Relief

"Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast." PSA. 57:1

It is believed that David wrote this psalm while hiding in a cave from King Saul of Israel. You, perhaps remember the story of Saul and David. For many years, Saul, for no good reason, sought to kill David. Stop and think on that for a moment, to literally live from day to day with the threat of physical death lingering over your head.

These were the "calamities" that David sought relief from. The word translated 'calamities' carries the meaning of ruin, iniquity, evil, and wickedness. For me it is hard to compare my life's troubles with David's life's calamities. Nevertheless, I am reminded by him that true refuge and therefore true relief is found only in Almighty God.

To seek refuge in something or someone else is worthless. Jonah called these false refuges "lying vanities", Jeremiah referred to them as "broken cisterns". We might, perhaps, find temporary relief in these other refuges but in the scope of eternity they will eventually give way like the house built on sand.

Believers have a different hope and a different refuge. Jesus said; "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me." Our refuge is Christ; He, alone, is appointed by God as the way, the truth and the life. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

May we say with the psalmist; "Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

a brief thought from Psalm 43

O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.

Such a simple prayer and yet such a necessary prayer for the soul.

If God does not send we are left in darkness. If God does not send understanding (light) we will only know the truth in a cold, dead way. If He does not send truth then we will continue to live in our own ideas, our own opinions of 'truth' which only lead to death. Unless light and truth lead us and bring us then we have not been brought and we are still in darkness.

Jesus said "I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by Me."

"Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith."

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Cor 6:19-20

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Rom. 12:1

Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Rom. 6:13

By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Heb. 13:15