THE WAY OUT

Psalm 143:12 “And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.”

In the early part of this Psalm, we find David, a man after God’s own heart, going through some things that many people face. We sometime think that David is above the problems we have, but here in this Psalm he is crying out to God because he’s at one of the lowest times in his life. You can hear the pain within as lays his soul before the Lord.

Have you ever found yourself in this place? Have you felt the darkness of loneliness as a close friend let you down? Maybe you have come to the place where your circumstances have completely overwhelmed you. You might have even come to the place of despair.

Some face valleys where they think there is no way out. But is there? Is there a way out? David found the way out. He might have been in a dark, desolate valley on the brink of despair, but notice the words of verse 8, “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust . . .” David had found a way out, and we can too.

What is the way out? Paul writes in I Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation (or trial) taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” When a person is in a dark valley, what should they do?

1. PRAY

In verse 1 we read, "Hear my prayer, O LORD,. . .” Verse 6 says, "I stretch forth my hands unto thee:. . .” Again we read in verse 9, “Deliver me, O LORD,. . .”

David prayed. I’m sure there were times when David wanted to quit praying but he didn’t. He knew his help was in the Lord. And that’s also where our help lies. We should pray and remember, we’re commanded to pray (I Thes 5:17, Jer 33:3).

2. PRAISE

Even in dark times, this godly man worshipped God. Notice the words of verse 10, "Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; . . ." What an example for each of us to follow – praise in the middle of the valley.

David is not the only example we can see in Scripture. The godly man Job also lifted up his heart to God in the middle of dark times. We read in Job 1:20-22, "Then Job arose and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped. And said Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly."

We may not like this fact, but if we can’t praise God in the valley, we have no right to praise Him on the mountaintop. God is sovereign in both places.

Someone might say, “But in the dark valley I have a hard time thinking of things to be thankful for!” I like what we read in Luke 10:20, "Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." We are saved. We have eternal life.

I would like to remind all of us that God is worthy of our praise – Revelation 4:11, AThou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.@

It’s also helpful for us to praise - Nehemiah 8::10, "Then he said unto them, Go your way eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

Proverbs 17:22, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: . . . "

We do not have to be down-in-the-mouth while in the valley. There is a way out. David is showing us that fact here in Psalm 43.

3. PRACTICE


Notice verses 8-10, "Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk: for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness."

David had a desire to do the will of God. Even if being chased by his enemies was God’s will, he wanted to be faithful in obedience to his Master.

That should be our desire and goal in life. Doing the will of God, even in the valleys, sets the right example for all those who are watching our lives.

There is a way out of the valley. David shows us how to do so in this Psalm – Pray, Praise and Practice. Someone has said: “You can’t beat the circumstances! Don’t let them beat you!” Valleys will come, but there is a way out of them.

That’s my view; how about you?