Waiting for God to Act

Read Psalm 69.

David felt overwhelmed.  He cried until his throat hurt and his eyes were nearly swollen shut as he waited God.  One his chief concerns was how this stress affected those around him.  He became alienated even from his own family.

When he tried to worship or humble himself in prayer and fasting, his adversaries used those very things to mock him.

Yet, through it all David's faith never wavered.  He trusted God to act on his behalf at exactly the right moment.  "But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD.  At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness." (v.13)  God will not be a minute late in providing His deliverance.  Waiting is the hardest part.

He could sing praises in the midst of the pain because of the certainty of God's love, care and plan.  This song was never meant to be a complaint but a testimony to others.  "You who seek God, let your hearts revive.  For the LORD hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners." (vv.32b-33)

If these circumstances are ever true of you, you will in the best company imaginable.  For so they treated Jesus.  No less than three verses in this Psalm were later identified in the Gospels with the persecution and sufferings of Christ.
Verse 4-John 15:25 "But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: They hated me without a cause."
Verse 9-John 2:17 "His disciples remembered that is was written, 'Zeal for your house will consume me.'"
Verse 21-Matthew 27:48 "And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it him to drink."

"That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death." (Philippians 3:10)