(Worship leader: This David poem was written before he had those amazing victories over Aram Naharaim and Aram Zobah and before Joab devastated the Edomites, killing 12,000 of them in Salt Valley. Play it to the tune “The Covenant Lily.”)
Hey God!
What’s going on here?
First you walk away from us.
Then you turn around and punch us in the gut.
You’re angry. I get it.
But help us get back on our feet.
We’re like a car you crashed into,
Rattled and ripped apart.
Repair us,
We can barely run.
You’ve put us in critical condition.
You got us drunk and delirious.
You raised a white flag for us
So those who are committed to you
Can retreat in safety.
(Stop. Take a deep breath.)
I’m convinced that you love us.
So, save us!
Answer us.
Get us going again.
God is unlike us,
Different from us in character,
Different from us in purpose.
He says,
“I’ll win.
And when I do,
I’ll divide up Shechem
And measure parcels of Sukkoth Valley.
Gilead is mine.
Menasseh is mine.
Ephraim is my helmet.
Judah is my scepter.
Moab is my mop bucket.
Edom is my dog.
Philistia is my buffoon.”
Who can get me to my hideout?
Who can help me escape to mountainous Edom?
Aren’t you the one, God?
The one who walked of and left us?
The one responsible for our failures?
We can’t count on human help.
It’s worthless.
We need your help.
With you, we’ll win.
You’ll take care of our adversaries for good.