For with You is the fountain of life;

....    In Your light we see light (Psalm 36:9). I don't have a single verse to prooftext this, but there is evidence all over Scripture that whether God says yes,  or whether He says no, it is for our provision and protection. In many ways however it flows out of this verse (pun intended)! Life and light are recurring themes in the Scripture,  and God is the both the source and the fountain of both. That is He is both the author and the supplier of them. Moreover the description of them being a fountain speaks of abundance (verse 8).  Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights (James 1:17). What both James and the Psalmist is saying, is that if anything is good, ultimately God is either the source,  or the inspiration of it.

With respect to trust, obedience,  or worship (verses 5,6), it is very easy to get distracted,  offended or discouraged. The Psalmist cries out “Let not the foot of pride come against me, And let not the hand of the wicked drive me away” (verse 11). In fact so often these things can be crossroads. The title of the Psalm is “An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked” (verse 1a), and from there to verse 4 is something of a tirade against such. In verse 5 however, he bursts into glorious praise of our God. Not his words, but mine,  God is good all the time,  and all the time God is good!  Well, not really mine either.  But if we truly believe that,  we too will praise Him. It is, as I say, a crossroads, and we get to choose. It is not about endurance, it is about, with His help,  rising above it!

Is the glass half full, or is it half empty, am I an optimist, or am I a pessimist?  “In Your light we see light,” knowing and understanding that God is light and in Him dwells no darkness at all (1 John 1:5),  gives us a different perspective on the world. In His light we see the end of the wicked (Psalm 73:17), in His light we are not deceived, for we understand that we reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7). In His light we see that His “no” is for our protection, and that He is for me,  not against me.  In His light I learn to have my senses exercised to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:14). In His light we can walk in the light,  and when we do, we have fellowship both with Him,  and meaningful fellowship with each other  (1 John 1:6, 7).

Father, the oracle within the heart of the Psalmist was grieved at wickedness of the wicked, but his High praise drove it from him,  as in praise he began to see things in Your light. We need to do this too Lord.  And so,  in the words of the Psalm,  Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, Your justice rolls like the ocean depths (verses 5,6).  Teach us Lord to see all of life in Your light, and Lord in the midst of it all, tune our hearts to sing Your praise, and we will give You the glory, in Jesus Name Amen