You Are in Good Hands; Ps 31 & 40

May the mumbling commence!

You are in good hands.  These words may remind you of a certain commercial.  I won’t name the company, but I am sure many of you know the one I speak about.  Well, I will be looking at portions of Psalms 31 and 40.  David proclaims to us in these Psalms that the only good hands to be in are the hands of God.

Twas the day before Easter and all through my head verse five of Psalm 31 rings through my being.  “Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth.”  Jesus spoke similar words when he was breathing his last on the cross.  One more day of living with the incredible sacrifice that Jesus suffered for our benefit.  I look forward to Resurrection Sunday – it is always extra special when I get to preach the word, like I will tomorrow.

Later in Psalm 31, David gives reason for the trust that he puts in the Lord’s hands. Read verses 14-16:

But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God." 

My times are in your hands;

            deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me. 

Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.

Too often, we assign too much influence to ourselves, to others, and to the things of our lives.  Why cannot we say with David, “Our times are in Your hands?”  And there is no better hands to be in than the hands of the One who loves unfailingly.

The question on my mind this Holy Week is: how do we return this unfailing love?  To find the answer, I now turn to a portion of Psalm 40.  Read it below.

Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced;

burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. 

Then I said, "Here I am, I have come –

            it is written about me in the scroll. 

I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart." 

I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;

            I do not seal my lips, as you know, O Lord. 

I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;

           I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.

I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly. (Verses 6-10)

Pierce our ears, O Lord.  Open them so that we may hear You true.  You do not want us to stumble and seek Your favor through sacrificial offerings.  You want from us the deep desire to do Your will, with the Spirit of the Law within our hearts.  It is all too easy to stop at this point in the Psalm for those from a service oriented background.  Let our actions speak for us.

No.  I proclaim Your righteousness in the great assembly.  I speak of Your faithfulness and salvation.  I can neither hide nor conceal Your righteousness, Your love, or Your truth from the great assembly – even if I wanted to hide and conceal them.

May we speak clearly to the world through the concert of our words and actions speaking as one.  If we only speak the words and not do them, no one will listen.  If we only do the requirements and not speak of our Lord, then the world may think that we do these things of our own righteousness.

With the Lord Jesus, I am in good hands.  Jesus brings me joy, and I can neither sit still nor keep quiet.  What righteousness!  What unfailing love!  What truth!

Enough mumbling for now…  

Peace Out