Introduction: Though the name of David was not expressly mentioned in the inscription of this Psalm but many studies have shown that David composed this Psalm not for Praise but Lamentation. This was a lament for a deprivation of free access into the Temple of God in Jerusalem which the author had been having before. As a king, one would have thought that his major pain in this time of exile from Jerusalem at this time when his son Absalom planned to unseat him, would be pleasures, his prestige, his power and many other good things of life which his present predicament had deprived him of. But far be it that he longed for such mundane things. He rather preferred the service of God to every earthly advantage. His desire was God’s presence. As I studied this account, I daily gain confidence in the heart of worship of this brave King who had shown at many times that his utmost desire is God. Read Psalm 27:4; 84:10.
Passion: The word passion is a term applied to a very strong feeling about a person or thing. It is applied to a lively or eager interest in or admiration for a proposal, cause, or activity or love – to a feeling of unusual excitement, enthusiasm or compelling emotion, a positive affinity or love, towards a subject (Wikipedia). It has also been defined as strong, deep and often uncontrollable feelings towards a subject.
Passion in action
Phinehas – Numbers 25: 1 – 9
Deborah – judges 4: 4 – 6 , 14
Nehemiah – Nehemiah 1: 3 – 4; 13: 11
David – Ps. 132: 4 – 5; 1 Chron. 16: 29; Ps 69:9
“for zeal for your house consumes me,” NIV
“I love you more than I can say. Because I’m madly in love with you,” THE MESSAGE
“Passion for your house has consumed me,”NLT
“My strong love for your Temple completely controls me.” NCV
“My zeal for God and his work burns hot within me.”TLB
Deer: The deer does not need to reason out why it needs water; it naturally seeks out water when it thirsts just like any fish. It is fond of feeding near some water for the benefit of drinking. And when it is hard hunted by dogs, nearly spent he will take to run to river or brook where he will keep as long as his breath will allow and descend down the stream and swim in the very middle lying under water except for his nose. The Psalmist here likened his experience to that of a deer as being pursued, exhausted, and nearly ready to give up the ghost and therefore resolved to long for God’s presence which he had been physically denied.\
Thirstiness or Hunger: These two states are indication that a man is exhausted and maybe we say he is empty. But we all agree that any of this is a sign of good living. Either you are thirsty or hunger; it is a degree of healthiness. Is it possible for a dead man to feel any of these? But as much as it is good to have this, it will be wrong to stop at this stage without finding solution to our state of emptiness. This account for 80% of the fainting we have in our Churches today. Do you know that many of us are not where we ought to be? Do you know that many have lost their savour in the course of their journey in life? Was this your state spiritually before now in God? Do you know many complain on many occasions that “I know my life was not like this before”. All of these are indications that you are still alive. But do you want to wait till death before the situation will change?
Despite his (David) kind of person, his throne, popularity, his affluence, his influence, power before the present situation he humbled himself. Many lives today have remained where they are because they are not willing to come down from their mountain to seek help from God. Many are only lamenting but they just don’t want to cry out for help not that they don’t know where to go to but their pride is eating them up. Can I ask that you check you spiritual gauge today? How has it been now compared to when you first believed in Christ? Are you still fervent for God in the midst of all these economic troubles and social challenges? It is entirely dangerous for a man to feel filled when he is empty.
There are levels in this state of thirstiness. The first is Discovery and Acknowledgement. The second is identifying what you need and where this need will be met. David resolved crying out to God. He was not looking for pleasures rather he turned to God for strength and solace. He knew what was missing and went for it. He knew where to get. Even when others had misrepresented that same God, he knew his God and so was not moved by the evils of men. He sought God with his heart.
Anyone with passion for God must have new birth experience (Amos 3:3; John 3: 3 – 7); an intense desire, consecration, concentration and earnest longing (Phil. 3: 10), humility, willingness to accept the yoke of Christ with prompt obedience (Matt. 11: 28 – 30; James 1: 19 – 25); personal study and prayer life (Exodus 20: 24 – 26).
Passion is not passion when it only has to do with wishes, desires, feelings, nodding in agreement and many more intending gestures in our Christian race when it does not result in action. Many of us today agree with the fact that we are empty or thirsty but that is where it ends. No step taken and no action. For how long do you want to remain like this even as ‘power house’ in the Church today? We are supposed to be gap fillers, gate keepers, intercessors, nation builders and repairers of broken altars but who are we today? Toothless dogs, Dead lions or Warriors of the Cross?
No man can sustain his passion for God without the Word of God (2 Tim. 3: 16 – 17), Prayer (Exodus 31:18; 33: 12 – 23), Fasting (Mark 9: 17 – 29) and Fellowship with believers (Heb. 10: 24 – 25)