Wrestling with God 

 Psalm 142

1 I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift up my voice to the LORD for mercy.

2 I pour out my complaint before him; before him I tell my trouble.

3 When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me.

4 Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.

5 I cry to you, O LORD; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."

6 Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me.

7 Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.

The Psalmist is distinguishing between the culture that man creates and the personal security that only God can provide. He declares "it is You who know my way" . This word "know" is better understood by us if we think of it as "God creating our way." The Psalmist uses these words in the context of God in us and we in God. Most of the words we use when we are talking about interacting with others is in a true fellowship of equals. But the Psalmist is describing something that is much deeper than human relationships. The Psalmist is breaking down everything that we face in this world as a description of how it is working to bring us good and to glorify God. This is the central truth in the Psalms that our reality is how we describe our experience and our connection to this world. We sort of have an ongoing description of our history and we describe our present circumstances by that little voice in our heads that has left an imprint in our minds. In the Psalms God is the only one who describes all things in the way that they work and fit together in true reality. 

This is why in this time frame before all things are recreated both heaven and earth. When the skys will be rolled back like a scroll as they were at the cross , we will be able to see the throne of God and the effervescence of God shine out into all eternity from the new earth. Gods glory and His beauty will no longer be hidden behind the door. But until we are in the new perfect kingdom we must face sin and each other who carries the virus of sin. 

The Psalms teach that sin and evil which are a result of the fall of man hold the whole world in deception. Man is helpless to overcome sin in himself. I mean not just choosing to do this good instead of that evil but this Psalm is describing men who are trapped in their view of the world under the power of the corruption of sin. All men are guilty at all times of thinking about things as a description of their reality in which they slant the truth to their own advantage. This is why religion can be a way to use their view to obtain something for themselves. Men can take the religious words and use them to destroy their neighbor. This is why in the Psalms the description of Gods rest is to be harmless in speech so that we create peace. Resting in Christ is to tell the story without any aggressive attempt to control circumstances in which we have been taken advantage of.

This is what Psalmist is saying that those who try to control others must face the whole law and be cursed to death. This is the central issue in this psalm. That the Psalmist must overcome all opposition in order be set free. But the Psalmist is not saying that his actions will lead to this new conversion...this new revival. Rather the Psalmist is pleading with God to undo every thing that has been placed in his path and in God overcoming everything then he will bring others to this freedom. This phrase "Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me." Is in the same context as we find in the kings prayer in Ps. 9 13 O LORD, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death,14 that I may declare your praises in the gates of the Daughter of Zion and there rejoice in your salvation. When I speak of conversion I am talking about years of struggling and wrestling in prayer and then God answers.