Among the most impartational aspects of the Psalms is their call to our hearts to find God and the place where He created our spirit to live. God made man to live in His presence. That is where we find peace, hope, purpose, and all the attributes that lead our lives to make sense. The presence of God is a place of synchronization for our spirits to His heart.
In Psalm 4, David shares a moment we can all relate to. The pressures of life, the statements of others, and the world about him are pressing upon him. He felt the stress and the strain.
Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have relieved me in my distress;
Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer.
How long, O you sons of men,
Will you turn my glory to shame?
How long will you love worthlessness
And seek falsehood?
When we face injustice or simply stressful situations, the temptation is often to press in and fight. That is not always, perhaps not even often, the correct course. We do not have to fight our own battles because God is willing to fight for us. The more excellent victory is not merely in overcoming our enemies and obstacles. It is living above them even when they assault us.
That is what we encounter when we turn from the fight and seek God instead in the face of crisis and chaos. When we seek Him with our whole hearts, even broken, frustrated, and desperate hearts, we find our salvation in His very presence. He elevates our spirits to new heights. That sense of synchronization between heaven and earth fills our hearts, and we learn that there is shelter in God’s presence.
But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly;
The LORD will hear when I call to Him.
Be angry, and do not sin.
Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
And put your trust in the LORD.
There are many who say,
“Who will show us any good?”
LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us.
Those who have experienced these types of encounters need little explanation. They entered a higher reality of living than the world of cause and effect we seem bound to. Those who have not experienced it should set it as their objective. This is the channel through which the peace of the throne room of God flows into our lives on earth as it is in heaven. This is the pathway of personal transformation.
Sometimes we do not see God defeat the enemies and obstacles of our lives, but this is the process by which He elevates us above them to live at a higher plane.
You have put gladness in my heart,
More than in the season that their grain and wine increased.
I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
