The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 54:3-4,
"Arrogant foes are attacking me; ruthless people are trying to kill me— people without regard for God. Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me."
One of the common themes (a major theme!) in the book of Psalms is that the psalmist faces a threat and finds his refuge and safety from that threat in God. We find that resolution in the last two verses of this psalm, "I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good. You have delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes." Verses 6-7.
Sometimes that threat is a foe or enemy, as in this psalm ("Arrogant foes"). Sometimes it might be an illness, Psalm 41, sometimes it might be God himself as in Psalm 88, sometimes it may be the psalmist himself that he seeks relief from, Psalm 42. Psalm 107 contains several ways this theme is exploited (wanderers in desert wastelands, prisoners in darkness, rebellious fools, sailors) with an account of how the Lord rescued them.
"Arrogant foes are attacking me; ruthless people are trying to kill me— people without regard for God. Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me."
One of the common themes (a major theme!) in the book of Psalms is that the psalmist faces a threat and finds his refuge and safety from that threat in God. We find that resolution in the last two verses of this psalm, "I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, Lord, for it is good. You have delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes." Verses 6-7.
Sometimes that threat is a foe or enemy, as in this psalm ("Arrogant foes"). Sometimes it might be an illness, Psalm 41, sometimes it might be God himself as in Psalm 88, sometimes it may be the psalmist himself that he seeks relief from, Psalm 42. Psalm 107 contains several ways this theme is exploited (wanderers in desert wastelands, prisoners in darkness, rebellious fools, sailors) with an account of how the Lord rescued them.
The point being that in the book of Psalms and throughout the Scriptures, the Lord wants us to know that as we face difficult times, as we face threats to ourselves, we need to seek and find our refuge in him, our salvation in him.
The absolute greatest threat we all face is the damnation of God's judgment of us for our sins. Nothing can come into our lives that poses a greater threat to us. God is teaching us in the Psalms, as well as many other places in Scripture that we need to find our refuge in him. Not in a church, not in a pope, not in a pastor, not in government, not in wealth, not even in our own abilities - but in him.
He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for our sins and all he asks of us is to embrace him in faith to find our refuge and safety from his judgment of us.
The book of Psalms was one of the many ways the Lord prepared his people, and the entire world for the coming of our great refuge, Jesus Christ!
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know..
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know..
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