Are you feeling isolated right now?
With the pandemic of COVID-19 many people are living under “shelter-in-place” orders, with no definite end date in sight. For mamas of young ones, I believe this season can be especially difficult as many normal sources of community have been suspended or changed to online platforms. While modern technology is a blessing, there is something lacking in the 2-dimensional image of a friend, when what you need is a real-life hug. In addition to isolation, having playscapes, stores, churches, and gyms closed can make you feel like your house/apartment is closing in on you, right?
Yet, in this season the Word of God speaks hope and encouragement to the mama who is in the desert. Read the words of David, written at a time when he was experiencing acute personal loss and humiliation-
1 O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in your sanctuary
and gazed upon your power and glory.
3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
how I praise you!
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.
6 I lie awake thinking of you,
meditating on you through the night.
7 Because you are my helper,
I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
8 I cling to you;
your strong right hand holds me securely.
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According to some scholars, this Psalm was written during a time when David was at a real low- during the revolt of his son Absalom, who, making a play for his throne, David had been driven into the wilderness to flee for his life. In an effort to establish himself as king and make himself repulsive to his father, Absalom also took his father’s concubines and had sex with them in a tent on top of the roof of the royal palace (See 1 Samuel 15-18). Few of us can imagine the pain and insult that this must have been for David- experiencing acute betrayal from one of his own children. Yet in a place of presumable discouragement, he writes this beautiful Psalm, bursting with hope and joy.
How was David able to write with hope when he was in a place of such discouragement and disappointment? It is my belief that David understood how to experience joy in the midst of trials, he alluded to several ways to do so in this passage.
Joy is found in dwelling in the presence of the Lord. Note that the first verse is an adamant plea to simply be with the Lord. His language is strong- saying that his soul thirsts/his flesh yearns for the Lord. He does not begin his song with a prayer for deliverance, nor does he lament that he is being treated unfairly. Rather, David went straight to the source: in his time of deepest need his greatest desire was the Lord. Throughout his life, it appears that David worked hard to cultivate this relationship with the Lord. From the day that Samuel anointed him as king, the Bible says that “the Spirit of the Lord rushed on David from that day onward” (1 Samuel 16:13). Fruit of David’s close walk with the Lord was evidenced in his ready deflection of praise when faced with a significant military conquest (1 Samuel 17:37) and willingness to repent when confronted with sin (2 Samuel 12:13). In times of deep trouble we are told that David drew his strength from God (1 Samuel 30:6), and in addition, many of the Psalms are penned by David and serve as a memorial to his life of praise and worship. Prior to this time of difficulty, it is reasonable to understand that David experienced enjoying the presence of the Lord. When he was faced with a challenge, therefore, he knew where to go, and Who to seek. He knew what would truly bring him the relief he needed.
Joy is found in meditating on the Lord’s attributes.
Four verses of this short passage are spent meditating on the Lord’s attributes. David mentions that he has seen the Lord’s power and splendor (v. 2), magnifies the love of God (v. 3), calls the Lord his deliverer (v.7) and confesses that the Lord is the one who upholds him (v.8). When faced with a torrent of emotions, David chose to focus on the unchangeable truths of who God is. Rather than becoming discouraged by his circumstances, he encouraged himself by remembering who he prayed to, and the power of the God that he called his God.
Joy is found in praising the Lord.
Not content to simply remember the attributes of the Lord, David erupted into a torrent of praise. In these 8 short verses he mentioned praising the Lord three times, rejoicing, and raising his hands in the name of the Lord. Notice that the impetus for worship is not found in his circumstances- (the following verse, in fact, reads that “Enemies seek to destroy my life” v. 9) but in the greatness of his God. Anchored in the truth of who God is, David was able to rejoice (v.7).
What about you?
Is fear stealing your joy? Are you finding yourself discouraged by the constant barrage of bad news? Are you or a loved one suffering from this virus or the economic repercussions of this sickness? Perhaps you are simply lonely and wishing that quarantine were done! If any of these situations sound familiar, allow David’s path to joy to be yours as well. Dwell in the presence of God. Meditate on his attributes. Praise Him for who He is. Allow this time of quarantine to be a time of spiritual refreshment: turn off your television, silence your smartphone, pause your playlist and seek the Lord. Immerse yourself in his word. Spend time in prayer and silence before Him. In a time of fewer distractions and a greatly decreased calendar of commitments, allow this to be your time to also find joy in the desert and seek, like David did, to rejoice in the presence of God.
Notes: See “studylight.org”, Bible Commentaries, Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible, Psalm 63 for background on this passage.https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/psalms-63.html
EquippedMama 
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