Watch over your soul

In the book of Psalms we find that David constantly talked about his soul. In his time of trouble he wrote, ‘My enemy has persecuted my soul’. Psa 143:3. When we look at the literal translation of this verse we find it says, ‘My enemy has pursued my soul’. The outcome of this time for David was devastating. And he continued, ‘He’s crushed my life to the ground. And he’s made me to dwell in a dark place like those who have long been dead. Therefore, my spirit is overwhelmed within me and my heart is appalled within me.’ ‘They pursued my soul’ is not language that we would use today. We would be more likely to say, ‘They attacked me’ or ‘I feel under threat’.

The soul is our essential identity. And our enemy could be anybody. We may begin to feel pursued or persecuted by someone who is normally quite close to us. Our identity as a person may be under assault. At other times, we may not need enemies at all because we can wage war against our own souls! As the apostle Paul said, ‘We were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within’. 2Cor 7:5. In reality, the only thing that can cause us harm is the response that a situation evokes in us. If we are provoked and rise up against an enemy, we will feel pursued and eventually crushed. David certainly felt crushed, to the point where he felt he had no substance, integrity or viability, ‘like those who have been long dead’.

Jesus said, ‘Watch and pray that you do not enter into temptation’. What does it mean to watch? The Scripture refers to watchmen who were stationed on a wall or tower, looking out for enemies. However, temptation doesn’t always come from outside ourselves; it may also come from within. The scriptural words, ‘behold’, ‘look’ and ‘watch’, convey to us a sense of urgency. They mean, ‘Keep your eyes open; pay attention to what’s happening around you; be aware!’ We need to watch and pray because there is warfare against our soul. It’s important to watch over our ‘heart with all diligence for from it flow the springs of life’. Prov 4:23. In Scripture, the heart is synonymous with the soul.

The apostle Paul instructed us to obey our leaders in the church because ‘they keep watch’ over our souls. Heb 13:17. He told the overseers at the church in Ephesus to watch over the flock. Acts 20:28. Isaiah also encouraged us to ‘stand together and watch’. Isa 50:8. We can apply that instruction to a church fellowship as well as to our family. We think of the account in Genesis where the Lord said to Abraham, ‘Lift up your eyes from the place where you are’. Gen 13:14. We need to look up from our circumstance, our place of trouble and stress. And Paul said, ‘If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things’. 1 John 3:20. The Lord our God is watching over and protecting us. As David said of the Lord, ‘He restores my soul’. Psa 23:3.

Cameron Playsted

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Feature Articles
April 2009

How does faith grow?

Behold the Lamb

Pray without ceasing

The springs of song

Holy to the Lord

Supporting identity

Why do we fast?

Making vows

Watch over your soul

Learning patience

God is. Great!