Faith in time of Crisis

Psalm 18:1-3, 6, 27-28, 31 Good News Translation. For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord.

   How I love you, Lord!
    You are my defender.

2 The Lord is my protector;
    he is my strong fortress.
My God is my protection,
    and with him I am safe.
He protects me like a shield;
    he defends me and keeps me safe.
3 I call to the Lord,
    and he saves me from my enemies.
Praise the Lord!

6 In my trouble I called to the Lord;
    I called to my God for help.
In his temple he heard my voice;
    he listened to my cry for help.

27 You save those who are humble,
    but you humble those who are proud.

28 O Lord, you give me light;
    you dispel my darkness.

31 The Lord alone is God;
    God alone is our defence.

Meditation by Dr J P Hunter 

This Psalm is chosen because of the themes of protection and giving light, appropriate in dark Advent days. 

This Psalm may have been written towards the end of David’s life when peace had been achieved and David looked back in gratitude for guidance, help and deliverance. 

The Psalm starts by expressing David’s love for the Lord. Then describing God as his protection, fortress and shield, defending David and keeping him safe.  It was David’s personal experience that when he was in trouble and called to the Lord, his cry for help was heard, recognising that the Lord saves those who are humble. David received light to dispel his personal darkness and concludes that The Lord alone is God.  

Like David, we too can look back, see the hand of God in our lives and become thankful for all we received, for guidance and deliverance. We too can come to see that God gave and gives light in our lives to dispel our personal darkness. And we wait in the season of Advent the arrival of the Light of the World in God’s one and only Son. Sent into a dark world to provide light. Sent to save you and me.

Prayer

Lord, Light of the World, in these dark days and long nights before Christmas, I come to seek your presence. Seeking to thank you for all the years you have guided, protected and delivered me from darkness and trouble. Seeking you to pray for this day that, like David, you will protect me and my family like a shield and keep us safe. Seeking to ask you for the days of Christmas that your light will come and remain with us all. In your name, Amen. 

Hymn – Singing the Faith 188, verse 1

There’s a light upon the mountains, and the day is at the spring,

when our eyes shall see the beauty and the glory of the King;

weary was our heart with waiting, and the night-watch seemed so long;

but his triumph-day is breaking, and we hail it with a song.