“My soul faints for Your salvation;

I wait for Your word.” vs81

We want the word of God. He’s not merely talking about Bible reading. He wants to be spoken to by the Holy Spirit. There is a difference between understanding Scripture and experiencing it in your heart. Jonathan Edwards said,

"There is a difference between having an opinion that God is holy & gracious, & having a sense of the loveliness & beauty of that holiness & grace. There is a difference between having a rational judgement that honey is sweet & having a sense of its sweetness."

We want to taste the honey. Oh, taste and see, the Lord tells us, that He is good. We want to experience the gospel in a way that encourages us in hard times, puts joy in our heart, and enables us to speak AUTHORITATIVELY to this dying sin-cursed world. We want the gospel as gospel, so we pray. Let this diligently be your daily business!

First, even though we’re experiencing hard times, difficulty, and trouble, we still remember Him! vs82-83

My eyes fail, looking for Your promise;

I ask, “When will You comfort me?”

Though I am like a wineskin dried up by smoke,

I do not forget Your statutes.

We won’t wander far from His commandments, because He brings us back! The loss of peace, the lack of joy, and all the things that happen when we’re caught up in the news, but not the Good News... when we’re consumed with the world, but we’re not consumed with Christ.

We thank God for this remembrance: It is grace alone that keeps us coming back for more grace in the word of Christ.

Secondly, our times and seasons are in God’s hands. vs84

How many days must Your servant wait?

When will You execute judgment on my persecutors?

We don’t have power to overcome our foes, so we wait, helplessly, until He pities us. It is His kindness, not our power, that we lean on to overcome sin, hurt, and frustration. We look to God while the US tribulates. We look to Christ’s word, while the sea billows roll!

No matter the storm, He has power, and there is no man like Him.

“And they were terrified and asked one another, ‘Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey Him!’” [Mark 4:41]

Believe and wait. Make your request known, and He’ll make it prosper.

Thirdly, we say, “Help!” vs85-86

The arrogant have dug pits for me

in violation of Your law.

All Your commandments are faithful;

I am persecuted without cause—help me!

It is ok to cry for help and be weak: To say, “Oh God, I can’t be comforted. Lord, I’m full of distress - friends and foes discomfort me. I feel overwhelmed by what’s happening. I thought there was peace, but there’s war in my family, war on social media, and war among the saints. We are in discord, and we need help: Oh God help us.”

This is the cry of the poor, and He hears us, not stingily but ABUNDANTLY in mercy.

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. [James 1:5-6]

He has an unceasing supply of grace. Call out. Don’t be ashamed. You will be answered.

Finally, the ONLY WAY I can obey is if You do something inside of me by Your Spirit. vs87-88

They almost wiped me from the earth,

but I have not forsaken Your precepts.

Revive me according to Your loving devotion,

that I may obey the testimony of Your mouth.