refuge

Patiently, Expectantly Waiting

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To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

1 For God alone my soul waits in silence;
    from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

3 How long will all of you attack a man
    to batter him,
    like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.
    They take pleasure in falsehood.
They bless with their mouths,
    but inwardly they curse. Selah

5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
    for my hope is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my salvation and my glory;
    my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
    pour out your heart before him;
    God is a refuge for us. Selah

9 Those of low estate are but a breath;
    those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
    they are together lighter than a breath.
10 Put no trust in extortion;
    set no vain hopes on robbery;
    if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

11 Once God has spoken;
    twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God,
12     and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.
For you will render to a man
    according to his work. – Psalm 62:1-12 ESV

In this psalm, David repeatedly refers to God as his fortress, rock, refuge, and salvation. As a man well acquainted with the fugitive lifestyle, David uses terms that evoke his days on the run from King Saul. During those difficult years of his life, David sought safety by hiding in caves located in the difficult-to-access terrain of the rugged Judean wilderness. Those inaccessible geographic locales had provided him with a sense of security and rest from Saul’s relentless campaign to have him killed.

But in this psalm, David describes God as his ultimate source of solitude, solace, and security. The short descriptor that opens Psalm 62 provides no context to explain what happened in David’s life that caused him to pen its words. Some have speculated that it was written after David abandoned Jerusalem after his son Absalom conducted a successful coup to replace him as king.

A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, “All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!”

“Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!” David urged his men. “Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.”

“We are with you,” his advisers replied. “Do what you think is best.”

So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace. The king and all his people set out on foot, pausing at the last house to let all the king’s men move past to lead the way. There were 600 men from Gath who had come with David, along with the king’s bodyguard. – 2 Samuel 15:13-18 NLT

When Absalom entered Jerusalem and established himself as the new king, one of the first things he did was sexually violate the ten concubines David had left behind. He committed this heinous act under the advisement of Ahithophel, David’s former counselor, who had taken part in the coup.

Ahithophel told him, “Go and sleep with your father’s concubines, for he has left them here to look after the palace. Then all Israel will know that you have insulted your father beyond hope of reconciliation, and they will throw their support to you.” So they set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone could see it, and Absalom went in and had sex with his father’s concubines. – 2 Samuel 15:21-22 NLT

It is unclear whether this event prompted David to write Psalm 62, but it illustrates the perfect-storm conditions that would have led David to turn to God for help and hope. Even as David abandoned his capital, he was confronted by a relative of King Saul who decided to kick him while he was down. Shimei was still angry that David had supplanted Saul as the king of Israel and stolen the crown from the tribe of Benjamin.

“Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!” he shouted at David. “The Lord is paying you back for all the bloodshed in Saul’s clan. You stole his throne, and now the Lord has given it to your son Absalom. At last you will taste some of your own medicine, for you are a murderer!” – 2 Samuel 16:7-8 NLT

When one of David’s men offered to silence Shimei by cutting off his head, David expressed his consternation and confusion over the situation. Still, he refused to take matters into his own hands.

“My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn’t this relative of Saul have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to do it. And perhaps the Lord will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today.” So David and his men continued down the road, and Shimei kept pace with them on a nearby hillside, cursing and throwing stones and dirt at David.

The king and all who were with him grew weary along the way, so they rested when they reached the Jordan River. – 2 Samuel 16:11-14 NLT

That last line is important because it states that David “rested” when he reached the Jordan. He and his entourage had walked the 21 miles from Jerusalem to the eastern border of Israel. But when they arrived, they found rest. The opening lines of this psalm reflect that this was likely far more than a physical form of restoration.

I wait quietly before God,
    for my victory comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress where I will never be shaken. – Psalm 62:1-2 NLT

David had time to reflect on his circumstances and remind himself that God had seen him through far worse conditions in the past, and He could do so again. David was not underestimating the severity of his problem. He knew he was in trouble and refused to downplay the dire nature of his circumstance.

So many enemies against one man—
    all of them trying to kill me.
To them I’m just a broken-down wall
    or a tottering fence.
They plan to topple me from my high position.
    They delight in telling lies about me.
They praise me to my face
    but curse me in their hearts. – Psalm 62:3-4 NLT

Yet, despite his doubts and fears, David decided to trust God for the outcome.

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
    for my hope is in him. – Psalm 62:5 NLT

He placed his confidence in God and encouraged his discouraged followers to do the same.

O my people, trust in him at all times.
    Pour out your heart to him,
    for God is our refuge. – Psalm 62:6 NLT

This psalm was written in the heat of the moment, when all felt lost and the future was uncertain. David had no way of knowing the outcome of his circumstances, but he was willing to trust in God’s sovereignty and wait for God to do what only He could do.

For most of us, waiting on God is viewed as some kind of punishment or penance we must pay for our bad behavior. We view it as if God is somehow holding out on us, making us sweat and suffer as He delays in giving us what we want to teach us a lesson. But that perspective is based on a faulty view of God. He is not some petty deity using His power maliciously or malevolently to force us to do His bidding. He is a loving, patient, and merciful God whose actions are always driven by His care and concern for us.

If God were withholding what we needed to punish us or teach us a lesson, what kind of God would He be? Jesus pointed this out when He said, “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him” (Matthew 7:9-11 NLT).

Does that mean we always get what we ask for, and does it come exactly when we expect it? Of course not. God is still God. He is all-knowing and aware of things that are beyond our ability to comprehend. He has a “big picture view” of things we don’t possess. He is not bound by space and time and knows the past, present, and future equally well. He is not limited by our decisions or bad choices but is in control at all times. At no point is God up in heaven wringing His hands in disbelief because He was somehow caught off guard by the events or circumstances surrounding our lives.

So David says, “I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from Him” (Psalm 62:1 NLT). I love how The Message paraphrases that verse: “God, the one and only – I’ll wait as long as he says. Everything I need comes from him, so why not?”

I’ll wait as long as he says. Why? Because He knows best and He has my best in mind. He is my hope and salvation. He is my help and source of healing. He has a plan for my life that is perfect and complete. So David reminds us, “O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:8 NLT). Trust in him at all times. Not just in the good times, but at all times. Even when things seem to be going poorly. Even when it appears as if He is nowhere to be found. Even when everything goes against you and everyone seems to be deserting you.

Wait quietly and trust Him. It is in those moments of waiting and trusting that we truly come to know who He really is. As we quietly, patiently wait, He reminds us of His love and then rewards us with His perfect answer at the ideal time. What we need is NOT the answer we’re hoping for, but the God who provides the answer. We need to know Him better. We need to trust Him more. We need to patiently wait and eagerly anticipate an answer because we understand the character of our God. His love never fails.

