November 7, 2021 – Psalms 56-60

Yesterday, I wrote about God's steadfast love. In Psalm 60, David reminds that God will discipline his people, when they sin, with harshness. Having experienced such discipline, David cries out: “O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses; you have been angry; oh, restore us” (60:1). You might, also, look back to Psalm 51 for one of the most powerful illustrations of a man, David, who desperately cries out for God’s mercy and rejoices when God forgives him. Indeed, if God has broken and disciplined us, and he will do so when necessary, only he can restore. But here is David's great hope – he who can restore, will restore! Hear the further cries of David in these psalms:

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (56:3).

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge” (57:1).

“O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love” (59:17).

“With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes” (60:12).

Thy mercy, Lord, to me extend:

on thy protection I depend,

and to thy wings for shelter haste,

until this storm be overpast.

To him I will in trouble cry,

the sovereign Judge and God most high,

who wonders hath for me begun,

and will not leave his work undone. --Samuel Webbe, the elder (1740-1816)