October 2024 Student Pastor's Note

by: Lilly Hunter

The beauty of the Psalms is that regardless of the season that you are in, there is a Psalm there. The depth of emotion among David and the other writers is unmatched- we experience rebellion, despair, hope, praise, and deep cries out. The psalms are a resource to be meditated on, prayed through, and given back to God in worship. As I have been memorizing through the Psalms, Psalm 25 stood out to me. It says,

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.

O my God, in you I trust;

let me not be put to shame;

let not my enemies exult over me.

Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;

they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous

Make me to know your ways, O LORD;

teach me your paths.

Lead me in your truth and teach me,

for you are the God of my salvation;

for you I wait all the day long.

Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love,

for they have been from of old.

Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

according to your steadfast love remember me,

for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!

Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!

David is crying out to God, asking him to ease his burden. These types of psalms bring so much comfort to me. David is a hero- mighty, upright, one after the Lord’s own heart. He fought battles and created glory that Israel knew neither before nor since. It is David who led the people with courage and wisdom. And yet, this very same man felt overwhelmed often enough to write scores of poems about it. He was over his head, drowning in the sea of circumstances and responsibilities. Who among us hasn’t felt the same?

Throughout the Psalms, when David is overwhelmed, he reminds himself that the Lord is good.

He knows that his paths are right and that through every trial thus far God “gave a wide place for my steps under me” (Ps. 18:36). Then, he calls out to the Lord and asks God to continue to steady him and remind him of this very truth. He then cries out for forgiveness for his own sin- acknowledging that while God is on his side, he has not always been perfect and needs forgiveness to restore his relationship with the Lord. Lastly, throughout the psalms, David resolves to wait on the faithful God Almighty. David rarely, if ever, ends a Psalm with a plea. He ends with a praise or a resolve to wait on the timing of God, a subtle acknowledgement that God is still good.

David brings wisdom with this formula - it sets our heart on the past faithfulness of God, leaves our troubles at his feet, restores our right relationship with him, and leaves us with resolve to stay trusting and faithful instead of picking our worry back up as we are often wont to do. My prayer is that you will join me this month as we seek to change our prayers in times of stress and overwhelm from a string of worries to a formula for the abiding rest of the Savior.