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HOW TO KEEP FROM GETTING BITTER (Psalm 54)

Have you ever trusted someone only to be sorely disappointed? If you live long enough, you will experience this disappointment.

Before you let yourself think you are the only person going through hurt, read Psalm 54. It is one of those psalms that David wrote at a time when he was betrayed. He was one of the most loyal men who ever walked the planet, yet it seems that he was betrayed repeatedly by friend and foe, by people you’d think he could trust and who would do him right.

The setting of Psalm 54 was when David was hiding from Saul. He hid himself with a group of people who, as described in I Samuel 23, turned right around and told Saul where he was hiding. Can you imagine such betrayal?

The great danger when something like this happens is that the person being betrayed becomes bitter. I am glad David never did that. Otherwise, we would not have these sweet psalms of Israel. The beautiful words would not have flowed from his pen if his spirit had become sour. How did he keep that from happening?

Psalm 54: “Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth. For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah. Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth. I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O Lord; for it is good. For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.”

Let’s look at how David kept from getting bitter.

He returned to prayer.

Isn’t that so simple? The entire psalm is a prayer, but he began by crying out to the Lord to save him. Instead of lashing out at people and wanting vengeance - which we are all prone to do - David used his tongue to talk to God, the only One who could do something about it.

Instead of grumbling, griping, or seeking pity, he took it to the Lord. He searched his own heart to make sure he was right with God. Then, David committed himself to God.

If you are dealing with betrayal or disappointment, talk to Jesus. He can do something about it. How simple yet profound.

Prayer is the one thing we are told to do without ceasing, and also the first thing we cease to do.

He returned to God’s promises.

Verses 4-5: “Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.”

What did he do here? He simply went back and rehearsed what God had already said He would do. Go back to what you know is sure. The whole world may be shaking around you, and everyone else may have turned on you, but God has not changed.

Allow these Scriptures to encourage your heart:

“For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.” (Psalm 119:89)

“Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:18)

| God is going to keep His promises. Don’t dwell on the bad news and the circumstances you might be in. Don’t let yourself be consumed by other people and let their actions dictate your reactions. Go back to the promises of God. |

Search the scriptures and find a Bible promise to root your faith in today. Make it your own; lay hold of it by faith. When you go to God, claim that promise. Your faith will grow and your hope will well up inside. It will help you get your eyes back on the Lord.

The Bible says in II Corinthians 1:20, “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”

In negative situations, we still have God’s promises. Find one of those promises and make it your own. There are plenty to choose from. Here is a sampling:

“For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Read your Bible and find one of God’s promises. Let the Holy Spirit make it alive in your soul, and claim it as your own.

He returned to praise.

Verses 6-7: “I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O Lord; for it is good. For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.”

Start out by praising God for what He has already done; that will increase your faith. Remember that God worked in your life in the past, and He will do the same today.

This is one of the reasons I write in a journal every day. When I am low, I will grab an old journal at random and start reading. My soul is refreshed as I rehearse in my mind what I am so prone to forget - God has not failed me one time. There has never been a situation in which He was not true to His Word. What a wonderful God we serve!

Spurgeon said, “Our memory is perverse. By some strange perversity, we tend to remember what we should forget and forget what we should remember.”

I want to challenge you to go back and remember the goodness of God. Notice the emphasis in verse 6 on His name and the fact that it is good. Sometimes when we focus on bad things or circumstances, relying on our own emotions, we tend to get our eyes off God. That’s why we should praise Him for what He has already done, which will then lead us to praise Him for what He is doing now (even though we cannot see it) and will do in the future.

Do not wait until the prayer is answered to praise Him. Praise as you pray. Make your “supplication with thanksgiving” (Philippians 4:6). Those two things go together.

If you want to keep a sweet spirit in the midst of difficult situations and avoid getting bitter amid betrayal, there is a simple solution: return to prayer, the promises of God, and praise. It will anchor you and keep you from drifting. It worked for David during very difficult circumstances and it will work for you.

Keep your eyes on the God who never changes.