Father, thank You for the moments of waiting that come into my life on a regular basis. Thank You for teaching me to rely on You and not the world around me. May I continue to learn to wait patiently and expectantly on You because I believe You have my best in mind, in spite of what I see happening around me. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Unchanging Love. Incomparable Power.

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To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.

1 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
    protect me from those who rise up against me;
2 deliver me from those who work evil,
    and save me from bloodthirsty men.

3 For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
    fierce men stir up strife against me.
For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,
4     for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.
Awake, come to meet me, and see!
5     You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel.
Rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
    spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah

6 Each evening they come back,
    howling like dogs
    and prowling about the city.
7 There they are, bellowing with their mouths
    with swords in their lips—
    for “Who,” they think, “will hear us?”

8 But you, O Lord, laugh at them;
    you hold all the nations in derision.
9 O my Strength, I will watch for you,
    for you, O God, are my fortress.
10 My God in his steadfast love will meet me;
    God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.

11 Kill them not, lest my people forget;
    make them totter by your power and bring them down,
    O Lord, our shield!
12 For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,
    let them be trapped in their pride.
For the cursing and lies that they utter,
13     consume them in wrath;
    consume them till they are no more,
that they may know that God rules over Jacob
    to the ends of the earth. Selah

14 Each evening they come back,
    howling like dogs
    and prowling about the city.
15 They wander about for food
    and growl if they do not get their fill.

16 But I will sing of your strength;
    I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been to me a fortress
    and a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
    for you, O God, are my fortress,
    the God who shows me steadfast love. – Psalm 59:1-17 ESV

Saul’s hatred for David was intense, and it didn’t help that he was occasionally possessed by an evil spirit that fueled his hatred. In this psalm of lament, David recalls a particularly distressful occasion when Saul sent men to his house to murder him. It was part of a series of disturbing events that began when Saul’s son Jonathan discovered his father’s plot to assassinate David. Upon discovering this distressing news, Jonathan warned his friend.

“Tomorrow morning,” he warned him, “you must find a hiding place out in the fields.I’ll ask my father to go out there with me, and I’ll talk to him about you. Then I’ll tell you everything I can find out.” – 1 Samuel 19:2-3 NLT

True to his word, Jonathan met with his father and tried to persuade him to spare David’s life.

“The king must not sin against his servant David,” Jonathan said. “He’s never done anything to harm you. He has always helped you in any way he could. Have you forgotten about the time he risked his life to kill the Philistine giant and how the Lord brought a great victory to all Israel as a result? You were certainly happy about it then. Why should you murder an innocent man like David? There is no reason for it at all!” – 1 Samuel 19:4-5 NLT

Saul listened to his son’s counsel and called off the assassination, stating,  “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be killed” (1 Samuel 19:6 NLT).

David returned to Saul’s court and participated in a battle with the Philistines, where he “attacked them with such fury that they all ran away” (1 Samuel 19:8 NLT). This victory rekindled Saul’s jealousy of David and caused him to renege on his earlier vow. One evening, while David played his harp in Saul’s presence, the king became enraged at the sight of the young warrior and attempted to pin him to the wall with a spear.

As David played his harp, Saul hurled his spear at David. But David dodged out of the way, and leaving the spear stuck in the wall, he fled and escaped into the night. – 1 Samuel 19:9-10 NLT

David must have known that Saul’s actions that evening resulted from “the tormenting spirit from the LORD” (1 Samuel 19:10 NLT). He reasoned that the king was not himself and could not control his actions. This was the second time Saul had tried to run David through with a spear (1 Samuel 18:10-11). But rather than running away, David returned home and went to bed. Saul, still enraged and determined to rid himself of David once and for all, sent troops to his home to arrest him. David’s wife, Michal, helped him escape and then arranged his bed to appear as if he were sound asleep under the covers. When Saul’s troops returned and discovered that David was not there, they informed Saul of his escape.

So David escaped and went to Ramah to see Samuel, and he told him all that Saul had done to him. Then Samuel took David with him to live at Naioth. When the report reached Saul that David was at Naioth in Ramah, he sent troops to capture him. – 1 Samuel 19:18-20 NLT

This was the occasion that prompted David to write Psalm 59. I’ve had bad days, but I’ve never had someone who was out to kill me (at least that I know of). I’ve never been hunted down like a wild animal or had armed mercenaries lying in wait outside my home, just waiting for me to show up so they could take me out. But David had, and he wrote this psalm because of it.

David knew what it meant to be hated, harassed, hounded, and hunted. He had experienced what it means to fear for your life. Every time he woke up, he knew it would be another day filled with more of the same thing. But he also knew something that I too easily forget. He knew that God was with him, for him, and would rescue him, no matter what he faced that day. That is why he could say, “But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress” (Psalm 59:16 NLT).

David had experienced God’s unfailing love on previous occasions, so he knew that he could trust God to show up no matter what he faced that day. He believed that God loved him and His love never failed. While his friends had turned their backs on him, David’s God was faithful and true, and would never let David down.

In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me.
    He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies. – Psalm 59:10 NLT

Not only was God unfailing in his love and unwavering in His support for David, but He was incomparable in power. In other words, God loved David, and that love was backed by a strength that could protect David from anything and everything he faced. Love alone is not enough to prevent calamity from happening to someone dear to us. Many have had to watch helplessly as their loved ones died right before their eyes. Soldiers have had to watch, powerless to help, as their comrades died on the battlefield. Their love for their brothers, while strong, was incapable of preventing their deaths. But God’s love for us is backed by a boundless power. He not only loves us, but is capable of protecting, rescuing, and saving us. His power to save us is motivated by His desire to protect and preserve us. He rescues us because He loves us. He saves us, not just because He can, but because His love demands it.

David knew about God’s love because he had experienced it. But it was more than a sentimental, sappy kind of love. It was love expressed in power, exhibited in strength, and proven in acts of divine intervention. David knew he was loved because he was still alive, despite all those who wanted him dead. His next breath was a reminder of God’s love. Seeing the sun come up in the morning was an opportunity to thank God for His love and deliverance.

But as for me, I will sing about your power.
    Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love.
For you have been my refuge,
    a place of safety when I am in distress. – Psalm 59:16 NLT

David’s problems still existed, and his enemies were still determined to end his life. But He knew that God would see him through the day, because God loved him, and that love was backed by a power to preserve and protect him from any trial he may face.

