Our God and Savior, help us! That will bring glory to your name. Save us and forgive our sins for the good of your name.

Psalm 79 is a prayer of a righteous man. It’s a psalm where we see Asaph cries to God for help. As he witnessed the tragic event of the siege of Jerusalem, his heart broke. He ran to none but God. He pleads to the Lord to forgive and save the people for the glory and good of His name. There are three attributes that we can learn from the life of Asaph, the writer of Psalm 79.

Express your feelings honestly (1-4). Running to God is the first, and the best, decision one can make when something unexpected occurs. Prefer to share all your feelings and all your sorrows with the heavenly Father who cares. Don’t waste your sorrows by sharing with the neighbors and friends who can only sympathize and pray for you. Almighty God can change the situation and bring peace of mind. Asaph was shedding tears for God’s people, God’s servants, God’s dwelling place. He was crying for his nation. Do we care for the people around us and our nation?

Examine the problems in godly perception (5-10). Remember, God is always righteous and holy. God is good, and He does only good (James 1:17). Here, Asaph asks God to forgive the sins of His people. He knew God alone could do something to bring changes in people and circumstances. Search the heart, examine the attitude, and evaluate the motives in the light of God’s words when you go through such adversity.

Establish yourself by focusing on the glory of God (9, 13). Asaph here relies on God’s name and His glory. Many people, when they confront similar situations, they take the problem in their hands and make the situation worse. But whoever anchors his faith in God and looks forward to the glory of God to be revealed, will wait for God’s time. In every circumstance, give glory to God.

By Daniel Devadoss, Bible League International staff, India