Reading

Take the time to read the entirety of Psalm 13:1-6 and then come back and read the following verses again.

But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.
– Psalm 13:5-6

Reflection

David begins Psalm 13 in a very similar lamenting tone to the Psalms that precede it. In fact, if you are someone who struggles with really dark moods to the extent that it feels like God has abandoned you, then the first part of Psalm 13 might be like soothing nectar for your soul.

The Psalm shifts dramatically towards the end, though, and that will be the focus of today’s meditation. David found reason to sing where before he could just sigh. He found reason to trust where before he only doubted. He found reason to rejoice where before he could only lament. What changed?

David found reason to trust rather than doubt. What changed? He remembered that God’s love for him would never fail.

The truth is that none of his circumstances changed at all, but he paused and remembered the biggest truths of all. He remembered that God’s love for him would never fail. He remembered that God was bringing him salvation and making him new. Lastly, he remembered that God was really good to him.

So here are some universal truths that apply to all who follow Christ, regardless of their circumstances.

God loves you in Christ and his love for you will never fail. Paul prayed for the Ephesians: that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. – Ephesians 3:17b-19

God is the initiator and sustainer of your salvation through Jesus.

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. – Hebrews 12:2

God is really, really good to you already, and Jesus proves that.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places – Ephesians 1:3

With all that in mind… remember…and rejoice — not in your circumstances, but in salvation.

Singing As We Plant

Church planter, remember and rejoice — not in your circumstances, but in salvation.

The Psalter really is the hymn book of the church – full of questioning faith and faithful questioning, hopeful honesty and honest hopefulness. It is full of God and his dealings with man.

So let us resolve never to neglect the beautiful, profound intimacy and joy of the Psalms in our church plant. Here are 10 ideas for doing that:

1. Preach through the Psalms every summer.
2. Read a Psalm or a Psalm portion every service as a call to worship or as a benediction.
3. Sing songs from the Psalms.
4. Buy Tim Keller’s The Songs of Jesus and meditate on the Psalms every day – they tend to transform your prayer life!
5. Counsel with the Psalms – all human life is there.
6. Evangelise with the Psalms – all human life is there.
7. Send a daily email to your church meditating on a Psalm or Psalm portion.
8. Get your talented musicians to write new music from the Psalms.
9. Get your talented artists to use the vivid imagery of the Psalms to produce new artwork for the church building (if and when you have one).
10. Enlarge your understanding of the structure and purpose of the Psalter by listening to these talks.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times when I forget about your goodness towards me. Your kindness is undeserved and your mercy unearned. Give me eyes to see just how much blessing and grace you have poured out over me already through your Son. In Jesus’ name. Amen.