O my Strength, to you I sing praises,
    for you, O God, are my refuge,
    the God who shows me unfailing love. – Psalm 59:17 NLT

Father, how easy it is to forget that You love me – unceasingly. Somehow I know You are all powerful but I sometimes doubt that You love me enough to make that power available to me each and every day. I fail to recognize that the very fact that I am alive is proof of Your power and Your love for me. Without Your sustaining power and unfailing love, I would cease to exist. You give me the strength I need to make it through the day. You lovingly sustain me, helping me make my way through the trials of life. May I learn to sing Your praises each and every morning, grateful for another day to serve You and watch You work in my life. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Hope in the Lord

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To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame;
    in your righteousness deliver me!
2 Incline your ear to me;
    rescue me speedily!
Be a rock of refuge for me,
    a strong fortress to save me!

3 For you are my rock and my fortress;
    and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;
4 you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,
    for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hand I commit my spirit;
    you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

6 I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols,
    but I trust in the Lord.
7 I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love,
    because you have seen my affliction;
    you have known the distress of my soul,
8 and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;
    you have set my feet in a broad place.

9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
    my eye is wasted from grief;
    my soul and my body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow,
    and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my iniquity,
    and my bones waste away.

11 Because of all my adversaries I have become a reproach,
    especially to my neighbors,
and an object of dread to my acquaintances;
    those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I have been forgotten like one who is dead;
    I have become like a broken vessel.
13 For I hear the whispering of many—
    terror on every side!—
as they scheme together against me,
    as they plot to take my life.

14 But I trust in you, O Lord;
    I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hand;
    rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!
16 Make your face shine on your servant;
    save me in your steadfast love!
17 O Lord, let me not be put to shame,
    for I call upon you;
let the wicked be put to shame;
    let them go silently to Sheol.
18 Let the lying lips be mute,
    which speak insolently against the righteous
    in pride and contempt.

19 Oh, how abundant is your goodness,
    which you have stored up for those who fear you
and worked for those who take refuge in you,
    in the sight of the children of mankind!
20 In the cover of your presence you hide them
    from the plots of men;
you store them in your shelter
    from the strife of tongues.

21 Blessed be the Lord,
    for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me
    when I was in a besieged city.
22 I had said in my alarm,
    “I am cut off from your sight.”
But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy
    when I cried to you for help.

23 Love the Lord, all you his saints!
    The Lord preserves the faithful
    but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.
24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
    all you who wait for the Lord! – Psalm 31:1-24 ESV

Why do we fear? Why do we worry and doubt? When we serve a mighty God who loves us like He does, what would ever cause us to distrust or doubt Him? The simple answer is that we are weak and sinful. In our limited understanding, we know of no one or nothing as strong as God is. We have no experience with anyone as reliable and trustworthy as He is. Yet, we tend to judge God based on human standards and our own limitations. If we truly believed God was all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving, would we fear and doubt dominate our lives like they do?

Over the course of his life, David had learned to turn his bouts with doubt into opportunities to see God display His power, grace, and mercy. He came to God for protection, salvation, and encouragement. He viewed God as his “rock of refuge” and “strong fortress” (Psalm 31:2 ESV). In times of trouble, David had learned to run to the One who could provide safety, comfort, guidance, and deliverance.

This Psalm seems to have been written amid a time of crisis. David found himself in the middle of a difficult season of life in which some sin he had committed had left him discouraged, despondent, and deeply depressed. He doesn’t elaborate on the circumstances or disclose the nature of his indiscretion, but he painfully describes his troubled emotional state.

Tears blur my eyes.
    My body and soul are withering away.
I am dying from grief;
    my years are shortened by sadness.
Sin has drained my strength;
    I am wasting away from within.
I am scorned by all my enemies
    and despised by my neighbors—
    even my friends are afraid to come near me. – Psalm 31:9-11 NLT

Whatever sin he committed left him feeling attacked from within and without. His guilt weighed heavy on his heart, and the scorn of his friends and enemies deepened his discouragement and despair. The rumor mill had generated all kinds of salacious gossip and motivated his enemies to take advantage of his diminished popularity and weakened position. He was vulnerable and feeling exposed.

But while David was feeling down and out, he didn’t feel abandoned by God. He knew he could find refuge and rest in the arms of his loving, faithful, and all-powerful God.

But I am trusting you, O Lord,
    saying, “You are my God!”
My future is in your hands.
    Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.
Let your favor shine on your servant.
    In your unfailing love, rescue me. – Psalm 31:14-16 NLT

David had learned that Yahweh was a reliable and trustworthy source of strength and sustenance to all those who feared Him and placed their trust in Him.

You hide them in the shelter of your presence,
    safe from those who conspire against them.
You shelter them in your presence,
    far from accusing tongues. – Psalm 31:20 NLT

David could praise God in the midst of the current storm because he had experienced Yahweh’s deliverance in the past. David used God’s track record of divine deliverance to bolster his faith.

He kept me safe when my city was under attack.
In panic I cried out,
    “I am cut off from the Lord!”
But you heard my cry for mercy
    and answered my call for help. – Psalm 31:21-22 NLT

Recalling God’s past actions helped to strengthen David’s resolve and led him to declare, “Be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!” (Psalm 31:24 NLT).

It seems that a big part of the journey for Christ’s followers is to learn to trust God more and to fear life less. In this Psalm, David seems to ebb back and forth between a strong confidence in God and a wavering doubt. He says, “Save me, for you do what is right” (Psalm 31:1 NLT). He calls God his rock and his fortress and talks of His unfailing love and mercy. But then, David seems to change tones because he faces the daily reality of living in a fallen world. He has to confront wickedness and the influence of sinful people who make it hard to live the life of faith. There is a constant battle between trusting God and living amid difficult circumstances, constantly attempting to shake our faith in Him.

Knowing and serving God does not guarantee us an easy road or a life free from difficulty. It promises us a God who loves us enough to care about what is happening to us and is powerful enough to do something about it. David seemed to know that from experience. Despite his difficulties, he turned to God. He knew where the source of his help and hope was to be found — in God alone. David states confidently, “But I am trusting you, O LORD, saying, ‘You are my God!’ My future is in your hands” (Psalm 31:14-15a NLT). All David had to do was remember the countless times God had rescued him before. God had proven Himself faithful in the past, and David knew God would prove Himself faithful in the future. He could be trusted because the Lord preserves the faithful.

Father, thank You that You can be trusted. And because You can be trusted, I can be brave and strong. May my courage increase daily as I learn to rely on and trust in You. May I increasingly learn to put my hope in You. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Waiting On God Is Well Worth It

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

To the choirmaster. Of David.

