In the above verse, could the psalmist be writing about real lions? I seriously doubt it! I believe he’s actually contrasting people who share certain characteristics of lions with those who diligently seek the Lord, placing their trust in Him.

Lions lay around much of the time, and can be fairly pleasant company when they aren’t hungry (ask Daniel). But when hungry, lookout! Their appetite becomes the one thing controlling them, and they rely completely on their own strength and resourcefulness to satisfy it.

Kind of like the numerous young children (14!) around our campsite this past weekend! (hehe) Whenever they were hungry, they roved around in packs looking to put food in their bellies. Sometimes their behavior was even “scary”! But we saw other appetites reigning in them as well, such as the appetites for amusement, fairness, “me first”, etc. Like the lions in the verse above though, their efforts to satisfy their various appetites often failed, and the results weren't pretty!

Kids can be pretty wise and sophisticated in their own eyes, and at the same time look pretty foolish to their parents. We grown-ups (as “children” of God) actually appear the same way in the eyes of our Father. (If that doesn’t humble us, I don’t know what will!) So as I witnessed lion-like behaviors in the kids over the weekend, I felt the Lord calling me to examine myself. Are there times when my appetites control me? Do I ever rely primarily on my own resources to provide for myself rather than seek the Lord first and rest in his provision? Have there been occasions where I've failed specifically because I didn't seek the Lord?


Aside: This passage provided for a great family devotion time after our camping trip. First, kids love verses with animals in them! And second, the camping trip provided us with a great contrast between “lions” and those with a peaceful trust in the Lord. Next time there’s a campfire with smores, we’ll see how much our kids learned!