1998-04-13 - May I See Your Invitation, Please?

Psalm 42:1-5, Verse 2, My soul thirsts for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God.

There are some people who, if you invited them to come over to watch you open your mail, would show up. Extending an invitation to someone is often a risky endeavor. They might say yes. There are times when an invitation we extend to someone is not only genuine, but we might be honored, pleased, even excited when we get a favorable response. There are other times when we extend an invitation as a matter of politeness, never expecting a favorable response. These verses that open the 42nd Psalm show us that David knew he had an invitation to come to God, at will, and pour out his soul. In verse two he asks, in an almost pleading manner, "when shall I come and appear before God." Just a few short phrases later (vs.4) he has come to His God and is praying before Him. The lesson to be learned here is a simple one. The Lord is a gracious God, who hears us, Evening, morning, and even at noon (Ps. 55:17). In these verses David models for us what we might call "holy love". I think there are three things to see here.

1. Holy love, is a thirsting love, vs. 1, 2. The object of his desire and what he is thirsting after is the living God. Those who live uprightly before God long to see Him as much as the wicked dread the thought of seeing Him.

2. Holy love, is a mourning love, vs. 3, 4. It appears here that David is being "made fun of", by the multitude, because of something that God had done or not done. It seems they are taunting him, "Where is your God?" In addition, in verse four, it seems that David is remembering his past sin of falling in with the multitude.

3. Holy love, is a love that has hope, vs. 5. He asks himself why he is cast down, distressed, and says to himself, "You!! Put your hope in God!" This is almost a personal rebuke, or reminder that he needs to trust in and hope in God. There is no substitute for a confidence in God that rests in His promises and His faithfulness.

So where do we end today? I hope we wind up where David did, with a confident trust and hope in the champion of our salvation. May we know, as David did, that God has promised to grant eternal blessings to those whose trust is fully in Him and that we have an invitation to enter His presence at any time.

"Hope fills the afflicted soul with such inward joy and consolation, that it can laugh while tears are in the eye, sigh and sing all in a breath; it is called, 'the rejoicing of hope' (Hebrews 3:6)" --William Gurnall

Soli Deo Gloria,
Tim