You can ask Him for it

 

After a conversation with a friend this morning, I have begun diving down a rabbit hole to try and make more sense of a verse I’ve never fully looked at. So, if you’re interested, put on your head lamp and climb down with me.

Psalm 86:17 KJV - Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.

It’s this idea of a ‘token for good’. What does it even mean? Maybe you’ve already got it all figured out, if so, feel free to scroll on. But for those of you who want to learn more about what David was talking about when he penned this particular Psalm, stay with me.

Let’s start at the beginning.

The book of Psalms is a collection of 150 Hebrew poems, songs, and prayers that express praise, lament, thanksgiving and trust in God. It was written by multiple authors over a period of approximately 900 years beginning with the time of Moses. It is divided into 5 books, so scholars tell us, and this particular Psalm is part of book 3.

It is the only Psalm in this part of the book that is labelled ‘a prayer of David’.

We are drawn straight into the Psalm with a cry for help. Psalm 86:1 Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. David paints a picture of prayer and urgency and emotionally charged fears.

This Psalm was written during a time of persecution for David. Either Saul’s pursuit (1 Samuel 19-26) or Absalom’s revolt (2 Samuel 15-18). David was in distress, surrounded by his enemies and he knew his limitations and that he couldn’t fight his battles on his own.

We see David asking for mercy. For help. For God to listen to his cries. But we also see praise. We see him speaking of God’s goodness, his mercy, his greatness and for his ability to listen, answer and forgive.

So, when we come to the last verse of the Psalm, we see David asking for a ‘token for good’. Interestingly, he is not only asking it for himself, but also so that God may be revealed to his enemies as a God that is stedfast and loving. He wants God to be seen for who he really is. He wants others to see the goodness and greatness of God.

I’ve often quoted the phrase that we read in this verse, ‘token for good’, but not really thought too much about it. So, I decided it was time to think on it.

The word token is derived from the Hebrew term ‘ot’ which simply means a sign, or a proof of God’s favour. This particular word is used 79 times in the Hebrew, sometimes as token, sometimes as sign, miracle or mark.

“Tokens in biblical times held significant cultural importance. They were often used to signify agreements, treaties, or divine promises. The Israelites understood tokens not only as physical reminders but also as assurances of God’s presence.

In ancient Near Eastern cultures, covenants were often sealed with tokens or signs. These symbols served to remind both parties of their commitments. Similarly, in the Bible, tokens are often presented as divine assurances to reinforce the faithfulness of God in His covenants with His people.”

One of the most well-known mentions of a token in the Bible is found in the book of Genesis (9:12) when God gives a rainbow as a token of his favour and a sign that he will never flood the earth again. It is a token of hope.

We see it again in Exodus (12:13). Here the token is blood. The blood of the Passover Lamb is a token of God’s protection and deliverance to the Israelite people.

When David asks for a token of good, he is asking for a sign from God that he is working on his behalf. He wants to receive clear evidence of God’s goodness. He wants a reminder of God’s faithfulness.

And I believe that we are well within our rights as a child of God, to ask of him, a token for good.

Sometimes, when the waves rise above us, when the clouds are dark and the pathway before us becomes hazy and unsure, we need a token. We need a reminder of God’s goodness.

David didn’t just cry out for help. He asked for a clear sign that he was not abandoned. He was honest about how he was feeling. He laid it all out, but he held onto hope, kept praising in the storm, and waited in expectation for deliverance, asking for a sign to help him keep the faith.

It wasn’t so much that he doubted God’s goodness, but that he needed tangible evidence that God was still working, so that he could keep believing.

I don’t know what token it is that you need today that will speak to you. I don’t know what evidence it is that you need to keep you from letting go. I can only speak from personal experience.

Sometimes for me a token for good is the sound of a butcher bird singing his song on a quiet morning. Sometimes it’s a cool breeze. Sometimes it’s a cloud in the sky. Sometimes it comes in the form of a verse of scripture given at the exact moment it is needed. Other times it is a text from a friend. An encouraging word. A song or a moment of silence in an all too noisy world.

Whatever it is, it is yours to ask for. Ask God to give you a token for good. Ask him to reveal himself in a way that speaks to you.

It’s okay to ask for reassurance. We can ask for a sign of God’s presence in our lives. These assurances help to strengthen our faith during difficult times. It’s okay to ask. It is part of the faith journey we are walking.

Whatever it is that you are dealing with today, be open and honest with God about it. Don’t ever feel guilty about pouring your heart out to God. Be raw. Be vulnerable. Be real. Let the tears flow if need be. Let the words of frustration come out. Lay it all out. Give it to God. And ask him to give you a sign. A message of hope. In whatever form he sees fit. And then, watch for it.

What is the token for good that you can hold on to?

Remember don’t ask only for yourself. Remember that David asked also that God would be revealed to his enemies. He wanted God’s greatness to be shown. We need our tokens for good to show to a lost world that God is faithful. That he keeps his promises. That he is good even when things are not good in our lives.

And lastly, have confidence in God that he will do what he says. David ends the Psalm with these words:

…………….because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me. He closes with a note of confidence. David had seen God work before, and he knew that he could do it again. God had a history of support and care in David’s life. God had actively intervened in his circumstances before, and David reminded himself of the fact.

Remind yourself of past victories and keep praising him in the storm. Ask him to show you a token for good.

Matthew 7:7,8 - Ask, (keep asking) and it shall be given you; seek, (keep seeking) and ye shall find; knock, (keep knocking) and it shall be opened unto you:

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.