To See Clearly
To you, O Lord, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy. What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim faithfulness? Hear O Lord, and be merciful to me; O Lord be my help.
Psalm 30:8-10
The notes in my study Bible on these verses refer to David’s understanding of life after death. The “going down into the pit” is apparently referencing David’s death. Certainly the scholars who wrote those notes are smarter than I, so I am not questioning the validity of their explanation. I do, however, see it a bit differently.
David begins the psalm talking about God having lifted him up, sparing him and being his joy. Then we have these verses about going into the pit, not being able to be faithful or to offer praise. Could this be about death? It could. To me it isn’t actual death. It’s more of the mini-death, if you will, of sinful behavior. It is the separation we experience when we distance ourselves from God by our own choices and behaviors.
One person may live in a pit of judgment or deceitfulness. Another may build their pit on broken dreams and bitterness. Each person’s pit is made of his own design but at the end of the day it’s still a pit. While we certainly hope those places are temporary dwellings too many of us get comfortable there, make our home and never attempt to get out. From that perspective it is difficult to praise God, sincerely or to receive His love. It is nearly impossible to love the people around us when we are trapped in the quicksand of sin.
Picture a dirty car window. You’re driving along with a car full of people. The other passengers are oohing and aahing over the sights but you aren’t impressed. From your dingy vantage point everything looks gray. No, you don’t think that tree is amazing or that the flowers are lush and beautiful. In fact this area looks depressed and dreary to you. Why do you see it so differently? Because your vision is marred by your circumstances.
Our own hurts and disappointments color everything we see and do. Recently I realized that I was painting many of my relationships with a brush covered in dust. The way I see myself often influences the way I see and love others. Ugly things like fear and envy come into play. Fear and envy are excellent building materials for pits but not for the life God planned for me to live.
Is David talking about actual death in this psalm? He may be but there are bigger considerations for those of us who still have a bit of journey in front of us. Regardless of whether we are facing actual death or the mini-death of repeated sin, the answer is to mimic David and cry out to God for mercy.
Psalm 30:8-10
The notes in my study Bible on these verses refer to David’s understanding of life after death. The “going down into the pit” is apparently referencing David’s death. Certainly the scholars who wrote those notes are smarter than I, so I am not questioning the validity of their explanation. I do, however, see it a bit differently.
David begins the psalm talking about God having lifted him up, sparing him and being his joy. Then we have these verses about going into the pit, not being able to be faithful or to offer praise. Could this be about death? It could. To me it isn’t actual death. It’s more of the mini-death, if you will, of sinful behavior. It is the separation we experience when we distance ourselves from God by our own choices and behaviors.
One person may live in a pit of judgment or deceitfulness. Another may build their pit on broken dreams and bitterness. Each person’s pit is made of his own design but at the end of the day it’s still a pit. While we certainly hope those places are temporary dwellings too many of us get comfortable there, make our home and never attempt to get out. From that perspective it is difficult to praise God, sincerely or to receive His love. It is nearly impossible to love the people around us when we are trapped in the quicksand of sin.
Picture a dirty car window. You’re driving along with a car full of people. The other passengers are oohing and aahing over the sights but you aren’t impressed. From your dingy vantage point everything looks gray. No, you don’t think that tree is amazing or that the flowers are lush and beautiful. In fact this area looks depressed and dreary to you. Why do you see it so differently? Because your vision is marred by your circumstances.
Our own hurts and disappointments color everything we see and do. Recently I realized that I was painting many of my relationships with a brush covered in dust. The way I see myself often influences the way I see and love others. Ugly things like fear and envy come into play. Fear and envy are excellent building materials for pits but not for the life God planned for me to live.
Is David talking about actual death in this psalm? He may be but there are bigger considerations for those of us who still have a bit of journey in front of us. Regardless of whether we are facing actual death or the mini-death of repeated sin, the answer is to mimic David and cry out to God for mercy.
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