What a great testimony! This psalm is ascribed to David following a time he pretended to be insane while hiding from an angry King Saul in enemy lands. You have to be pretty desperate to attempt something like that to be safe. You can read more about David’s story in 1 Samuel 21. David memorializes his trust in the LORD during this frightening time in this beautiful psalm.
David says he will “praise the LORD at all times.” Do you have trouble singing praise to God when you are going through a rough patch in life, or do you draw in closer still? Some might say, “it depends.” David invites us all to “Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.” It’s hard to get lost in our despair when we are speaking of the great things God has done. If we have a hard time seeing the blessings in our own lives because of our circumstance, we can always look to how God moved among his people in Bible times.
David prayed and God listened. We’ve probably all experienced answered prayer in our lives. Chances are we weren’t running for our lives from an angry king like David was. No problem, fear, or circumstance is too big or small for God. Give all of your troubles to God no matter how insignificant they may seem.
I love imagining the angels David speaks of fighting behind the scenes for me. There is so much peace in feeling safe. More and more I’m hearing from the younger generation how important “feeling safe” is for them. In relationships especially. I know from having lived with an abusive first husband how the fear can be constant. Feeling safe is a treasure many people take for granted.
Speaking of safety, verse 8 is one of my favorites. “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” For people who don’t know God or trust him with their life, this is such a great invitation. David’s testimony reaches through the pages to many people. He wants us all to experience God the way he does. David says, “those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.”
For those who haven’t made that decision to trust God or know how to start, David offers to teach us. Believe it or not, it starts with fearing the LORD. When we allow ourselves to be wowed by God and his marvelous works to the point where we can barely believe it, that’s where we meet our fear. We are armed with God’s goodness.
David suggests a few other behavior modifications he’s found helpful. Some non-believers use the excuse they’re not good enough and don’t want to change. Some people can’t control their tongue and spew out nastiness. When you start to fear and respect God, your behaviors just seem to take care of themselves. David understood that it all starts with the heart and how we let God’s holiness bring us to our knees.
David tells us the LORD responds to us by watching, listening, doing away with evil, rescuing, and protecting. Just thinking about how God interacts with us in all these ways brings peace to my heart. How is your heart feeling?
David powerfully closes this psalm with these words. “But the Lord will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.” When we make that decision to take refuge in God we have the assurance he save us from condemnation. Our future is secure, our destiny to eternal life with God is on track. Jesus fulfills this beautiful promise by his work on the cross.
Let’s pray. Lord, I thank you that you have me securely in your grasp. For each angel battle that has taken place on my behalf I am forever grateful. When troubles come, I have confidence in you. I thank you for the passion you have ignited in my soul. May it be contagious and overflow to those around me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
