I know three things

Sure, I probably know more than three things, but as I am reading through Psalms again and allowing these words to wash over my wounds, there seems to be, right now in my life, a link that I am seeing in three areas. It comes again today as I read Psalm 17.

1) Psalm 18:30, “As for God, his way is perfect”

2) Psalm 103:15, “As for man, his days are like grass”

3) Psalm 17:15, “As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.”

The first teaches that no matter what comes into our lives—sickness, financial trouble, family problems, suffering, loss, pain—whatever it is, God makes no mistakes. His ways with us are flawless.

But man? Well, maybe David is saying,”As for man, I have learned not to expect much from him, his days are like grass.”

And then the final link, “As for me, I will put my hope in God, knowing that ‘in righteousness I will see [his] face’ and that, when I awake from the sleep of death, ‘I will be satisfied with seeing [his] likeness.'”

God is perfect.

I am devastatingly flawed.

God will fully transform me.

It’s the “until then” part that hurts!

There is a lot more to say about Psalm 17, but today, that’s where God brought me…to realize once again that he is perfect, life is a mess (I am a mess), but there is an end goal, one that He will complete (Philippians 1:6).

Life doesn’t have to get fixed up before that goal happens. God doesn’t have to fix all the mistakes, all the bad things, all the wrongs, before he ushers in his Kingdom reign.

David ends this psalm with, “when I awake” — and that may not mean at all that he was going to get a good night’s rest and wake up and be satisfied. It may mean that, but there is good reason to believe that it also was David’s way of looking beyond this life with its troubles.

The ESV Study Bible says this…

“Confidence for Everlasting Satisfaction. The psalm finishes in triumph, anticipating eternal fellowship in God’s presence. (behold your face. Cf. 11:7 and Rev. 22:4.) When I awake is generally taken as implying “from the sleep of death”; thus the beholding and the satisfaction of this verse refer to the everlasting bliss that the godly look for (one may even go as far as seeing the general resurrection here).”

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6

The shattered clay pot,
One piece at a time,
The Potter himself will restore.

It’s the “until then” part that hurts!

Lord, with David I come asking for you to incline your ear, do your work in me and in this world of injustice. Thank you for delivering me, protecting my heart and soul, and for your unchanging purpose to transform me! There are verses in this psalm that are too close to the wounds, too close to the pain; Father of mercy, will you give my heart a contentment and satisfaction that is anchored in Christ? Help me to behold you and your righteousness.