As we grow older and wiser
We finally see the precious gems in our lives.
Gems which for decades were staring us in the face,
Always there, but never appreciated.
Gems, like the simpler things,
the things close to home:
the morning chatter of birds,
the quietness of dawn,
the shadows of evening.
Gems which need silence
for their value to be realized:
the crackling of a fire,
the trickling of a stream,
the lazy afternoon nap.
Gems taken for granted
by the young and thoughtless:
the time spent with family,
the commitment of a spouse,
the love of a parent.
Aging offers a chance to slow down
To take a careful look at what we truly have
To appreciate the gems we miss in the rush to live.
And to praise God for each and every one.
Today we meet an aging David in Psalm 106. This David seems more reflective, ruminating on the past and understanding the importance of praising God for the blessings of the present. In this psalm, he remembers and admits with clarity his own faults and those of his people, and he recalls the many punishments they received from God for them. It is not with resentment that David remembers the mistakes and reprimands; instead, he recollects with praise to the Lord for His discipline. It takes maturity, whether through age or experience, to understand that the penalties we pay for our sins are necessary for our spiritual growth. Long or short growth spurts all lead to the present, a present full of blessings.
David also recognizes the importance of praising God for all that has lead him to reach his golden years. Psalm 106 begins with praise, "Praise the Lord. O give thanks to the Lord for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!" and ends with praise, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, Amen! Praise the Lord!" This is the David who can look back on a lifetime of God's love. David repeats the verse, "His steadfast love endures forever," in Psalms' 106 through 108. He is secure in God's love for him, and not only that, he is secure in his own love for God. He prays in Psalm 108:1, "My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast!" David is not on the fence in his trust in God; he has experienced God's grace many, many times during his life and is confident in it.
In Psalm 109, however, David has realized that complete trust in anyone other than God is futile. His best life long friend Ahithophel has deceived him. This is the psalm that the apostle Peter referred to when Judas deceived Jesus. Unlike Jesus, though, David does not react with the same composure. David is stricken with grief by the deception and expresses a whole litany of ways for God to punish Ahithophel, "May his days be few; may another seize his goods! May his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow! May his children wander about and beg; may they be driven out of the ruins they inhabit! May the creditor seize all that he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil! Let there be none to extend kindness to him, nor any to pity his fatherless children!...," and on and on David's curses continue. David is MAD and he is counting on Jesus to take down Ahitophel, appointing God as his hit man again.
Because of David's years of devotion to the Lord and, most importantly, because of the grace of God, we see in Psalm 110 that he has evolved into a prophet. In Psalm 110, he literally foretells the events of the ascension of Jesus. David sings in verse 1, "The Lord says to my lord; 'Sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool." In verse 5, he continues, "The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgement among the nations." David's age and piousness have heightened his ability to see beyond the here and now, much like the apostle John in his book of Revelations.
In David's golden years, he has learned much. In Psalm 111:10 he states, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," then relates in Psalm 112 how a man who fears the Lord should conduct his life, "It is well with the man who deals generously and lends, who conducts his affairs in justice...He is not afraid of evil tidings; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. His heart is steady, he will not be afraid...He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor." Simply stated, David reminds us to be faithful to the Lord and just to others or else. As he states in verse Psalm 112:10, "The desire of the wicked man comes to nought." Only godliness is rewarded. In Psalm 113, David explains, "He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of the people." Again, only those who fear the Lord will experience the glory of God. In the beautiful lyrics of Psalm 114, David again restates the importance of that fear, "Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob."
As we mature our senses should become keener as a result of a close relationship with God, and the aging David has discovered this. In the songs of Psalm 115:6-7, David explains the reality of living a life without the presence of God, "They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat." These verses reveal how vital it is to continue our growth in faith. We do not truly understand anything unless all of our senses are committed to the Lord. The good news is that maturing in our faith can begin today; we do not need to wait until we are sixty, seventy, or eighty to see, hear, smell, feel, and taste that God has been present in all things, all along.
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