6/1/12 NOT a “light and easy”
blog….but needful for heeding.
Started the day early in the
Psalms---not too unusual, But God….showed
me an unusual word in the subscript of Psalm 55. A maskil of David. (After
maskil was a lower-case v) After a refresher in cross-referencing, I found the
bold print in the margin , 55:1-23,
indicating chapter and verses where I would find “v”. A quick scan showed “v”
in verse 11
Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and
guile depart not from her streets
Hm-m-m that
sounds like our world, doesn’t it? Just as in David’s time, destructive forces
of sin and wickedness are all around us and, like David, we need to be aware of
what we’re up against. That verse (11) had a cross-reference to Psalm 5:9 and I
pretty much “camped out” in Psalm 5---which is a blog waiting to happen.
Continuing in
Psalm 55 long enough to gain insight, I began to understand that this psalm of
David was written as he was in great anguish over rebellion and rejection by
his son, Absalom. But…not only was his own flesh and blood against him, he also
encountered treachery from a close friend, one with whom David had worshipped
and had sweet fellowship in the house of the Lord. David was caught off guard
by such reproach from another who seemed a “saint”. But God, the “searcher of
our hearts" knows the difference, so He is the one David cried out to for relief.
David lays his heart open before the Lord needing to “vent” his grief before
Him. We too have that same privilege which is a great reminder when we began to
understand (maskil) that in this world there will be tribulation (John 16:33) and
it might even come from within the house of the Lord. But also knowing that “greater
is He who is in me than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
A clearer
defining of “maskil” comes in as David recounts the moral teachings that are
part of this psalm. Yes, wickedness may abound and David may long to “fly away”
from it all and be at rest. (v.6) (Ever felt that way?) Yet, David in his distress
continues to call out to the Lord morning, noon and night. (v. 16 & 17) Not
sticking his head in the sand thinking wickedness ends up in someone else’s
yard, but taking heed and learning from the circumstances and consequences that
surround him. That’s being circumspect and that’s saka. Saka the root word for
maskil.
That’s the maskil
(wise teaching/understanding) in it for us---learn from this. Be aware but
continue to seek God knowing, as David did, that if one “casts his cares on the Lord,
the Lord will sustain him.” (v.22) Take heed of David’s last words, “But as for
me, I trust in You.” (v.23)
