In His Presence

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Psalm 21 starts out with a a list of things for which praise can be offered up to God. David could easily recite a litany of blessings that he had received from the Lord—and he does. But it is verse 6 of the psalm that hit me hard this morning:

“Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.”

The presence of God.

Nothing that God could have given David compared to that.

As I sat thinking about the words of the psalm, the lyrics to a popular worship song came to mind. I have the song on a CD sung by Lynn DeShazo and produced by Integrity Music. It beautifully captures what so often eludes us—time in His presence.

IN YOUR PRESENCE O GOD.

In Your presence
That's where I am strong
In Your presence
O Lord my God
In Your presence
That's where I belong
Seeking Your face
Touching Your grace
In the cleft of the Rock
In Your presence O God

I want to go
Where the rivers
Cannot overflow me
Where my feet are
On the rock
I want to hide
Where the blazing
Fire cannot burn me
In Your presence O God

I want to hide
Where the flood of
Evil cannot reach me
Where I'm covered by the blood
I want to be where
The schemes of darkness
Cannot touch me
In Your presence O God

You are my firm foundation
I trust in You all day long
I am Your child
And Your servant
And You are my
Strength and my song
You're my song

Seeking Your face
Touching Your grace
In the cleft of the Rock
In Your presence O God
In Your presence

David’s ability to remain strong in faith during the many challenges of his life was directly related to the time he spent in seeking that holy, quiet presence of God.

The world, and its prince, conspire to keep us from that time. But it is in His presence that we discover the One who is all we need to overcome that world and its prince.