In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
Let me never be put to shame!
Psalm 71.1
The notion of shame is not nearly as common in our culture as it used to be. But it is found in the Bible and, in particular, in the Psalms. When used in a prayer like the one in our verse there is something important going on. It's tied to what the psalmist wrote about taking refuge.
Something's up in the psalmist's life, and it's not good. He is confronted my something eager to do him in, something that he cannot deal with. So, he runs to his God, desiring safety. He takes refuge in his God. And his expectation is that his God will protect him from whatever that danger is. Now, if that expectation is not met, if, for whatever reason, his God doesn't come through, then, among lots of other things, he will be shamed. Those who are watching him would mock. 'You banked on your God coming through, and He didn't. What a fool!' There would be embarrassment, more than embarrassment. There would be shame.
Something's up in the psalmist's life, and it's not good. He is confronted my something eager to do him in, something that he cannot deal with. So, he runs to his God, desiring safety. He takes refuge in his God. And his expectation is that his God will protect him from whatever that danger is. Now, if that expectation is not met, if, for whatever reason, his God doesn't come through, then, among lots of other things, he will be shamed. Those who are watching him would mock. 'You banked on your God coming through, and He didn't. What a fool!' There would be embarrassment, more than embarrassment. There would be shame.
There are ways to avoid falling into a shameful situation like this. 'Don't put all your eggs in one basket.' We've been told that we need to manage our risk. So, this thinking goes, it's all well and good to pray that God will take care of you, but it doesn't hurt to have a backup plan. But let's translate that. 'Dear God, please help me. But in case you don't I have something in reserve.' Well, He hears that as it is. 'I trust you, but not really.'
The psalmist didn't take that route. Instead, he jumped in with both feet. He did, in fact, put all his eggs in one basket. And that is why he wrote that second line, which we can translate, 'Lord, there is no Plan B. If You don't take care of me in this situation I am done.' Following Jesus is like that. We jump in with both feet. We risk it all. There is no Plan B.