June 19, 2021 -- Psalm 63:1-4 -- Breaking the hold of spiritual lethargy

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
3 Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
4 So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
Psalm 63:1-4 English Standard Version

Consider these words. They were written by the righteous King David, a man after God’s own heart. He was the king of the land, the Land of Milk and Honey, the Land of Promise. Here is a man at the pinnacle of human power who is longing for the Living Water only Jesus can provide. He knows only the LORD can break through the ^ennui and groundless uneasy feelings of the mind.

Yesterday I was reading an article about harmful side effects of the vaccines. Then I saw government articles promoting vaccinations. Amid the cacophony were posts of those who celebrated having their second dose. Recently a young-in-the-faith Christian expressed a goal-less restlessness and undirected energy mixed with lethargy. Some Covid restrictions have been significantly relaxed and many people celebrate. Others chide the government for inciting fears and then bribing citizens with their own charter rights and freedoms. Part of my summer reading included a book on a Hasidic Jewish man who chronicles the ebbing away and finally the loss of his faith.

Psalm 63 is a necessary reminder that no matter what government rules the land at any particular moment in history—the human heart can be discontented and parched. It is worship that leads the soul-dry Christian to Jesus, the Living Water.

No matter the upheavals in a land—peace or war, famine or prosperity, riches or poverty, sickness or health, corporate greed or social activisms or ascendant church movements—God the Glorious He alone is great and He alone can fill our thoughts and vision and souls with such satisfaction that we have great peace no matter what the circumstances of our lives.

Our spiritual lives and hope-filled courage in God does not depend on who is in government or what policies are being enacted. Sure, these various things impact our physical well-being and our economic standing. The anchoring hope of our hearts and the refreshment of our souls is found when we look to God, by faith looking at and considering His power and glory.

^ennui: soul listlessness, dissatisfaction

O God, You are my God~So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open,
drinking in your strength and glory.
In your generous love I am really living at last!
My lips brim praises like fountains.
I bless you every time I take a breath;
My arms wave like banners of praise to you.

Today’s prayer is Psalm 63:1a, 2-4 The Message translation

The music is a contemplative version of the triumphant hymn “Thine Be the Glory”. Usually this is with organ and trumpets and choirs. This quieter version seems to fit today’s meditation.

https://youtu.be/jItTCHchMkk