In my daily reading I was directed to John 2:17 – The disciples saw Jesus turn over the tables in the Temple and they quoted David’s Psalm 69 and noted “zeal for your house will consume me” – It’s nice that they noticed that, but they missed the point of Psalm 69. I turned there, and just walked through it. For me the focus of Psalm 69 is that service to God is hard, people don’t like it, and what do we do in the midst of that kind of trouble?

Walk through it with me

v1 Save Me, God – (well that’s certainly always a good place to start)

v2 I have sunk in the deep mud and there is not footing. I have come into deep water and a flood sweeps over me – (Been there? OH we are just getting started)

v3 I’m weary from crying, my throat is parched (why? from crying out to God) My eyes fail, looking for God (Oh my, you ever been looking for God so long, you can’t see anything?)

v4 those who hate me without cause are… numerous… enemies… are powerful

v5 God you know my foolishness (most everyone else does too)

v6 do not let those who put their hope in you be disgraced because of me… Lord of Armies (oh know who you are praying to. David is praying for himself, but he is in a battle inside and out, and so he prays to the Commander of the Armies of the Lord)

v7 I have endured insults because of you(not an accusation just a statement of reality, all been there)

v8 I’ve become a stranger to my brothers (serving is a lonely place)

v9 (here it is from John 2:17) Zeal for your house has consumed me the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me (oh the Lord’s house is a great place to be, and defending her can be a blessing and a curse)

v10 I have mourned and fasted (isn’t that what I’m supposed to do) but it brought insults (even doing the right thing can bring attacks

v11 sackcloth… and I was a joke (whew)

v12 those who sit at the city gate talk about me and drunkards make up songs about me – (wow, if this wasn’t serious it would be hilariously funny – I’m just serving and I’m becoming a city joke)

v13 But, as for me, LORD (he is STILL Lord, in the midst of it all) my prayer is for a time of favor… abundant faithful love, God, Answer me with sure salvation (Oh now we are getting somewhere, Lord just give me a little glimmer of favor, love, and an answer, but the answer I seek is CERTAIN SALVATION)

v14 (he calls back to the problem of vv2) Rescue me from the Mud… From the Deep water

v15 don’t let the floodwaters sweep over me (I wonder if Isaiah was thinking of Psalm 69 when God spoke in Isaiah 42:2,3 “when you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and the rivers will not overwhelm you… For I am the Lord your God”

v16 Answer me… for your unfailing love is GOOD (Oh we must know that God’s answers and provision are about HIS Goodness, and His Love for us, but that should still make us feel not entitled, but overwhelmed with gratitude and confidence that he would love me)

v17-28 – these verses are basically a series of verses that can be summed up “let justice roll…”

v29 but for me… let salvation protect me (oh man if I would just trust that the Salvation and Deliverance of God will take care of all things and tip the scales and all we have no comparison to the joy that waits for us… So)

v30 I will Praise God’s name with song and exalt him with thanksgiving (if we can let praise be lifted, sing in our challenges, praise in our problems

v31 that will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with horns and hooves (the greatest worship we give God is to praise him in the midst of distress, challenge, struggle, service)

See my title People, Person, and Praise – The People of God (zeal for the house of the Lord) in the Place that bears his name, will be the object of our service zeal. They will also get us through the mud, mire, deep waters, give us a place to stand when we can’t feel the bottom

The Person – Jesus – who is our Hope and Salvation will come, will judge, will provide – I will set my hope on HIM, not for the things I want or even need, but HIM – He is our hope, our light, our song

So let the Praises RISE

Let the Praises Tell the Humble who will hear, let them see and they will rejoice and take heart as they seek God – somebody is looking somebody wants to know v32

v33 For the Lord listens to the Needy and does not despise his own who are prisoners (sometimes we are imprisoned by the very call we are in, but he will set us free in due time)

v34 let Heaven and Earth praise him

v35 For God will save Zion (Zion is the place that bears his name. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit, the Church is the building he is building, he will save the people and the place where his name dwells)

v36 The descendants… will inherit it and those who love his name will live in it!

Yes You Lord… from the miry mud to the streets of gold

I will trust in you

I will wait for you

I will hope in you

FOR YOU are Faithful, YOU are Good

Oh do you see the common denominator in the People, Person, Praise – YOU LORD – Make it about Jesus, Make it FOR Jesus, and Jesus will be enough, the answer, and our Inheritance

I know it’s hard today servant of God, but oh Jesus is enough