Whispers of His Power – NOVEMBER 8
Ps. 4.1: Hear me when I call, O God of my righteous-ness: Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress.
Ps. 4.4: Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.
Ps. 4.5: Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.
Ps. 4.7: Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
Rotherham’s rendering of verse 1 is, ‘When I cry, answer me O mine own righteous God’. Let that mine own sink in. I am nothing, but I am His own. He understands His own. ‘In a strait place Thou hast made room for me. David remembers the years of the right hand of the Most High. There is nothing that more quickly reinforces faith than to remember the love of my Lord in the past. He is as He was yesterday.
Sometimes our prayer is interrupted, and we have to stop and turn to those who are making trouble. It is so here, in verses 2 and 3, but verse 4 has a wise word for us, ‘Be deeply moved but do not sin’ (Rotherham). We must be deeply moved often. Who is offended, and I burn not? said Paul (2 Cor. 11.29).
But beware of anything personal slipping in. So be quiet again, says the Psalm. There is wonderful gain to be found in stillness. Then in verse 5: Do whatever you ought to do. It may be extremely difficult, but do it, and put your trust in the Lord who has said, The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever (Isa. 32.17).
If there is talk again (verse 6), take it to your God and seek the light of His countenance. If you have that, what matter a million frowns? Only gladness and peace can follow.
oooOOOooo
These words are from ’Whispers of His Power’ a collection of writings that Amy Carmichael wrote for her ‘children’ and others associated with the Dohnavur Fellowship. and are Copyright © The Dohnavur Fellowship 1982
Unless otherwise stated, biblical quotations are from the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.
The following abbreviations are used to refer to other versions and sources:
BCP: Book of Common Prayer, the Great Bible of Coverdale
Conybeare: W. J. Conybeare, The Epistles of Paul (a translation)
Delitzsch: F. Delitzsch, Notes on Job and the Psalms
Kay: W. Kay, The Psalms (a translation)
LXX: The Septuagint
Moffatt: J. Moffatt, The New Testament: a new translation
Rotherham: J. B. Rotherham, The Emphasized Bible Revised Version
RV: Revised Version
Way: A. Way, The Letters of St Paul (a translation)
Westcott: F. Westcott, Notes on the Gospel of St John
Weymouth: R. F. Weymouth, The New Testament in Modern Speech
Young: R. Young, A Literal Translation of the Bible
Verses of poetry without quotation marks were written by Amy Carmichael.
