THE
SITUATION IS NEVER SO DARK THAT GOD CANNOT SEE WHAT IS BEST FOR US
PSALM
52
The
Steadfast Love of God Endures
TO
THE CHOIRMASTER. A MASKIL OF DAVID, WHEN DOEG, THE EDOMITE, CAME AND TOLD SAUL,
“DAVID HAS COME TO THE HOUSE OF AHIMELECH.”
1 Why
do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
The
steadfast love of God endures all the day.
2 Your
tongue plots destruction,
like
a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
3 You
love evil more than good,
and
lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
4
You love all words that devour,
O
deceitful tongue.
We
can read the story of Doeg in 1 Samuel 21, 22. This man not only perpetrated
evil against David, but also killed the priests who had helped David and his
men. Those who knew David were very aware that he had been faithful to Saul,
and did not deserve Doeg’s hatred.
Psalm
52:5-7
5 But
God will break you down forever;
he
will snatch and tear you from your tent;
he
will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
6 The
righteous shall see and fear,
and
shall laugh at him, saying,
7 “See
the man who would not make
God
his refuge,
but
trusted in the abundance of his riches
and
sought refuge in his own destruction!”
David
had full trust in the love of God, so he knew that God would do what is just
and right, in due time. God is certainly neither indifferent nor unaware of
those who plan and do evil. Their rebelliousness will lead them to destruction.
Psalm
52:8-9
8 But
I am like a green olive tree
in
the house of God.
I
trust in the steadfast love of God
forever
and ever.
9 I
will thank you forever,
because
you have done it.
I
will wait for your name, for it is good,
in
the presence of the godly.
David
trusted in God’s eternal love. He was grateful for God’s sovereign control. He
knew there was peace in the presence and protection of God.
God’s people do suffer by the hands
of evil ones.
As we watch men have a temporary upper hand, we should never lose sight that God
is in total control. He has eternal purposes that we cannot know or even
understand. When evil happens, we must trust the character and purposes of our
eternal and loving God. God did not spare His Son for our salvation, so we know
His great love will continue to be steadfast.
I
am reminded of Leonard Hopkins, a faithful missionary who, while serving God in
Mexico, was brutally murdered. He knew well that he ministered in a dangerous
place, in the midst of evil men. But he probably did not expect that the man he
had helped for weeks would turn against him. We grieve for his widow, his
children, and those who loved him, but we cannot overlook the fact that God was
sovereign, even in this. And as He ushered Leonard into heaven, He had eternal
purposes in mind. And for now, the Hopkins family’s testimony for Christ is
powerful, as they continue to serve Him.
Dear
friend, you might be suffering at this time because of the evil of some enemies
of God, and you might be tempted to just look at yourself as a victim. By allowing
feelings of revenge to grip your heart, you may even be rebelling against God. This
psalm was written to bring you back to the right perspective.
God
is in total control of everything; He has eternal purposes in mind. He loves
you perfectly and eternally. His justice will prevail. You can find peace and
comfort in God’s care. Our faith and gratitude should rest in the perfect character
and wisdom of God.
No
one can touch us apart from God’s perfect will.
John
10:27-30
My sheep hear my voice, and I know
them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish,
and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to
me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's
hand. I and the Father are one.”
Romans
8:38-39
For I am sure that neither death nor
life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We
have these promises; we can have peace in the midst of evil people. In Christ,
we are perfectly and particularly loved.
No comments:
Post a Comment