May 21st

For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 116:8

In this psalm, David is celebrating a banquet of victories that he has received from the Lord. David has lived much of his life being chased by Saul and his armies and is a man who is acquainted with trouble and the shadow of death. His heart and soul cries out with joy at the goodness of his God. David was referring to his physical death and his everlasting destiny, where he had no reason for tears.

With this problem solved, David had an even greater joy ahead for him. This was the gift of being able to walk with the Lord in His presence. In this way, David could have an untold added number of pleasures by just experiencing God on a more personal level without the interference of living in our sin filled and corrupt planet. There is no fear in heaven and fear cannot easily co-exist with us on earth if we constantly recount the blessings and deeds of the Lord. One day all of us hope to be with David, walking with the Lord in part because we have learned to conquer fear on this earth.