An elderly King David weeps as he prays to God and places his trust in the Lord’s mercy. Image generated with ChatGPT by OpenAI.
““Hear my prayer, LORD, listen to my cry for help; do not be deaf to my weeping. I dwell with you as a foreigner, a stranger, as all my ancestors were.”
Psalms 39:12 NIV
The Lord has directed my attention back at the Psalms, as we visited Psalm 71 on Monday and today He selected Psalm 39:12 for me to study. If you feel inspired to read more devotionals focusing on the Psalms, we have many of them for you to study:
Psalm 39 is titled To the Chief Musician. To Jeduthun. A Psalm of David. Who was the Chief Musician? Some Bible scholars think David meant the Lord God, while others think it might have been one of the worship leaders or musicians from David’s time, like Heman or Asaph. Jeduthun is also mentioned several times in Psalms; he was one of the musicians David appointed to lead Israel’s public worship.
Many of the Psalms can be tied to a specific event or time in David’s life, but Psalm 39 provides no clues. Some think that it was written towards the end of his life, but that’s pure speculation. However, 18th Century bishop and scholar George Horne (cited on Enduring Word) notes that it was commonly used at funerals:
iii. “This Psalm is, with the utmost propriety, appointed by the church to be used at the burial of the dead, as a funeral is indeed the best comment upon it.” (Horne)
David is appealing to God to hear his prayer, his “cry for help,” and pleads with God to “not be deaf to my weeping”. Why is he in tears? David is feeling a sense of separation from the Lord, as he says “I dwell with you as a foreigner, a stranger, as all my ancestors were.“
David was most certainly not a foreigner or stranger in Israel; he was born there, lived his life in the land, and was its most famous king. But he did feel that he was a stranger with God. In other words, David was saying that both he and God were strangers in the fallen world.
Again from Enduring Word, we have these words from F.B. Meyer:
ii. “Abraham first described himself as a stranger and a sojourner…. All his children, those who inherit a like faith, must say the same. Faith cannot find a home on this side of the stars. It has caught a glimpse of the Infinite, and it can never be content with anything else.” (Meyer)
and of course Charles Spurgeon had some brilliant insight into David’s thoughts of being a stranger in his own land (from Enduring Word):
iii. “If an Englishman goes to the Continent, and tries to pass himself off as a German or a Frenchman he is soon detected; and, in a similar fashion, a true Christian reveals the fact that he is an alien in this world; his ways and manners and customs are not those of the men of the world, who have their portion in this life.” (Spurgeon)
David Guzik explains:
iv. If we are indeed strangers and sojourners, then it follows that:
· It is sure we have a home somewhere.
· It is not surprising that we sometimes long to get home.
· If we are strangers, then we should treat each other well.
· It should be a comfort to the Christian in death.
The Bible Says also provided some eloquent commentary on this verse:
Acknowledging that his home and livelihood come from God, David reminds himself and his readers that believers are ultimately guests upon the earth. Like his forefathers before him, including Abraham and his descendants who journeyed through foreign lands, David recognizes that this world is not the final home (Hebrews 11:13-16). By appealing to the Lord’s compassion, he reveals that his greatest hope is not self-made or bound by earthly status, but utterly reliant upon God’s mercy.
This heartfelt cry captures the universal human experience of facing sorrow while feeling exiled in a fractured world. David’s request for the Lord to notice his tears hints at a deep longing for God’s active presence. The language of a “stranger” echoes the idea that each person’s days dwindle quickly, and connection to God is vital if one is to flourish for all eternity. Such reminders called Israel time and again to look beyond temporary earthly gains, thus cultivating a longing for the Lord’s promised redemption.
David’s psalm should resonate with all Christians who find themselves despondent about their place in a world where they feel like a stranger.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Lord, when I am in times of despair and sorrow, I ask for You to hear my prayers and to take note of my tears, to turn Your attention toward me and provide comfort. Like You and King David, I am a foreigner in this fallen world, and I take solace in knowing that You have promised me redemption and eternal life through Your Son and my Savior Jesus Christ. AMEN.