In the ups and downs of our emotional life, sometimes we can seem to get lost, unable to find our bearings. We don’t know exactly what is going on in our lives because our emotions are pulling us in so many directions at the same time. We need time to clear our head, but often the emotions just keep tugging no matter what we do. Those around us, and those who seem to be against us, just don’t seem to understand. We feel alone and misunderstood.
It is in these kinds of moments that we often feel the need for God’s direction the most. We need stability in the middle of our storm. When we feel under attack, we need a good barricade to protect us from the enemy attacks. We always need His direction, but the felt need is often the greatest when our world seems to be spinning out of control. And if we are under attack, then the felt need seems even greater.
The biggest problem is that we lose our sense of direction. We look for the horizon, but the storms make it impossible to get our bearings. All the old ways of determining direction seem to fail. We need the LORD to open our eyes so that we can see His path ahead. We need Him to make the path straight. It is not that the path was crooked before the LORD’s anticipated intervention, but that His path was not discernible. The enemy attacks and the feeling of isolation were so great, and the emotions so overwhelming, that you couldn’t find your way. It was there all along, but you couldn’t see it.
For David, the lies of his enemies seem to be overtaking him. He knows what they are saying isn’t true, but he can’t rely on his own judgments at this point. So he states this to the LORD as a way to anchor himself. He wants the LORD to open his eyes because he can’t find his way out of the turmoil in which he finds himself. He wants the gavel of judgment to put an end to their input. He wants them to get caught in their own schemes. He wants their guilt to be declared. He wants no doubt about who is in the right.
And as a result of this judgment, the righteous, David included, will be able to breathe again. They will be able to drink in the LORD’s presence and blessing. They will be able to fully participate in worship. When we feel like the enemies of the LORD and of our life have the upper hand, it can be hard to enjoy the LORD’s presence. It can be hard to worship when the storms are raging.
But when He has stilled the enemy voices, worship comes easy. When we are under the blanket of His protection, we should respond in worship. David feels like he needs to experience the LORD’s shield. Just as Israel today needs its Iron Dome to protect it from incoming rocket attacks, so David needed the LORD’s protection from the incoming volleys of personal attacks.
The Arnold Journey 