1 In the Lord I take refuge;
how can you say to my soul,
    “Flee like a bird to your mountain,
2 for behold, the wicked bend the bow;
    they have fitted their arrow to the string
    to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart;
3 if the foundations are destroyed,
    what can the righteous do?”

4 The Lord is in his holy temple;
    the Lord‘s throne is in heaven;
    his eyes see, his eyelids test the children of man.
5 The Lord tests the righteous,
    but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.
6 Let him rain coals on the wicked;
    fire and sulfur and a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.
7 For the Lord is righteous;
he loves righteous deeds;
    the upright shall behold his face. – Psalm 11:1-7 ESV

This Psalm reflects what appears to have been a regularly occurring event in David’s life. He found himself under siege and suffering relentless attacks from his enemies. It is impossible to know what situation David had in mind when writing this Psalm, but a brief review of his personal history reveals a host of options. David was well-acquainted with conflict. As king, it came with the territory. He was also familiar with the free advice proffered by well-meaning friends during times of difficulty. For most people, tough times require tough decisions. The choices get boiled down to two options: Fight or flight.

When the enemy shows up, you can choose to stand your ground or head for the hills and live to fight another day. David could recall receiving advice that counseled the latter option.

“Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!
The wicked are stringing their bows
    and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings.
They shoot from the shadows
    at those whose hearts are right.
The foundations of law and order have collapsed.
    What can the righteous do?” – Psalm 11:1-3 NLT

But David had learned that there was a better alternative.

I trust in the LORD for protection. – Psalm 11:1 NLT

In his lifetime, David had done a lot of running and hiding. When King Saul attempted to take his life, he escaped to the Judean wilderness where he hid in the caves with his band of mighty men (1 Samuel 22:1-5). On another occasion, he sought safety among the Philistines (1 Samuel 27), a decision he quickly regretted. The trust is that David spent much of his early life running and hiding. But during those days, while living as a man on the run, David learned that God was the most reliable source of refuge.

In Psalm 18, David records his heartfelt response to God’s power, protection, and provision during the most difficult days of his life.

I love you, Lord;
    you are my strength.
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
    my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
    and my place of safety.
I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
    and he saved me from my enemies. – Psalm 18:1-3 NLT

Throughout his life, both as a fugitive and a king, David knew what it was like to suffer adversity. The crown didn’t make him immune from difficulty. If anything, the royal robes came with a bullseye on the back that made David a tempting target for his enemies. But despite his many adversaries and a steady flow of adversity, David knew he could depend on God. No matter what happened, he could rest assured that God was aware and cared.

But the Lord is in his holy Temple;
    the Lord still rules from heaven.
He watches everyone closely,
    examining every person on earth. – Psalm 11:4 NLT

David knew God was all-knowing and all-powerful. Nothing escapes His notice, and no difficulty is too great for Him to handle. That is why David could say, “God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock?” (Psalm 18:30-31 NLT). Time after time, God had proven Himself a trustworthy source of refuge and deliverance. From His vantage point in heaven, God looks down on mankind and sees every injustice and inequity. He examines the hearts of men and determines their innocence and guilt. In His roles as Judge of the universe, God metes out justice and mercy equitably and righteously — every time. We may not recognize His intervention or approve of His timing, but according to Scripture, “He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is!” (Deuteronomy 32:4 NLT). David echoed that sentiment when he wrote, “His way is perfect” (Psalm 18:30 ESV).

Like David, we live in a world of uncertainty filled with seeming inequities and injustices. There appears to be nothing and no one we can count on any more. Politicians fail us, corporate leaders deceive us, friends disappoint us, and it seems as if everywhere we look someone is out to take advantage of us. But David knew he could trust God. He had learned from personal experience that Yahweh is holy, righteous, and just. David’s life was not free from difficulty. The crown on his head didn’t exempt him from trials. The oil Samuel used to anoint him as the next king of Israel hadn’t immunized him from difficulties. His life was filled with ups and downs, threats and coup attempts, battles and family squabbles, and a host of other conflicts.

But David found comfort in the realization that God sat enthroned on high where He could see all that was happening on earth. Yes, David felt the effects of living in a sinful world. He faced opposition, had his fair share of enemies, listened to threats, suffered injustice, and witnessed the attacks of the unjust against the just. From a human perspective, David could have days when he felt helpless and hopeless. There had been plenty of times when he asked himself, “What can the righteous do?” But he had learned to trust in God.

In the face of all that is going on around us and happening to us, what are those of us who love God supposed to do? David would encourage us to trust God. Because God is still on His throne. He is still in charge. He is wide awake and well aware of what is happening down here on earth. He sees and perceives. He doesn’t look on in stunned silence, helplessly witnessing the uncontrolled chaos. He sees and knows exactly what to do. His eyes are wide open and He looks into the hearts of ALL men, examining their motives and determining their fate. The Lord reminds us, “I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do” (Psalm 12:5 NLT). God sees. God hears. God acts.

God is a just God who loves to do what is right. While everyone else is untrustworthy, undependable, and unreliable, God is faithful, trustworthy, and true. He is powerful enough to back up His words with action. Not only is God aware of injustice, but He is strong enough to do something about it.

We have to believe that God is aware of our circumstances. Even when all hope appears lost, we must rest in the reality that God has not turned His back on us. He sees. He knows. He loves. He despises wickedness and loves righteousness. He loves to do what is right. Everything about Him hates injustice and evil. When we look at what is happening in the world, it may appear that He is indifferent to it all, but we have to trust that one day God will set all things right. He may not do it in our time frame or even in our lifetime. We may not live to see it happen. But He WILL do what is right. Justice will be done. We can and must trust Him. Like David, we must seek refuge in Him and wait patiently for Him to enact justic. God sees. God knows. And one day, He WILL act.

Father, some days I feel overwhelmed by all that is going on around me. Sometimes I feel as if it is just me against the world. I begin to lose hope and despair starts to set in. But today You reminded me that I can trust You. You know every detail of my live and are well aware of what is happening to me and around me. You see. And You are going to act. I can trust You. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Gracious Source of Refuge and Hope

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9 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11 then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there. 12 The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment. 13 And the cities that you give shall be your six cities of refuge. 14 You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities in the land of Canaan, to be cities of refuge. 15 These six cities shall be for refuge for the people of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills any person without intent may flee there.

16 “But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. 17 And if he struck him down with a stone tool that could cause death, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. 18 Or if he struck him down with a wooden tool that could cause death, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. 19 The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. 20 And if he pushed him out of hatred or hurled something at him, lying in wait, so that he died, 21 or in enmity struck him down with his hand, so that he died, then he who struck the blow shall be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.

