Psalm 71: 1-24

Vernon J. Charlesworth’s “A Shelter in the Time of Storm.” The Lord’s our Rock; in Him we hide, A Shelter in the time of storm; Secure whatever ill betide, A Shelter in the time of storm. O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, A weary land, a weary land; O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land—A Shelter in the time of storm. A Shade by day, Defense by night, A Shelter in the time of storm; No fears alarm, no foes affright, A Shelter in the time of storm. O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, A weary land, a weary land; O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land—A Shelter in the time of storm. The raging storms may round us beat, A Shelter in the time of storm; We’ll never leave our safe retreat, A Shelter in the time of storm. O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, A weary land, a weary land; O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land—A Shelter in the time of storm. O Rock divine, O Refuge dear, A Shelter in the time of storm; Be Thou our Helper ever near, A Shelter in the time of storm. O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, A weary land, a weary land; O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land—A Shelter in the time of storm...

My Old Testament professor in Seminary was Dr. John Stek. When teaching on the Psalms, he noted something C.S. Lewis also noted: a lot of the time God more or less demands to be praised. But isn’t that a bit off-putting? Do we care for people in life who seem always to be sucking around for a compliment? Isn’t it a bit vain and self-centered to ask for ongoing praise? Well, all things being equal yes but consider, Stek suggested, this scenario: suppose a single mother worked day and night to provide for her son, Charlie. She worked in a factory by day and cleaned toilets in an office building by night to give Charlie good food to eat, nice clothing to wear to school, and all the other things a young kid might need and want. But then suppose Charlie is a bit of an ungrateful clod. He never notices how hard his Mom works, never thanks her, and even seems a bit entitled and is not infrequently a bit rude to his mother. Now, suppose one day this mother said, “Charlie, I deserve better than this from you. I deserve far more respect and quite a bit more gratitude than you ever express to me.” Would we conclude this was a vain, egotistical woman on account of asking for a bit of thanks from her child? Hardly. So also with God...

My Old Testament professor in Seminary was Dr. John Stek. When teaching on the Psalms, he noted something C.S. Lewis also noted: a lot of the time God more or less demands to be praised. But isn’t that a bit off-putting? Do we care for people in life who seem always to be sucking around for a compliment? Isn’t it a bit vain and self-centered to ask for ongoing praise? Well, all things being equal yes but consider, Stek suggested, this scenario: suppose a single mother worked day and night to provide for her son, Charlie. She worked in a factory by day and cleaned toilets in an office building by night to give Charlie good food to eat, nice clothing to wear to school, and all the other things a young kid might need and want. But then suppose Charlie is a bit of an ungrateful clod. He never notices how hard his Mom works, never thanks her, and even seems a bit entitled and is not infrequently a bit rude to his mother. Now, suppose one day this mother said, “Charlie, I deserve better than this from you. I deserve far more respect and quite a bit more gratitude than you ever express to me.” Would we conclude this was a vain, egotistical woman on account of asking for a bit of thanks from her child? Hardly. So also with God: God can dare ask for our praise because due to our sin we are like Charlie: we just often miss seeing how much God gives us. We need to be reminded of how much has been given to us already and on an ongoing basis...