Righting our Spiritual Ship
Ps.143:5-6- I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.
The verses before us are, in all actuality, the answer to a dilemma that the psalmist finds
himself in. In order to understand what he is saying to us, by the Spirit in verses five and six, we
must understand what has led to this statement. In verse three the writer gives us a glimpse into his
hearts grief. He tells us that ‘the enemy hath persecuted my soul.’ In verse four he remarks that his
spirit is overwhelmed and his heart is empty. ‘Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my
heart within me is desolate.’ Thus, we find that the verses now under consideration are his answer
to what he is presently experiencing. The same is true for us as the people of God. We are faced
with troubles and trials and we too must find our answer in the same manner as the saints of old.
I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
This is the beginning to the strengthening of the believer’s soul. We must begin with a mind
set upon the Lord and His rich and remarkable grace. We must settle our thoughts on these basic
truths that form a firm ground beneath our feet when all else is as unstable as water. He begins by
determining to remember the former days. Oh how needful this is in a day where men are plagued
by the present, and filled with fears of the future. We must remember the days of God‘s past favor
and blessing. We must remember that the Lord has ever been faithful to His people in all
circumstances. However, to remember in a simply casual manner will never do. We must also give
ourselves to meditation on His works in the past. How has this faithful God delivered and blessed
His people in those bygone days. And finally we must muse, ponder or converse with ourselves, on
the work of God’s hands. We must consider all of the mighty and majestic works of our God. Most
importantly we must give ourselves to pondering the work of the cross where the blessed God has
provided redemption for mankind. Talk often of the grace and mercy of the cross where God has
shown His love and longing to deliver man in the most profound sense and thus that He will meet
with us in all that troubles us now.
I stretch forth my hands unto thee:
When the soul has begun to remember, meditate, and muse as it should, we find that there
will be a natural progression to the believer’s actions. The one who thinks often on the Lord will
begin to ‘stretch forth’ their hand unto the Lord. In other words they will begin to reach out to God
as their Father for assistance in all challenges and trials. They will cease looking to men and the
things of this world and will reach forth to the hand of God for rescue.
my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.
Finally we see this worshipper of God with the best possible result, a soul thirsting for the
Lord, not simply for deliverance. We find an individual who longs for nothing but the presence of
the Living God. Oh happy soul that finds itself in such a case; happy soul that longs for nothing but
God.
May the Lord richly bless you,
Pastor Mark