22 “But if he pushed him suddenly without enmity, or hurled anything on him without lying in wait 23 or used a stone that could cause death, and without seeing him dropped it on him, so that he died, though he was not his enemy and did not seek his harm, 24 then the congregation shall judge between the manslayer and the avenger of blood, in accordance with these rules. 25 And the congregation shall rescue the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he had fled, and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. 26 But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the boundaries of his city of refuge to which he fled, 27 and the avenger of blood finds him outside the boundaries of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood. 28 For he must remain in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest, but after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession. 29 And these things shall be for a statute and rule for you throughout your generations in all your dwelling places.

30 “If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses. But no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness. 31 Moreover, you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death, but he shall be put to death. 32 And you shall accept no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the high priest. 33 You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it. 34 You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell, for I the Lord dwell in the midst of the people of Israel.” – Numbers 35:9-34 ESV

The level of detail found in God’s instructions to His people is staggering. In His divine wisdom and according to His intimate understanding of His chosen people, God left nothing to chance or up to their less-than-stellar discretion.  In this chapter, Moses records God’s instructions for the establishment of the six cities of refuge to be located throughout the land of Canaan. These cities were to be strategically placed within the land allotments of the other tribes and occupied by the Levites. Their decentralized locations would make them easily accessible from all parts of the land of Canaan, and their purpose was to provide a safe haven for anyone who had committed unpremeditated murder.  If an Israelite inadvertently and unintentionally caused the death of a fellow Israelite, he could flee to one of these cities and seek refuge from the avenger.

In the cultural context of that day, it was up to the relatives of a murder victim to seek vengeance. This “blood avenger” (Numbers 35:19) was not just free to kill the murdered, he was obligated to do so (Numbers 35:19, 21). It was his duty. He was called the “avenger of blood.”

But in order to prevent the blood avenger from taking the life of an innocent individual, the cities of refuge were established. If an Israelite accidentally killed someone else, he could run to one of these cities and seek refuge. As long as he remained there, he would be protected from the legally sanctioned actions of the blood avenger. It was up to the residents of the city (Levites) to help determine the guilt or innocence of the accused. If it was determined that his actions were premeditated and intentional, he was to be handed over to the blood avenger for retribution. But if he was deemed innocent of having committed voluntary manslaughter, he would be allowed to remain in the city of refuge until the high priest died. In essence, the city became his prison. If he ever left, he would be guilty of violating his sentence and the blood avenger could seek his death.

All of this sounds very barbaric to us, but you have to remember that Israel had no police force to enforce laws or dispense justice. According to the Mosaic Law, murder was a crime worthy of death; the guilty must be punished. But involuntary manslaughter was to be dealt with differently.; that is why the cities were established. God was protecting the innocent.

God dwelt among His people, and His very presence demanded that they live set-apart lives. His holiness and righteousness required that they live differently and distinctively, abiding by a stringent set of rules and regulations that governed their behavior and interactions with one another. Yet God knew their weaknesses and fully understood their incapacity to live up to His exacting standards. The entire sacrificial system was designed to deal with their ongoing struggle with sin.

To unjustly execute the innocent would have been as evil in God’s sight as to excuse the guilty. So, for those who committed involuntary manslaughter, He provided a means for finding justice. If an Israelite unintentionally murdered a fellow Israelite, he could flee to a city of refuge and enjoy permanent protection from the “blood avenger.” He was still guilty of murder, but his life would be spared. The city of refuge became his prison until the day that the high priest died. The high priest’s death would serve as an atonement for the guilty party’s sin, providing them with release from their guilt and the right to live among their kinsmen again – fully innocent and free.

But what was behind the rather strange legal precedent? Due to the sinfulness of the Israelites, the ongoing presence of God was constantly in jeopardy due to their inability to live up to His strict moral standards. Even unintentional sins could end up jeopardizing their enjoyment of His ongoing presence and power. So, He provided them with countless means by which they could receive restoration and assure His continued existence among them. It was God who set them apart. Without Him, they would have been nothing. It was His presence that provided their distinctiveness, and it was their sin that threatened their uniqueness as His chosen people.

From the day that Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, God has been actively and aggressively seeking to restore order to the chaos created by their actions. Their sin brought disorder, disobedience, and, ultimately, death into the world. It wasn’t long after Eve listened to the lies of the enemy and convinced her husband to join her in rejecting God’s word, that death showed up on the scene. Eventually, one of Eve’s own sons determined to kill his own brother, introducing the shadow of death into the once-idyllic garden. In time, the presence of disease would follow close behind, with their bodies undergoing the inevitable effects of aging. Sin would increase, rebellion against God would run rampant, and yet, God continued to reach out to mankind, offering a form of refuge from the consequences of sin.

In a real sense, God’s choice of Abraham made him and his descendants a “city of refuge” for mankind. The people of Israel became the solitary source of God’s abiding presence and divine protection from the guilt and condemnation of sin. It was among the children of God that men could find access to their Creator. It was through the law of God that men could learn His divine requirements and expectations for holiness. It was through His mandatory sacrificial system that men could find atonement for their sins and freedom from the penalty of death they so justly deserved. God had provided a city of refuge among the sons of men.

Eventually, God would send His own Son as the ultimate and final means of refuge and escape from sin’s destructive power and God’s righteous judgment. The Scriptures make it painfully clear that all men are guilty of sin.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.– Romans 3:23 ESV

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. – Ecclesiastes 7:20 ESV

Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin?” – Proverbs 20:9 ESV

We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. – Isaiah 64:6 NLT

The law of God was given to reveal to men the reality and gravity of their sins. Like a speed limit sign on the side of the freeway, the law provided a constant reminder of man’s proclivity for disobedience and rebellion. Our guilt is unquestionable and undeniable. Sinful humanity stands condemned before a holy and righteous God due to the sinful nature passed down to them from Adam and Eve. All are guilty and all stand condemned. And the very presence of disease and death in our world is an outward reminder of the reality of sin’s devastating consequences.

In the case of someone seeking refuge in one of these cities, if they remained there until the high priest died, their sin was forgiven. They walked away free and clear. The death of the high priest had atoning value just as Jesus’ death atones for our sins.

No one could accuse this person of guilt or condemnation once the high priest had died. And, according to the apostle Paul, those who place their faith in Christ’s death, stand as unaccused and uncondemned because of His atoning work on their behalf.

Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Will God? No! He is the one who has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for he is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us. – Romans 8:33-34 NLT

We can take refuge in Christ. He is our high priest and He has died for us. His death has set us free once and for all.

