https://esv.literalword.com/?q=psalm+41
Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Sunday, 13 October 2024:
Psalm 41:1 – Blessed is the one who considers the poor!
Again, give freely! God gave you all, at the expense of His One and Only Son, when you deserved nothing at all, in fact, when you deserved death. How you give displays how you truly feel about what God has given you. It also reveals how much you really trust God to take care of you in the future – “If I give away what little food I have, God may use it to miraculously feed thousands, but what will I eat?”
Psalm 41:9 — Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
The similarities between Jesus’ betrayal described in the Gospels and David’s betrayal described in Psalm 41 are not missed: “One of you will betray me – one who is eating with me… one who dips bread into the bowl with me… you will all fall away.” (Mark 14:18, 20, 27) However, David highlights a significant difference between his situation and that of Jesus’: David was not innocent. Jesus displayed mercy and grace from a position of perfection and complete holiness. Jesus was the only soul who has ever walked on earth who could have demanded justice for Himself, yet he didn’t for our sake. Conversely, David, in his persecution, recognized that he could not stand simply on justice; he too relied upon forgiveness, mercy, and grace from God – “As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you!” (Psalm 41:4)
Towards the end of Psalm 41 David says, “But you have upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in your presence forever.” (Psalm 41:12) What integrity could the sinner David be talking about? I believe it is the integrity of his honest repentance displayed in Psalm 41:4 and the integrity of his humility before the Lord – David truly acknowledged that he was a sinner who relied totally upon God’s grace for salvation, and David honestly, though not perfectly, sought to please God in love and obedience. David’s integrity was his faith in God’s promises, and his willingness to live by them to the best of his ability, never satisfied with his ability, always striving for perfection while relying on God’s grace through growth to increasing godliness –
- 1 John 1:9 — If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
- John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
While Jesus certainly had the right in His perfection to demand justice from others, we, total sinners relying totally on God’s grace, certainly do not have the right to demand justice for ourselves from others. Jesus points this out throughout his teachings. He taught us to pray to God, “Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us (Luke 11:4);” and His famous parable about the “Unforgiving Servant” in Matthew 18 is a harsh warning to those who would receive God’s grace while refusing to give grace to others — “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18:32-35)
To live in integrity is to acknowledge our total dependence on God’s grace and to treat others accordingly. The more we truly understand what God has done for us, the easier it is to treat others graciously.
Integrity Upheld: “Joseph was a righteous man who had cultivated a reputation for godliness in his community. Then word spread across the community that Mary, the woman to whom he was engaged, was expecting a child. There would be many who would assume the worst of this apparently scandalous situation. Joseph probably experienced gossip from some, ostracism from others. Yet he was a man of integrity, aware that God knew the truth of his relationship with Mary.
At times, God will be the only witness to your righteous behavior. Sometimes God is the only one who will understand your motives. Sometimes you will do all you know God has asked you to do, only to face ridicule from others. At such times all you can do is maintain your integrity, trusting that God always keeps His eyes on you. God looks favorably upon those who walk with integrity, doing what they know is right, regardless of how others perceive their actions.
The most important thing is not that people know the truth. The most important thing is that you are a person of integrity before God. When no one seems to understand why you have done something or when others question whether you have done all you should have done, your confidence should not be in the hope of vindication in the eyes of others. It should be in the knowledge that God keeps you in His sight. If you have this confidence, it will be enough to sustain you.” (Henry T. Blackaby)
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 13 October 2024: Today, trust in grace, rest in grace, walk in grace, display grace, proclaim grace, and give grace that the world may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 