‘I am a worm’ (PSALM 22:6)
Man is naturally poor and proud, but grace strips him and humbles him in the dust. Here the highly favoured David, the man after God’s own heart, cries out, “I am a worm.” How little, how despicable he appeared in his own eyes. Every one that humbles themselves shall be exalted.
You have looked at Bible saints, and have sighed out, “Ah! They were not like me!” My brother and sister, are you not like a poor, weak, worthless worm? Do you not feel like that? Well, so did David.
The less you are in your own eyes, the more fit you are for the Lord Jesus, and the more welcome will you be at the throne of grace. But this was the language also of David’s Lord; this was the view the Jews had of Him and they treated Him accordingly.
The brightness of glory is compared to a vile reptile; the express image of the Father’s person is treated with the greatest contempt. But it was for us and for our salvation. O mystery of mercy! Jesus is reduced to a level with the worm, that he may be raised higher than the angels.
From Bethlehem’s inn to Calvary’s cross –
Affliction mark’d His road;
And many a weary step He took,
To bring us back to God.
By men despised, rejected, scorn’d,
No beauty they can see,
With grace and glory all adorn’d
The loveliest form to me.
THE DAILY REMEMBRANCER by James Smith (1802-1862)
Journal Jottings
‘I can say that my soul is truly alive to God and godliness, the language of the Psalmist is the language of my soul, “Thou which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shall bring me up again from the depths of the earth.” [Psalm 71:20]
My very soul seems to be crumbled in the dust before my God, for I have been deeply affected by reading the lives of some of the excellent of the earth. O what a poor, empty, barren, nothing creature do I appear! How slothful! How cold! How careless!
Holy Spirit quicken me and lead me into the great mystery of godliness – into the height and depth, and length and breadth of the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that I may be filled with all the fullness of God!’