God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. So God has given us both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can take new courage, for we can hold on to his promise with confidence. This confidence is like a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain of heaven into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the line of Melchizedek. – Hebrews 6:17-20 NLT

Like everything else under the old covenant, the cities of refuge were designed to foreshadow Christ. They provide a glimpse into the heart of God, presaging a time when He would send His Son as the ultimate source of refuge for the guilty and condemned. All those who stand accused and worthy of death can find safety and solace in the arms of Christ. But even better than that, His death as the greater high priest paid the penalty for their sin and provided them with full atonement and forgiveness. Their sin is wiped clean and their relationship with God is fully restored.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

All In God’s Timing

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10 Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. – Genesis 12:10 ESV

Abram was on the move. He had built a second altar in the hill country near Bethel, but then had “journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb” (Genesis 12:9 ESV). Once again, the text provides no reason for Abram’s choice of destinations, but since the entire book showcases the sovereignty of God, it makes perfect sense to assume that these excursions were divinely ordained and directed. Abram was being led by God.

And, after having passed through Shechem in central Canaan, Abram had traveled further south to the region just east of Bethel. And while Abram had pitched his tent there, he did not stay long, choosing instead to continue his journey to the southernmost tip of Canaan, a desert region known as the Negeb. This name, in Hebrew, is נֶגֶב (neḡeḇ), which literally means “south.” For some undisclosed, but sovereignly ordained reason, Abram was moving away from the heart of Canaan, the very land that God had promised to give to his descendants. And verse 10 provides the first hint at what might be behind God’s rather strange navigational directions to Abram.

Now there was a famine in the land. – Genesis 12:10 ESV

For some seemingly inexplicable reason, God had directed Abram to leave behind the rich and fertile heart of Canaan and travel to the most arid region in the entire land. But there was a method to God’s madness. He was sovereignly orchestrating the entire scene and putting into place all the factors that would lead to Abram’s brief but consequential “sojourn” to Egypt.

So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. – Genesis 12:10 ESV

The Hebrew word for “sojourn” is גּוּר (gûr), and it means “to temporarily dwell.” To be a “sojourner” was to live temporarily as a “stranger” in another land. Because of the severity of the famine, Abram was forced to seek refuge and sustenance in the land of Egypt. But, once again, this decision appears to be God-ordained and orchestrated. For the Jews who read Moses’ account, this retelling of Abram’s flight into Egypt would have helped to explain their own historical ties to the land of the Pharaohs. There had been a time when their patriarch, Jacob, had made a similar decision to seek shelter in Egypt. Genesis 42 retells the story of Jacob’s fateful decision to send his sons to Egypt to buy grain because there was a famine in the land of Canaan.

“Behold, I have heard that there is grain for sale in Egypt. Go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die.” So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. – Genesis 42:2-3 ESV

But when the brothers arrived in Egypt, they discovered far more than grain. They reconnected with their younger brother, Joseph, whom they had sold into slavery years earlier. Much to their surprise, the brother whom they had assumed to be dead, was very much alive and had risen to the second-highest position in the land of Egypt. And rather than seeking revenge on his brothers, Joseph chose to bless them, inviting them to fetch their father and return to Egypt where they could live out the famine.

The brothers did as they were told. They traveled back to Canaan, broke the news to Jacob that his long-lost son was alive, and issued Joseph’s invitation to relocate the entire family to Egypt. And Genesis 46 reveals that Jacob “came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac”

Jacob did as his grandfather had done before him. He called upon the name of the Lord, worshiping the Almighty for his goodness and grace. And while at Beersheba, God visited Jacob in a dream, providing him with a powerful promise.

And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.” – Genesis 46:2-4 ESV

The similarities are undeniable and fully intentional. Abram’s relationship with Pharaoh and the land of Egypt was meant to foreshadow the future of his own descendants. Egypt would end up playing a significant role in the redemptive history of the people of Israel. This land of Abram’s sojourn would become the God-ordained source of Israel’s future, serving as a divine petri dish in which God would cultivate a nation and fulfill the promise He had made to Abram.

“I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” – Genesis 12:2 ESV

Whether Abram realized it or not, his decision to seek shelter in Egypt was ordained by God. There was going to be a long and, sometimes, tumultuous relationship between Abram’s descendants and this land located to the east of Canaan. In fact, not long after Abram’s temporary foray into Egypt, Abram would receive one of those “I’ve-got-good-news-and-bad-news” announcements from God.

“Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions.” – Genesis 15:13-14 ESV

God had promised to give the land of Canaan to Abram’s ancestors, but now there was a famine in the land. This “unexpected” natural disaster forced Abram to temporarily relocate his family, and Egypt seemed to be the only logical location. Famine-stricken Canaan lay to the north and the arid and barren Nebeb to the west was out of the question. So, Abram had only one option: Seek refuge in Egypt. This “choice” by Abram foreshadows Jacob’s future flight into the Valley of the Nile, but it also points to another divinely orchestrated escape from certain death.

In Matthew 2, the apostle records the story of the birth of Jesus, whom he describes as “the son of Abraham” in the opening verse of his book (Matthew 1:1). According to the genealogy recorded in chapter 1, Jesus was a direct descendant of Abram. And, not long after Jesus’ birth, Joseph, the stepfather of Jesus, received a vision from God, warning him of King Herod’s plans to kill the boy.

…the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” – Matthew 2:13-15 ESV

It was not safe for Joseph and his young family to remain in the land. Death loomed over them but God had already planned a way of escape. For a time, they “sojourned” in Egypt, while Herod enacted his pogrom of infanticide, aimed at eliminating “he who has been born king of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2 ESV).

But Herod’s attempts to kill Jesus would fail. And in time, this human “famine” would come to his own ignominious end, paving the way for Joseph, Mary, and Jesus to return to the land of promise.

But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. – Matthew 2:19-21 ESV

For the people of Israel, the land of Egypt would always be a place marked by refuge and heartache. At times, it would prove to be a haven of hope and safety, while at other times it would be a place associated with great pain and sorrow. In the case of Abram, Egypt was a logical alternative to remaining in famine-plagued Canaan. Egypt also provided a source of sustenance from certain starvation to Jacob and his family. But it was also the place where Jacob’s beloved son, Joseph, was restored to him. He who was once thought dead was “resurrected” and restored to life. And Joseph, the stepfather of Jesus, would find Egypt to be a safe haven from the deadly plans of Herod. His young son would live to see another day because God had provided refuge in the land of Egypt.

