Hard times do come, a Reflection on Psalm 138

The lectionary response to the reading from 1 Samuel this week is Psalm 138. It is a psalm that doesn't match the attitude of the people who had confronted Samuel and demanded that  he appoint them a king.

They couldn't envision a successor to Samuel that would be able to protect them in the future. Apparently they would not have been able to pray Psalm 138 sincerely. It begins with thanksgiving to the Lord for steadfast love and faithfulness. Even if they remembered what had happened in the past, they weren't able to trust that the Lord would continue to love them faithfully.

This psalm is spoken in the first person singular: I give you thanks....When I called you, you answered me.

But, its message is not confined to just me. Verse 4 says that all of the kings of the earth shall praise the Lord because they have heard what the Lord has to say. And not just kings. The Lord pays attention to the lowly, even more than that given to the haughty.

Then the psalm turns to the future, "When I am in trouble, you will save me from my enemies." 

Sidelight--knowing God does not mean that we will never suffer. Bad things happen. But God will come to us in those bad times.

Relying on what we know about the Lord enables us to continue to pray for comfort during and rescue from those bad times.