Welcome to BibleTalk

Be gracious to me, O Lord (YHWH); See my affliction from those who hate me, You who lift me up from the gates of death, that I may tell of all Your praises, that in the gates of the daughter of Zion I may rejoice in Your salvation.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
King David is again crying out to the Lord about the many people who hate him, and about his trust in the Lord his God as his deliverer! That blessed man, king of Israel, who was the forefather of the King of Kings, Jesus, had a total confidence in the promises of God and a true knowledge of the power of praise. As a young man he had been faithful watching over his father’s flock {1Sam.17:34-35} and so the Father then anointed and appointed him to shepherd His flock, His people, as their king.

David was not a perfect man—he had many successes and failures throughout his life. That perfection would not—could not—even exist until his descendant, Jesus, was made flesh and dwelt among us. {Jn.1:14} What David did have was a heart after God, a burning desire to exalt Him and a proven trust in the faithfulness and love of God—just as we believers should have. Our hearts and our mouths should confess, “I shall delight in Your commandments, which I love.” {Ps.119:47} So when he sinned he did not make excuses for his failure, he repented before God {Ps.51} and the Lord was faithful and just to forgive his sin. {1Jn.1:9}

As I have said many, many times, excuses are the fiery arrows shot from the pits of hell to kill repentance!

Jesus came to earth as the suffering servant prophesied by Isaiah to bear our griefs and our sorrows; to be crushed for our iniquities and to pay the price for our sins. {Is.53:3-5} He would say the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve. {Mat.20:28} Making it all the more horrible that the Lord had to speak through Ezekiel the prophet to say, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord God, woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?’” {Ez.34:2}

Those words are certainly a caution that apply to all believers today. For they are the true disciples who are the bond-servants of Christ and who should desire to serve others just as He did. I know that I for one desire to hear Him say, ‘well done, good and faithful servant’ and then be blessed by Jesus saying:

“’For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’
Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’” (Matthew 25:35-40)

BE FAITHFUL TO THE END