God had promised to bless Abram, and He was going to do so by sending him to the unlikely land of the Pharaohs and the pyramids. This trip into Egypt had not been a mistake by Abram. His actions do not reflect a lack of faith any more than Jacob’s or Joseph’s did. He was simply following the directions of God. But that does not mean that his time in Egypt would be without problems. The fact that God led him into Egypt is no guarantee that Abram would find himself well-fed and completely free from pain or suffering. His days as a stranger in a strange land would be a time of testing. But it would also be a time of great blessing, as God sovereignly orchestrated His plan to make of Abram a great nation.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New English Translation (NET)NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

No Match For God.

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The Lord is good,
    a stronghold in the day of trouble;
he knows those who take refuge in him.
    But with an overflowing flood
he will make a complete end of the adversaries,
    and will pursue his enemies into darkness.
What do you plot against the Lord?
    He will make a complete end;
    trouble will not rise up a second time.
For they are like entangled thorns,
    like drunkards as they drink;
    they are consumed like stubble fully dried.
From you came one
    who plotted evil against the Lord,
    a worthless counselor. – Nahum 1:7-11 ESV

Nahum’s primary subject would appear to be the city of Nineveh, but upon closer examination, it is really God. While Nahum’s oracle deals extensively with what is going to happen to the city of Nineveh, it is God who will be the cause behind everything that takes place. Nahum’s message was intended for the people of Judah, not Nineveh. Unlike Jonah, Nahum was not commissioned by God to warn the people of Nineveh. His words were meant to encourage the nation of Judah and remind them that their God was still in control. As vast and mighty as the Assyrians might have been, their God was greater and more powerful. He could be trusted.
The Lord is good—
indeed, he is a fortress in time of distress,
and he protects those who seek refuge in him. – Jonah 1:7 NET
There is a stark contrast between the opening six verses and verse seven. In terms of His relationship with the Assyrians, God was a jealous and wrathful God who takes vengeance on His enemies. He will deal with the guilty.
Who can stand before his fierce anger?
    Who can survive his burning fury?
His rage blazes forth like fire,
    and the mountains crumble to dust in his presence. – Nahum 1:6 NLT
When it comes to His righteous indignation, no one can stand before Him. He is the God who can make mountains quake and the rivers dry up. He controls all the forces of nature. So, no human army is a match for Him. And yet, at the same time, God is good to those who seek refuge in Him. He is like a fortress that provides shelter to all those who seem safety in the midst of trouble. The people of Nineveh would seek safety within the fortified walls of their city, but they would find no protection from God’s fierce anger. But the Jews could, if they so chose, seek safety within the loving arms of God and find Him more than capable of protecting them from the onslaught of the Assyrians or any other human foe.
In fact, Nahum goes on to contrast once again God’s love and wrath. While He is a reliable source of refuge for all who seek safety from trouble and come to Him, He is also an overwhelming flood, sweeping away His enemies and destroying all those in His path who stand opposed to Him and His people. His wrath will come like a tsunami, overpowering all that stand in His way. And God, because He is sovereign, is fully capable of fulfilling His wrath and bringing about destruction in any of a number of ways. In the case of Nineveh, they would fall to a combined force made up of Medes, Babylonians, and Scythians. This alliance of pagan nations would destroy the city and during the siege, the rivers surrounding the city would overflow, flooding the city and destroying part of its walls. God can use nature or He can utilize other nations to accomplish His will. His resources are boundless. His creativity is limitless when it comes to how He brings about His will regarding those who stand against Him.
One of the points Nahum is making through this oracle is the tremendous value God puts on justice. He is a God of mercy and justice, and one of the great indictments He will lodge against the Assyrians is their reputation for injustice and oppression. They are cruel and unjust in their treatment of their foes. They are arrogant and prideful, believing they can do what they want to any nation they conquer and have to answer to no one for their actions. But God will prove them wrong. He sees all that they are doing. He is well aware of their injustices, and He will deal with them.
The Assyrians saw themselves as unstoppable. No one could stand in their way. Not even the God of the Israelites. When Sennacherib and the forces of Assyria had attempted to lay siege to Jerusalem in 701 B.C., they had failed. They had attempted to destroy the people of God without the permission of God. He had not called them to do what they had done. In essence, as Nahum writes, they had plotted against God Himself. Their attack against His people was unprovoked, unwarranted and unsanctioned by God. And they failed. Not only that, Nahum warns that they will never do it a second time, because God would destroy them before they could even try.
Like a wall of tangles thorns that appear impossible to penetrate, the Assyrians appear mighty and formidable. But thorns are no match for fire. Like helpless drunks, the Assyrians would prove hopeless and helpless before God. Dry dry stalks standing in a field, they will prove to be no match for the fiery wrath of God.
Nahum also makes reference to “one who plotted evil against the Lord, a worthless counselor” (Nahum 1:11 ESV). This is probably a reference to King Sennacherib of Assyria. When he had come against the city of Jerusalem, he had sent a message to the king of Judah, telling him:

“This is what the great king of Assyria says: What are you trusting in that makes you so confident? Do you think that mere words can substitute for military skill and strength? Who are you counting on, that you have rebelled against me? On Egypt? If you lean on Egypt, it will be like a reed that splinters beneath your weight and pierces your hand. Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, is completely unreliable!

 “But perhaps you will say to me, ‘We are trusting in the Lord our God!’ But isn’t he the one who was insulted by Hezekiah? Didn’t Hezekiah tear down his shrines and altars and make everyone in Judah and Jerusalem worship only at the altar here in Jerusalem?

“I’ll tell you what! Strike a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria. I will give you 2,000 horses if you can find that many men to ride on them! With your tiny army, how can you think of challenging even the weakest contingent of my master’s troops, even with the help of Egypt’s chariots and charioteers? What’s more, do you think we have invaded your land without the Lord’s direction? The Lord himself told us, ‘Attack this land and destroy it!’” – 2 Kings 18:19-25 NLT

God has not sent the Assyrians. This was a lie meant to confuse the king of Judah and cause him to surrender the city without a fight. God would thwart the plans of Sennacherib and put an end to his ambitious plans to defeat the people of Judah. God would eventually allow Nebuchadnezzar and the nation of Babylon to conquer Judah, as a part of His judgment against them for having failed to heed His calls to repentance. But that was not something He had asked the Assyrians to do. They were out of line with their efforts to defeat the people of Judah, and they were unsuccessful. Not because Judah was powerful, but because their God is great.

