September 30
“Help me, Lord my God; save me according to Your faithful love so they may know that this is Your hand and that You, Lord, have done it.” Psalm 109:26-27 (CSB)
Perhaps you’ve had this experience as a parent: your child attempted to do something that they really didn’t have the strength to do like open a door stuck in its frame, or push something too big, or lift something too heavy. You slid in beside or behind and encouraged them with, “You can do this!” but the whole time you were the one really doing it.
David understands that he doesn’t have what it takes to accomplish what needs to happen in his life. In vv.22-25 he confesses that he is deeply wounded in his soul, gloomy and depressed, weakened considerably from his fasting, and a joke to those who oppose him. Not a great spot to be in!
In his weakened condition, he calls out to Yahweh for help. As he did in v.21, he identifies two reasons for God to respond to his request: God’s faithful love and God’s glorious reputation. He says, “Help me! I don’t deserve your help, your mercy, but I know Your love for me is a covenant love; a love relationship held together by Your will and Your power and Your intentionality to love me no matter what. And God, do this in a way that everyone knows it was not me, but You who did this. I want You to get the praise and glory.”
Years ago, I heard a pastor say, “We don’t mind God getting the glory as long as we get the praise!” I’ve never forgotten that. There is something in us that does want people to know God worked in our lives, but there’s also something in us that wants to take a good deal of the credit for it. Like the child who thinks she’s opening the door, pushing the cart, or lifting the weight, we take way too much credit for what is accomplished in our lives.
Take a moment and list five works God has done in your life in the past year—and then brag on Him about it to His face and to others today.
God, thank You for always working in me and on my behalf. I give You the credit. Amen