NorthStar Community Daily Devotional

Day 263 – Keeping it real

Having a Heart in a Sometimes Heartless World

Scripture focus: "What am I doing in the meantime, Lord? Hoping, that's what I'm doing—hoping - You'll save me from a rebel life, save me from the contempt of dunces. I'll say no more, I'll shut my mouth, since you, Lord, are behind all this. But I can't take it much longer. Psalm 39:7-10 The Message

In Randy Pausch’s book, The Last Lecture, he has some great advice: tell the truth, all the time. In this psalm, this guy is getting down to the nitty gritty. But there’s a difference between keeping it real and getting honesty. Let’s pick apart this verse –

• Hoping, that’s what I’m doing – hoping. That’s a good thing. But does this guy sound hopeful to you?

• Save me from a rebel life – I guess he knows what he’s talking about, since it is his own life he’s assessing. Is he rebelling? In this psalm, it sounds like he’s trying to behave. On those days when I determine to keep my yap shut, it’s usually because my speaking got me in trouble the day before! Is he rebellious, or simply a guy in need of making restitution? I’m speculating, but could it be that he is trying to solve a past sin with a promise of future “do gooding”? It’s awesome when we learn from past mistakes and re-order our lives accordingly. I’m just not sure what’s happening here. Is this an act of repentance, or merely a ploy to avoid further confrontation with his shortcomings?

• Save me from the contempt of dunces. I’m curious when I read this psalm. His anger pops out as he describes others. This makes me suspicious. He sounds like he’s above the fray of the ungodly and dunces of the world. For me, when I take on this attitude of superiority, it’s usually a cover for secret shame.

• You, Lord, are behind all this. Certainly scripture says God will never leave us nor forsake us. Clearly God is in control. But I wonder…can any of us, in the midst of hardship, really be so certain of God’s role in our story? Is he thwarting us or supporting us? Job suffered as a righteous man. His friends/counselors tried to make it all about Job’s sin. They couldn’t spell out the sin, but according to their theology, Job had to have done something very naughty to have gotten in such hot water with God. In the end, the only people God expresses anger toward are those friends! I’m more comfortable knowing that God’s ways aren’t mine, and that as a mere mortal, I might be missing something in translation.

• I can’t take it much longer. This is absolutely a real statement about how he feels; but is it true?

I pull apart this psalm and offer up wild speculations, not to rip the writer to shreds, but to commend him for his willingness to be real with His God. He let it all hang out. We can too. But having let it all out, it is beneficial to go back and analyze what we’re saying, thinking and feeling. Then we can double check our perception of reality with truth. We may find that we aren’t being as truth-filled as we hope.


Recommended reading: Isaiah 34 and 35 in the morning; Isaiah 36 and Galatians 5 in the evening

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