The Intimate Dialogue

“By David.  To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.” Psalm 25:1

The Intimate Dialogue

By David.  To You – David’s poem must become personal before you can understand it completely.  The power in his poetry is discovered only when his emotional intimacy stirs familiar feelings in us.  Perhaps the first step is to realize that this poem is introduced with the simplest of acknowledgment, “By David”.  Let’s start there.  These are God’s words penned by David because these words are wrenched from the heart of a man burdened by troubles.  They could just as easily be my words – or yours.  “By me”.

There are two kinds of people in the world.  There are the “by me” people and there are the “by me to You” people.  The first kind is focused on personal endorsement.  What matters is what can be stamped with the “by me” endorsement.  These people may be very successful but they are essentially crippled.  They live one-dimensional lives devoid of true relationship.  They circulate around themselves in closed loop glorification.

The second kind of people is the “by me to You” kind.  The addition of this tiny phrase makes all the difference.  These people know that life is not a series of personal attachments.  It is a symphony of personal involvements.  I cannot be a “to You” person unless I am willing to give up the exclusiveness of “by me”.  Until I let “You” into the address of my life, I will never know the intimate fullness of being human.  “By me” is important only insofar as it establishes the place that I leave behind.

We often overlook the authorship by-line of the Psalms.  In some English translations it is even removed.  But these are God’s words too.  And “by David” immediately establishes a dialogue of private relationship with God.  “By David” says, “God, these are my words addressed to You.  You and I are the only ones here.  These are not words for public display or ritual profession.  These are my private, intimate thoughts presented to You alone.  By me – to You.  In closed communication, I bring to You something that is of utmost importance to me.  I am not seeking counsel from others.  I am not looking for support from my friends or influence over my circumstances.  I want You to hear me, and only You.”

David addresses his personal poem to the only One who matters.  Jewish scholars consider Hannah’s prayer for a son (1 Samuel 1) to be the epitome of prayer because it is prayer without sound.  She spoke only to God who heard her silence.  Her prayer was not for anyone except the Lord.  Psalm 25 is precisely this kind of prayer.  By David to God.  Everything about this prayer is found in this humble beginning.  This is my plea to my Creator.  The rest of my social, economic and political life is pushed aside and I am completely focused on only one relationship.

Are you praying “by me to You”?  Are you ready to leave “by me” in order to experience “to You”?