Reverence for God grows from wisdom of and knowledge of his character (Prv 9:10). Such fear preserves our lives. Solomon observes, “In the fear of the Lord one has a strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge. (27) The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn from the snares of death” (Prv 14:26-27). As we continue Part 2 of this Psalm devotional, we can clearly see that David’s confidence in this truth was rooted in his right understanding of God’s nature. Here are a few things he highlights in this text that should strengthen our trust in God.
God is Righteous & Just (v8-10). David declares, “Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.” Christians are commanded to imitate God’s holiness that our lives will be a reflection of his righteousness; however, even on our best day we fall woefully short of our perfect God. While sometimes it can disappoint us when our favorite pastor or church leaders succumb to our sinful nature, we can trust that our God is without flaw. He is pure and perfect in all he does and all he is. Therefore he is the perfect Teacher to lead sinners out of darkness directly to his wonderful light of salvation. Psalms declare, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps 119:105). Further, David adds, “All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness…” Because of these attributes, God will always be true, unchanging, and he will never let us down.
God promises forgiveness to all who turn to him in faith (v11-15). David fully understood this truth, that he (being a sinner) received forgiveness based on Gods’ character, not his own, “For your name sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great” (v11). Only by humility will we seek the fellowship of God for forgiveness of our sins, but also instruction in righteousness, thus David says, “The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant” (v14). Let this truth convict us daily: Just as Adam and Eve attempted to cover their nakedness with fig leaves, hiding our sins offers us no benefit. Why? Because God still sees it. Only He can remove from his sight what he does not want to see. Our role is to trust that by allowing him to expose our sins to his glorious light that we will receive the gift of grace and mercy (Prv 28:13).
Those who seek the salvation of the Lord shall not be put to shame (v16-22). Our troubles have two sources: (1) Our sins, and (2) the attacks from those who hate proclamation and witness of the Gospel we carry. David entreats God, “Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. (19) Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they acted me” (v18-19). In like manner, we are assured that there will be no condemnation for us who seek Gods’ salvation from our enemies and ourselves.
By the Spirit, we should agree with God that our sin and troubles are too large for us to overcome or have victory over on our own. Embracing such reality should humble us, cause us to acknowledge our sins and helplessness without God, and flee towards him. Only in trusting in God will we find our deliverance and future hope.
Blessings,
Dr. Jason S. Price, Th.D.
www.springoflivingwaters.com