Year 8, Day 199: Psalm 54

Theological Commentary: Click Here

In psalm 54 we have another plea for salvation.  No surprise, we return to a psalm of David.  This psalm has a simple, honest tone about it that sounds like David.  David is in trouble and he cries out to God.  David even seems to have been caught blindsided by the trouble as he claims that strangers have risen up against him.

There’s something neat that comes up when thinking about this psalm and psalms like it.  Worshipping God is more than just lip service.  Naturally, we understand that.  There is no logical reason for anyone, much less God, to appreciate lip service.  We naturally understand that worship must be more than lip service.

That being said, when it comes to trouble do we really practice what we claim to believe?  How often when we are oppressed do we try to save ourselves?  How often do we lash out in anger, seek revenge, devise a scheme equally as bad as those who oppress us, or other such calamity?  When people rise up against us, how often do we try to take matters in our own hands and solve our troubles our way?

That’s the neat thing about this psalm.  When David is oppressed, even by an unknown enemy, look what he does.  He turns to the Lord.  He asks the Lord to deliver him.  He places his trust into the hands of the Lord.

We need to be careful with this, though.  I’m not saying that David became inactive and expects God to do everything for him.  What David does is to wait upon the Lord.  Instead of lashing out in his human emotional reaction, he pauses to understand what God’s plan is.  Once he knows how God will work salvation, then he acts, playing whatever part God needs him to play.    That’s the key to making our faith more than lip service.  We need to wait upon the Lord and then truly follow Him if we are truly going to claim to worship Him as God.

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