep.
Sometimes God allows accidents and misfortune to cause you to focus on Him and His doings. His desire is for you good and to draw you closer to Him, though it might not seem good at the time.
When he uttered the above verse, David was repenting for committing adultery with Bathsheba and for arranging for her husband to be slain. It almost seems inappropriate for him to pray, “Make me hear joy and gladness” and to ask that he might soon “rejoice.” It seems he should have been pleading for God’s mercy and forgiveness. That is, in fact, what he’d been doing in the rest of this psalm.
But David had tremendous faith in the Lord’s lovingkindness. He knew that God was merciful, and he had the faith to look beyond his present distress to anticipate full restoration and the return of happiness. May you hope for the same.
