Trusting - praying to a God Who's bigger

Last week, as we studied Psalm 57, we mentioned that one of the themes of the psalm was trusting in the Lord. We discussed relying on God, instead of our human methods.

Today, let's focus on verse two:

I cry out to God Most High,

to God, who vindicates me. (Psalm 57:2)

David is reminding us that trust means seeking God in prayer. In fact, we could make a point that prayer is the language of trust! Many of the psalms we have studied are prayers, just as much as they are songs for worship and temple contemplation. 

Prayer acknowledges that we need God. It agrees with God that our strength is not enough, and that His is infinite. Prayer says to God (and to anyone else who is around) that we are dependent upon Him -- that we can't handle what we are facing in OUR strength, but that we can handle it in HIS strength. And prayer humbly asks Him to intervene with that strength; David tells us that He will:

He sends from heaven and saves me,

rebuking those who hotly pursue me—

God sends forth his love and his faithfulness. (v. 3)

God gets the glory because we seek His help in our prayers.

Let's see what David says next:

I am in the midst of lions;

I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—

men whose teeth are spears and arrows,

whose tongues are sharp swords.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

let your glory be over all the earth.

They spread a net for my feet—

I was bowed down in distress.

They dug a pit in my path—

but they have fallen into it themselves. (Psalm 57:4-6)

David gets pretty poetic here - he is comparing the men and armies who are pursuing him, to lions and other hungry beasts. Almost makes us think of fire breathing dragons and such - and it may have seemed that way as he was followed from place to place, fearing for his life. These people are out to get him. He's outnumbered and it seems like it's a foregone conclusion that they will catch him!

Right in the middle of talking about those who pursue him, we see verse five. Kinda jarring, isn't it? Sudden-like.

It's as if David has a sudden realization: God is bigger than his problems! Sometimes is takes truly intense trials for us to look at the Lord and remember how trustworthy He is!

Remember how time after time, the people of Israel forgot about how God had performed amazing miracles (including parting the waters of the Red Sea!) to rescue them? They would come up on a problem, and immediately start grumbling and whining. They saw their problems as being bigger than their God. 

The bigger our problem is, the more opportunity there is for God to be glorified as we trust Him to take care of the problem. There is nothing too difficult for our Lord. If we see Him as bigger than our problems, we can trust Him and He will get the glory, because God is glorified as we trust Him with our trials.

We can rely upon Him alone, for His is faithful. We can seek Him in prayer for He answers. We can remember that He is bigger than our problems. 

All glory goes to our Lord!