As one of our fellow readers said to me, David really messed up a lot. We would expect a man after God’s own heart to make consistently better choices than David did. This reminds us that he was a man, made of flesh just like us. That timely reminder makes Psalm 108 all the more meaningful to me. This man testified at this point in his life that his heart was steadfast. That steadfast heart compelled him to praise God with all his being, so early in the morning that he awoke the dawn with his highest praise. What made him so steadfast and so grateful to and worshipful of God? It wasn’t his circumstances, for his army apparently wasn’t enjoying victory over their enemies; he said, “Have you not rejected us, O God? You do not go out with our armies.” What an example to us. Can you say in the midst of trying times that your heart is steadfast? When your circumstances are so adverse that it seems like God has rejected you, can you praise God for His great steadfast love and faithfulness that reaches to the clouds?
Psalm 109 is one of the best examples of a psalmist asking God to do awful things to another on his behalf. Check out his reasons for that: they were attacking him unjustly, speaking against him with lying tongues, encircling him with words of hate. He had experienced such animosity before, but had never displayed such a violent hatred against those who were responsible. The difference here is that he had loved these people who were encircling him with words of hate. How that must have hurt! How sad that love can turn into hatred.
Psalm 110 is prophetic, speaking of Jesus. It’s another reminder that Jesus wins in the end! That’s definitely a reason to hope and to offer praise to God today. With that reminder, we can, like David, joyfully praise God with highest praise no matter our circumstances. That is what a steadfast heart looks like. Is your heart steadfast today? Can you offer God lavish praise as David did?