05/02/2018 STUMBLING BUT NOT FATALLY FALLING
Psalms 37:23-24 The steps of good men [and women] are directed by THE LORD. HE delights in each step they take. If they fall it isn’t fatal, for THE LORD holds them with HIS hand. [Living Bible translation]
DISCUSSION
Psalms 37 is one of the many sacred hymns or songs attributed to David. This Psalms was written in the latter years of David’s life. We know this because in Psalms 37:25, the very next verse, David declares: “I have been young and now I am old. And in all my years, I have never seen the LORD forsake a man who loves HIM….”
Psalms 37 is a psalm of reflection. It is the psalm of a man who has experienced life and who has “seen some things.” It is a psalm of a man who doesn’t need to brag or embellish his life’s work or accomplishments-- a man who is not afraid to admit that he has made mistakes. It is a psalm of a man who readily admits he has stumbled, but instead of being self-focused in self- admiration or criticism, David is GOD-focused, thanking GOD. While David surely stumbled, many times, GOD didn’t let him fatally fall. Psalms 37:23-24 are the reflections of a man sobered by the GRACE of GOD.
Looking over his life, David has the humility, courage and basic honesty to admit that it wasn’t his holding onto GOD, but rather, GOD holding onto him. David is not speaking as David, the king of Israel. The Psalms 37:23-24 “older and wiser” David, is speaking about GOD, the KING of KINGS.
In case you don’t remember some of the things that David encountered in his lifetime, here a just a few:
- It was David who faced his own person “life and death” Olympics against a foreign challenger named Goliath. (1Samuel 17)
- David spent many years running for his life and in hiding from a jealous King Saul (1Samual 19:9; 20:24)
- David was homeless, living in caves and fields (1 Samuel 20:24; 22:1)
- David was hungry and had to ask for help from a priest (the “church” or “temple” during those times – 1 Samuel 21:6)
- David sinned and had to confront the situation he put himself in (2 Samuel 12)
- David lost a baby. (2 Samuel 12:19)
- David had a child who rebelled against him (2 Samuel 15)
- David had family confusion and mayhem in his house, resulting in one son, Absalom, killing his brother, Ammon, who raped his sister. (2Samuel 13:30).
- David watched his own sins (rebellion against GOD, deceit, abused of power,
manipulation, seduction of a woman, etc.), seemingly being played out in his own sons’ lives.
Looking back “through it all,” David saw a lot of places and times when he failed, doubted, became discouraged, came up short and stumbled; but still looking forward and still standing, David praised GOD for never forsaking him, or letting him fatally fall.