For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God. For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me. For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin. But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.† They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is. Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me. Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.--Psalm 38:12-15
My hope is in You, Lord. I wait for You. You, my God, are my earnest desire. As I seek You, You will keep my way and prosper my pursuit with many blessings. I will trust in You and do good. As I journey here on this earth I will walk by faith and feed on your faithfulness. I will delight myself in You...knowing that it is in You that I will have all the desires of my heart fulfilled. I will commit my way also to You and You will bring it to pass. I will be glad and rest in You, my God.
Hear me now, Father, lest my enemies rejoice over me when my feet slip and they magnify themselves against me. Let my prayer for them that hate me and are my enemies be the same as my prayer for myself....Mercy...always mercy. Father, I am trusting in Your mercy and rejoicing in Your salvation. To You belong vengeance and recompense. The foot of my enemy will slide in due time...for the day of their calamity is near...even at hand and the things that will come upon them make haste.
But as for me, Father, I am ready to halt...I am limping, stumbling....I am in adversity. My sorrow is continually before me. How comforting it is to remember that You were despised and rejected of men....You were a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. You bore my griefs...You carried my sorrows. You were stricken, smitten of God, afflicted for my sin....and I esteemed You not! You were wounded for my transgressions, bruised for my iniquity...the chastisement of my peace was upon You and by your stripes I was healed. Yea, the iniquity of us all was laid on You.
And yet, it pleased my God to bruise You and put You to grief. He made Your soul an offering for sin. Oh Father....HERE is the key....BUT the pleasure of His God shall prosper in His hand. Your pleasure and His ....my Jesus.....was the salvation of mankind. Your will prospered in His hand. You saw the travail of Your Son's soul and were satisfied because by the knowledge of Your Son many would be justified and made righteous.
All this here on earth that we go through, Father, THIS is its ultimate purpose...to draw more to come to the knowledge of You through Your Son, Jesus and be saved from an eternity of torment. You brought me up out of the horrible pit and set my feet upon a rock. You established my goings. God it was You who put a new song in my mouth...praise unto You...may many see it and trust in You. Oh Father, the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that You will reveal in us. May Your pleasure prosper in my life!! May I one day look upon the travail of my own soul and be satisfied. May I see the fruit that You, and You alone, wrought when the darkness covered me and Your billows went over me and be glad!
Let me pray for those who would desire to see me fail. Open the eyes of my enemies....your enemies, really....to see Your glory, grace, and truth in the face of Jesus.
My enemies are lively, Father....and they do hate me wrongfully. They render evil for good to because I follow the One that is good. Forsake me not, make haste to help me. Use my travail for my good and Your glory. Bring my enemies to You.....Make haste to help me....BUT Father, make haste to help those who do not know You....make haste to bring them into Your kingdom of light.
