Have you ever had a situation when you feel miserable? Like, the life you live is chaotic and there seems to be no way out of it. Whether the mistakes come from you or someone else doesn’t really matter, it’s all scattered and painful and too much to handle. Well, you are not alone, and your story can change.
1. When everything turns into the worst
David, a man after God’s own heart, once messed up his life. He took the worst path in his life story and caused the situation we could read in this stanza:
O Lord, how many are my foes!
Many are saying against me;
many are saying of my soul:
“There is no salvation for him in God.”
How many were David’s foes exactly? Absalom and Ahithophel were the two main characters who opposed David. But these two were enough to scatter David’s soul. One was his own son, and the other was one of David’s most trusted men, one of his counsellors. It is usually alright when the world goes against you as long as you have your persons around you, but this time with David, it was his persons who went against him.
We all know how it was started and turned into the worst – or if you don’t know, I suggest you go to the Bible in 2 Samuel 11-15. David misused his power and raped Bathsheba, ruining the honour and dignity of Ahithophel, her grandfather (2Sam 23:34; 11:3). He brought the curse into his family: Amnon raped Tamar, Absalom killed Amnon, and now Absalom started a conspiracy against his own father after went away for three years; proof that time did not heal him.
2. Don’t trust yourself, but the Lord
It may seem that David was the one responsible for all the mess. He did fast and repent for all he had done, yet he had to bear the consequences of it. The difference was, David did not bear it alone.
But You, O Lord, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
I cried aloud to the Lord,
and He answered me from His holy hill.
David’s new heart resulted in his acts of worship. On his escape, David went up to God’s holy hill. Mount of Olives (2 Sam 15:30) was a place of worship, and there, not only David, but all who followed David, wept as they ascended. David remembered how the Lord had been working in his life. Coming to the Lord enabled David to turn his eyes unto Him instead of his miserable present. David cried out to the Lord, and He answered him. In this new vision, David found his peace in the Lord.
I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.
I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.
David failed when he trusted his strength as a man, abused his power and position as a king. But he refused to end his story there as a sinner. David remembered the Lord, the only One who could save him from himself. The only One who could deliver him from the pain he brought to himself and his family. He did not stop in his failure, he stopped from trusting his strength.
Arise, O Lord!
Save me, O my God!
For You strike all my enemies on the cheek;
You break the teeth of the wicked.
3. The plot twist
There were three villains in the story, but only one brought his sin and broken self to the Lord. He might turn his life upside down at first: from an anointed king and a man of God’s heart, became a rapist and murderer, a man who deserved a crippling affliction. But true repentance brought him a different ending. No longer leaning on his strength as a warrior, but on God’s hand. No longer trusting his power as a king but on the salvation of the Lord. His twist ending started from his heart of worship, and therefore in affliction, he could sing:
Salvation belongs to the Lord;
Your blessing be on Your people!
If only the other two did the same, their stories would also unfold differently. Ahithophel would be able to see Solomon, his great-grandson, got into the throne. Absalom would continue to be the most handsome man in Israel (2Sam 14:25) and might add up his fine appearance with good deeds too, also raised and married off his sons and daughter. But they did not do the same with what David did; came and laid their brokenness to the Lord. Their stories didn’t change, and the chance was no longer with them.
…
Life can be that bad. We could make the worst mistake and could not do anything to fix it. Or, others could start the bad things, crush our lives miserably and it might be too painful for us to see the silver lining. But as long as we live, there is a chance for us all. The chance everyone gets might come in different shapes. But it is the same chance to come to the Lord, to cry out to Him and listen to His answer. The chance to repent, and also to forgive. The chance to turn our eyes to Jesus, our Savior. To turn to the Lord, and twist our distress into praise: For salvation belongs to the Lord! His blessing be on His people!
Thank you for reading this article, I hope you feel blessed as I do! I would be really happy to hear your thoughts too about God and all His goodness. I am currently working on other psalms by David and also the songs for the church in the Epistles. You can subscribe to get the newest updates from these articles. See you!
Tiny Little Things 
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