Psalms 109:17-31: a reflection

17Yes, he loved cursing, and it came to him. He didn’t delight in blessing, and it was far from him. 18He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment. It came into his inward parts like water, like oil into his bones. 19Let it be to him as the clothing with which he covers himself, for the belt that is always around him. 20This is the reward of my adversaries from the LORD, of those who speak evil against my soul. 21But deal with me, GOD the Lord, for your name’s sake, because your loving kindness is good, deliver me; 22for I am poor and needy. My heart is wounded within me. 23I fade away like an evening shadow. I am shaken off like a locust. 24My knees are weak through fasting. My body is thin and lacks fat. 25I have also become a reproach to them. When they see me, they shake their head. 26Help me, LORD, my God. Save me according to your loving kindness; 27that they may know that this is your hand; that you, LORD, have done it. 28They may curse, but you bless. When they arise, they will be shamed, but your servant shall rejoice. 29Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonor. Let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe. 30I will give great thanks to the LORD with my mouth. Yes, I will praise him among the multitude. 31For he will stand at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul.

In the midst of this psalm's cry against those who have wronged him, David turns to God as his help, honestly bringing his wounded and needy state before the one who stands with the needy. But deal with me, GOD the Lord, for your name's sake, he prays; because your loving kindness is good, deliver me; for I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. David does not hide his weakness; he brings his poverty, his need, his wounded heart honestly to God, and asks for help according to God's steadfast love, trusting that God stands at the right hand of the needy to save. This shows bringing our wounded, needy state honestly to God, who stands with the needy. Bring your wounded, needy state honestly to God. God stands at the right hand of the needy to save. David brought his poverty and wounded heart to God for help. God helps the needy who bring their weakness to him.

Notice how honestly David brings his need and weakness to God. He does not pretend to be strong or self-sufficient; he says plainly, I am poor and needy, my heart is wounded within me, I fade away like an evening shadow. He brings his real poverty, his weakness, his wounded heart, honestly before God, and asks for help, not on the ground of his own strength or deserving, but on the ground of God's steadfast love: because your loving kindness is good, deliver me. And he rests in the confidence that God stands at the right hand of the needy to save them. This shows us how to come to God in our own need and weakness. We do not need to hide our weakness from God, to pretend to be strong or self-sufficient; we can bring our real poverty, our need, our wounded hearts, honestly before him, and ask for his help according to his steadfast love. And we can rest in the assurance that God is on the side of the needy, that he stands at the right hand of the poor and needy to save them. We do well to bring our need honestly to God, trusting that he stands with the needy. Bring your weakness and need honestly to God, not hiding it. God stands at the right hand of the needy to save. Ask God's help on the ground of his steadfast love, not your strength. God is on the side of the poor and needy who come to him.

That is worth resting in, for we can bring our wounded, needy state honestly to God, who stands at the right hand of the needy to save, as David brought his poverty and wounded heart to God for help. We can feel we must hide our weakness from God, pretending to be strong; but David brought his poverty, his need, his wounded heart honestly before God, asking help on the ground of God's steadfast love. God stands with the needy. When you are weak and needy, bring it honestly to God, who stands at the right hand of the needy to save. Bring your wounded, needy state honestly to God, asking his help on the ground of his steadfast love and trusting that he stands at the right hand of the needy to save, as David, in the midst of his cry against those who wronged him, turned to God and prayed, deal with me for your name's sake, because your loving kindness is good, deliver me, for I am poor and needy and my heart is wounded within me; for David did not hide his weakness or pretend to be strong and self-sufficient, but brought his real poverty, his need, and his wounded heart honestly before God, asking for help not on the ground of his own strength or deserving but on the ground of God's steadfast love, and rested in the confidence that God stands at the right hand of the needy to save them, so that we too can come to God in our own need and weakness, not hiding it or pretending to be strong, but bringing our real poverty and wounded hearts honestly before him and asking his help according to his steadfast love, trusting that God is on the side of the poor and needy who come to him.

Lord, in the midst of this psalm's cry against those who have wronged him, David turns to you as his help, honestly bringing his wounded and needy state before you, who stand with the needy. But deal with me, GOD the Lord, for your name's sake, he prays; because your loving kindness is good, deliver me; for I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. David does not hide his weakness; he brings his poverty, his need, his wounded heart honestly to you, and asks for help according to your steadfast love, trusting that you stand at the right hand of the needy to save. This shows bringing my wounded, needy state honestly to you. Show me how honestly David brings his need and weakness to you. He does not pretend to be strong or self-sufficient; he says plainly, I am poor and needy, my heart is wounded within me. He brings his real poverty and wounded heart honestly before you, and asks for help, not on the ground of his own strength or deserving, but on the ground of your steadfast love. And he rests in the confidence that you stand at the right hand of the needy to save them. This shows me how to come to you in my own need and weakness. I do not need to hide my weakness from you, to pretend to be strong; I can bring my real poverty, my need, my wounded heart, honestly before you, and ask for your help according to your steadfast love. And I can rest in the assurance that you are on the side of the needy. Take that to my heart, for I can bring my wounded, needy state honestly to you, who stand with the needy. When I am weak and needy, keep me from hiding it or pretending to be strong; help me bring it honestly to you, Lord, asking your help on the ground of your steadfast love, and trusting that you stand at the right hand of the needy to save.