God’s breath prayer for me are portions of verse 22 and the last phrase of 23, personalized thus, ‘I cast my cares on You and You will sustain me . . . I trust in You.’ Remember this is the Psalm where David has been betrayed by someone he considered a friend.  As I practiced oratio, Dr. Robert Jones’ Throne diagram came to mind. Very often in life we take desires that are not wrong in and of themselves and we elevate them to demands. For example take the normal human desires for affection, approval, admiration, acceptance, appreciation and affirmation. We desire these especially in marriage and they are all good things that spouses should be willing to give to one another without question. They become a problem when we are willing to sin against our spouse or other people when we don’t get them, whether it be in a marriage, a friendship or even an employer — employee relationship.

The ‘throne’ in Dr. Jones’ diagram represents our hearts. The cross is Jesus Christ. So often He is not enshrined on the throne of our hearts because we have replaced Him with one of those desires.

Kidner, in his commentary says something quite profound about the end of the Psalm where David says, ‘As for me, I trust in You.’ Kidner says by making his decision to trust in God, David has taken the betrayer and David’s desire for this man’s friendship off the throne of his heart. Kidner observes, ‘In effect, there are two parties, not three.’ Life is always about our relationship with God. 

May this bless you today as it has blessed me.

Cheri