“Recycling” last years thoughts on Psalm 56 this morning . . .

There’s something about being known that brings comfort. Something about having not to “hide it” or “pretend everything’s fine” that takes off a lot of pressure. Not that we necessarily want everyone to know everything about our struggles . . . but just to know that someone’s familiar with what we’re going through . . . that can be such a balm for the soul. Not that they can necessarily fix it . . . but just that they know . . . and they care . . . what a source of strength that can be. And even more so when that someone is the Father . . . who not only knows and cares . . . but, should it be in His will, can fix it too.

It’s Psalm 56, this morning, that has me considering the comfort which comes from knowing God knows. It says that this song was written by David when the Philistines captured him in Gath. David certainly had no lack of enemies during his life . . . from Goliath . . . to the Philistine armies . . . to Saul . . . to even his own son, Absalom, it seems that for a good portion of his life someone was pursuing him. Here it’s the Philistines. And here David pens with confidence, “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me.” (Ps. 56:3-4,11 ESV).

Although it isn’t too surprising, I don’t immediately think of David as someone who was afraid. Somehow we think of mighty men enduring tough times by setting their jaw, leaning into the wind, and allowing their red cape to flap behind them as they sport a big “S” logo on their chest. But David knew what it was to be afraid, to be gripped by fear and uncertainty . . . and when he did, he trusted God . . . and the fear was diminished . . . the anxiety reduced. And his basis for trusting God? Bottled water.

“You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” (Psalm 56:8 ESV)

David believed there wasn’t a path he took, that God didn’t know about . . . that God hadn’t kept track of it. David believed there wasn’t a tear He shed that God was not aware of and hadn’t collected and placed in a container. And that belief, which allowed David to envision each tear shed being collected by Almighty God and placed in a bottle, resulted in trusting God with every situation . . . it increased his confidence that “God is for me” (56:9b). And this morning it’s got me thinking too about the beauty of bottled water.

My tears are known by the God of creation. Counted drop by drop. None shed without His knowing the reason behind it. He is aware of them all. Some are of my own making . . . some are according to His will . . . all can be collected and put in a bottle because none pass His attention.

And as I think about tears, I think about the picture of those in Revelation who have come out of the tribulation . . . having washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb . . . they neither hunger nor thirst anymore . . . and they are before the throne of God . . . and the Lamb is in the midst of the throne . . . and the Lamb shepherds them, leading them to living waters . . . and, it says, “God will wipe away every tear from their eye” (Rev. 7:14-17). The bottle emptied . . . the weeping over . . . the hand of God Himself having cleared away every drop of sorrow. He knows. He is able to deliver. “In God I have put my trust, I will not be afraid . . . “.

And, then I think about the bottle . . . and my mind goes to that sinful woman who anointed Jesus feet with her tears and a flask of fragrant oil. She “stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil” (Luke 7:38). And I think how appropriate a use for that bottled water . . . to take those tears, known and collected by the One who made me, and use them as an offering of thanksgiving and praise at the feet of the One who saved me. Even held captive by his enemies, David declares, “I will render praises to You” (56:12b NKJV).

Praise God for bottled water . . . praise God with bottled water . . . to Him be all glory . . . amen!