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"The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him,"

~ Psalm 25:14a

 

Verse 14 most caught my eye (heart) as I read this psalm today…“friendship of the LORD”.  So much for the cruel, harsh, cold, distant, wrathful God of the Old Testament!  David here writes of an experience of friendship with God and offers hope for others to experience the same.  This friendship being a sweet, satisfying, companionship/fellowship type of relationship. 

How is one to have friendship with the LORD?  What does this friendship look like?

David begins and ends with “fear”.  Not a trembling, quaking, frightful, dread kind of fear, but instead a fear of reverence and worship, of love and trust, of humility and obedience.  David clearly identifies that he is a sinner (v.7,18), that his guilt is great (v.11) and that he is in need of God’s mercy (v.6), steadfast love (v.7), goodness and righteousness (v.8), pardon (v.11), grace (v.16), forgiveness (v.18), deliverance (v.20) and preservation (v.21).  The “how” of friendship with the LORD is humble acknowledgement of sin, repentance and trust in God for forgiveness.  God is not your friend because you are great, worthy and desirable as a friend.  It is for “his name’s sake” that he pardons and befriends.

The “what” of friendship with the LORD is waiting (v.3,5,15,21).  This waiting is expectant and is in the LORD only and altogether (v.5).  The “what” of friendship with the LORD is seeking to know the LORD and his ways (v.4,5,8,9,12,14).  This seeking is humble, genuine, relentless and hopeful.  The “what” of friendship with the LORD is obedience (v.10).  This obedience is not for the merit or praise of self, but instead for the merit and praise of the LORD.

Take some time to read and reread Psalm 25 to search out the benefits/outcomes of “friendship of the LORD” as declared throughout this Psalm.  I pray you will grow in your friendship with the LORD!