Our God is a great God. He is sovereign over any and all. He answers to no one, and no one can stand against Him. He is righteous and wrathful, merciful and vengeful. He is gracious and loving, but can also be a formidable enemy against those who would stand in His way or who would attempt to thwart His will. History is full of stories of great nations and powerful kingdoms. There have countless empires that have risen up and attempted to force their will on the world. Kings and dictators have ascended to places of power with grand plans to conquer the world with their armies, but each has ultimately failed. This world belongs to God, and He has a divine plan for it. He will use nations. He will appoint kings. He will raise up leaders of all kinds. But they will all be answerable to Him. Their power is limited. Their plans are temporary. Their reigns are short-lived. But God remains on His throne for all time. His power is limitless and His plans are unavoidable and unstoppable. And all who would find refuge and safety from the storms of this life, brought on by the Sennacheribs of this world, can run to God and find Him to be a strong fortress, against which no one and nothing can prevail.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Psalms 63-64 – Day 2

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The Thirst Quencher.
(Based on Psalm 63)

O God, You are my God; my personal God;
I will seek You from the moment I wake up and all day long.
I have unquenchable thirst for You spiritually,
And living in this world that’s like a waterless desert and can leave a man faint,
Even my body longs for the physical refreshment You alone can bring.
I am fully aware of Your holiness, Your set-apartness,
Because I have observed Your power and glory first-hand.
I have discovered that Your mercy and goodness makes living worthwhile,
Which is why praise for You comes so easily from my lips.
So I will bend my knee in submission to You as long as I live,
And I will lift up my hands to You in prayer because of Your reputation.
You spiritually satisfy me like a fine meal does the body,
And joyful praise is my response.
When I lie in bed at night, my thoughts go to You,
I fill my sleepless nights by thinking about You.
Because You have been my help in times past,
I know I will find myself safely rejoicing in Your protection again.
I hold on to You for dear life,
And You keep me safe in Your powerful grip.
But as far as those who wish to harm me,
You will take care of them, giving them exactly what they deserve.
They will suffer death and defeat, their bodies consumed by wild animals.
But as the king of Your people, I will rejoice in You.
Everyone who is true to their word and follows You will have reason to glory,
But all those who speak falsely will one day be stopped.

Put the Fear of God In Them.
(Based on Psalm 64)

O God, please listen to what I am saying.
I know it sounds like complaining,
But I need You to keep me from fearing my enemies.
Hide me so that their plots against me fail,
Don’t let this unruly mob of hooligans get to me.
They use their tongues like a well-sharpened sword,
Like a bow in an arrow, their bitter words pierce deeply.
They aim them at those who seek to live with integrity,
Attacking suddenly and with impunity.
They seem to find strength in doing what is wrong,
They brag about the traps they secretly set,
Saying, “Who will ever see them?”
They’re always seeking new ways to do what is wrong,
And their search is usually successful.
The depth of their thoughts and the hearts behind them are a mystery.
But what they don’t know is that God has them in His sights,
They will find themselves wounded, pierced through by God, as if by an arrow.
Their own words will be turned against them,
Others will shudder when they see what happens to them.
All men will end up fearing God when they see what He has done,
They will have to think long and hard about His actions.
Those who are righteous in God’s eyes will rejoice in Him,
They’ll learn to put their hope and trust in Him.
Those whose hearts are right with God will have reason to boast in Him.

Psalm 61 – Day 2

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I Cry To You.
(Based on Psalm 61)

O God, I ask you to not only hear my cry, but to respond.
Please pay attention to what I am praying.
When I find myself in extreme circumstances, I will call out to You,
When my heart is overcome by the darkness, and I begin to despair,
Lead me back to the safety of Your greatness,
Where I will find refuge and protection,
Above all my circumstances, exalted above my situations.
For You have always proven to be a shelter for me,
A tower of strength and safety from the enemy.
I will seek refuge in Your presence forever,
I will hide under the protection of Your wings.
You have heard what I have promised,
And You have promised to give me an inheritance
Along with all those who love You and fear You.
Let the king live a long time and impact many generations.
He will live in obediently in Your presence,
All I ask is that You watch over Him with Your mercy and truth.
As a result, I will sing praises forever regarding Your reputation,
And I will do what I have promised every day I am alive.

Psalm 59 – Day 1

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Unchanging Love. Incomparable Power.

“You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my fortress. In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me. He will let me look down in triumph on my enemies.” – Psalm 59:9-10 NLT

I’ve had bad days, but I’ve never had someone who was out to kill me (at least that I know of). I’ve never been hunted down like a wild animal or had armed mercenaries lying in wait outside my home, just waiting for me to show up so they could take me out. But David had, and he wrote this Psalm because of it. David knew what it meant to be hated, harassed, hounded, and hunted. He had experienced what it means to fear for your life. Every time he woke up he knew it would be another day filled with more of the same thing. But he also knew something that I too easily forget. He knew that God was with him, for him, and would rescue him – no matter what he faced that day. Which is why he could say, “But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress” (Psalm 59:16 NLT). David had experienced the unfailing love of God on previous occasions, so he knew that he could trust God to show up no matter what he faced that day. David knew that God loved him and that love never failed. While his own friends had turned their backs on him, David’s God was faithful and true. He would never let David down. “In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me” (Psalm 59:10 NLT).

But not only was God unfailing in his love and unwavering in His support for David, He was incomparable in power. In other words, God loved David, and that love was backed up by a strength that could protect David from anything and everything he faced. Love alone is not enough to prevent calamity from happening to someone who is dear to us. Many have had to watch helplessly as their loved ones died right before their eyes. Soldiers have had to watch, powerless to help, as their comrades died on the battlefield. Love for their brothers was strong, but incapable of preventing their death. But God’s love for us is backed by a power that is just as limitless. He not only loves us, but is capable of protecting, rescuing, and saving us. His power to save us is motivated by His desire to save us. He rescues us because He loves us. He saves us not just because He can, but because His love demands it.

David knew about God’s love because he had experienced God’s love. But it was more than some kind of sentimental, sappy kind of love. It was love expressed in power, exhibited in strength, and proven in acts of divine intervention. David knew he was love because he was still alive – in spite of all those who wanted him dead. His next breath was a reminder of God’s love. Seeing the sun come up in the morning was an opportunity to thank God for His love and deliverance. David’s problems still existed. His enemies were still there. But David knew that God would see him through the day, because God loved him, and that love was backed by power.

Father, how easy it is to forget that You love me – unceasingly. Somehow I know You are all powerful. But I sometimes doubt that You love me enough to make that power available to me each and every day. I fail to recognize that the very fact that I am alive is proof of Your power and Your love for me. Without Your sustaining power and unfailing love, I would cease to exist. You give me the strength I need to make it through the day. You lovingly sustain me, helping me make my way through the trials of life. May I learn to sing Your praises each and every morning, grateful for another day to serve You and watch You work in my life. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org