Trust In God

Have you ever felt like you were on the run, your flight response on red alert? Worry running at lightning speed through your mind? Have you ever known that you were in real, actual danger and that the chances of escaping harm were slim to none? David, in 1 Samuel 21 and 22 had one of these moments.

On the run from Saul, who wanted him dead, King David found himself in Gath about 42 miles from Jerusalem before the king, Achish. The king’s servants recognized that it was David, the king of Israel, and told Achish who he was, as if to say “This man is dangerous, we need to be careful. They sing songs about how many people he has killed.” This terrified David. In order to protect himself, David pretended to be insane to show that he wasn’t a threat to King Achish. His plan worked and David fled from Gath to Adullam about 10 miles away and hid there in a cave. It is from this cave, after being delivered from Achish and protected from Saul, that we receive the words of one of the most well known Psalms.

Psalm 34

I will bless the Lord at all times;

his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul makes its boast in the Lord;

let the humble hear and be glad.

Oh, magnify the Lord with me,

and let us exalt his name together!

I sought the Lord, and he answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant,

and their faces shall never be ashamed.

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him

and saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the Lord encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!

Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,

for those who fear him have no lack!

The young lions suffer want and hunger;

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Come, O children, listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

What man is there who desires life

and loves many days, that he may see good?

Keep your tongue from evil

and your lips from speaking deceit.

Turn away from evil and do good;

seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous

and his ears toward their cry.

The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,

to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears

and delivers them out of all their troubles.

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted

and saves the crushed in spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,

but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

He keeps all his bones;

not one of them is broken.

Affliction will slay the wicked,

and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

The Lord redeems the life of his servants;

none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

In our sin, we found ourselves face to face with a different kind of king than David. We found ourselves face to face with death itself – the prince of the power of the air ruling over us; our sin keeping us bound with no hope for release, and truly in a state of insanity. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our tresspasses, made us alive together in Christ - by grace we have been saved - and raised us up with Him, seating us in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:4-6).

If our story stopped at this deliverance from sin and death, we would have reason enough to join in singing this song. But it doesn’t stop there. He hasn’t just delivered us from our sin, but has brought blessing and joy and goodness into our lives through Christ. There are, if you stop and remember, prayers that you have prayed to which He has answered “yes.” There are desires in your heart that He has brought to pass.

You, too, can bless the Lord at all times and have His praise continually on your lips.

You, too, can make your boast in the Lord.

You can call others to magnify the Lord with you and exalt His name.

For the Lord has answered and delivered you when you sought Him.

Your face really has been made radiant because you looked to Him.

You will never be put to shame.

You have sought Him; He has answered. You have – if you can call them to mind – reasons to trust in God.

Amen