Psalm 13 Continued…
Psalms 13:5-6
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.
Although no spoken answer to David’s prayer is recorded, a real relief comes over this troubled soul. His trust is based on God’s loving kindness, his rejoicing upon God’s salvation, his singing upon God’s bountiful care. He has found true peace by total trust in God. David had moved to the final stage of the soul’s experience in a time of trial and testing. He had come through tears to truth and through truth to triumph. Some people have wondered how David could swing so swiftly from gloom to gladness. The secret is found in the middle section of the psalm where he gets his eyes firmly fixed on the Lord his God, Yahweh, and his Elohim.
After all he had been through, he could still say, “My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.” Is this salvation from sin? Probably that is included. Is this salvation from self? Probably that is included too. Is this salvation from Satan? Surely that is included. But probably this salvation is also salvation from Saul. David is standing now on the victory side. So can we, because our salvation includes victory from situations—in the Lord’s good time and way. God’s mercy (steadfast love) was all that David needed for it would never fail— “In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.” (Isaiah 63:9). God’s people don’t live on explanations, they live on promises, and those promises are as unchanging as the character of God.
Have David’s actual immediate circumstances changed? No. Has Saul called off his bloodhounds and bullies? No. Is Saul dead? No. Has David received a new shipment of arms? No. Nothing has changed. But David can sing because God hasn’t changed. His despondency is changed to confidence as his faith lays hold of four characteristics of the Lord: His steadfast love, His delivering intervention, His readiness to give that which truly delights men, and His abounding goodness to the very man who had been restless. Notice that David put everything in the past tense: “He has been good to me.” The change in his situation is so sure David reckons it as already having happened. No wonder he could sing!
PRAY
Father, keep our eyes fixed on You as we go through each day; remind us of your goodness and mercy. By Your goodness and mercy, Your amazing grace, lead us home, home to You, and give us rest along the way.