Trust in God!

[Psalm 31:1-8]

Let each of us ask ourselves this question: “Do I always truly trust in the Lord, or am I perhaps relying on vain idols or empty things?” To answer this question, we first need to think about what it is that we rely on. In a writing titled “To Trust Is Faith,” there is a lesson learned by Canon Battersby, an evangelical minister of the Church of England, while listening to a sermon based on the story of the royal official who traveled from Capernaum to Cana to ask Jesus to heal his son. The lesson is this: the royal official believed Jesus’ words exactly as they were—“Go, your son lives” (John 4:50)—and upon hearing this healing word, his faith was that even if he had nothing else to rely on in the world, he could confess, “The Lord’s word is enough.” This is what faith and trust are (Internet).

I asked myself this question: ‘Is the promise the Lord gave to our church in Matthew 16:18—“… I will build my church…”—alone sufficient for me?’ Or, ‘Besides this promise, do I often rely on myself or others?’ If I truly experienced that I am enabled to serve in ministry by fully trusting the Lord’s promise, I certainly would fear neither anyone nor any situation, nor would I be anxious or discouraged by anything. A soul that believes and is confident that the Lord’s promise alone is sufficient trusts God completely. As hymn #342 (“When Trials Come”) expresses, as time passes, our faith life must confess that there is no one but the Lord on whom we can rely in any circumstance.

Looking at Psalm 31:6 today, we see David, the psalmist, deciding: “I hate those who cling to worthless idols; but I trust in the Lord.” Centering on this verse, under the title “Trust in God!”, I want to meditate on two things that those who trust God do, and pray that we also become believers who trust only in God, like David.

First, those who trust God take refuge in the Lord.

Look at Psalm 31:1:
“In you, Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.”
David faced distress and took refuge in God. To take refuge in God means that David made God his shelter and earnestly prayed to Him. What was the prayer of David’s soul that took refuge in the Lord? We can consider it in three ways:

(1) David’s first plea was, “Save me.”

Look again at the second half of Psalm 31:1: “…save me in your righteousness.” David prayed to God for salvation amid the crisis he faced. The crisis was that David’s enemies—strong and cunning—had set a trap for him, like catching an animal in a net (verse 4). In this dire situation, David fully trusted God and pleaded that the Lord, his refuge, would deliver him from the secret nets set by his enemies and accomplish salvation (verse 4). Interestingly, David did not ask to be saved based on his own righteousness but pleaded based on “the righteousness of the Lord” (verse 1). David hoped God would save him as an act of righteousness by faithfully protecting His chosen one (Calvin). The important lesson here is that we should not pray asking God to save us based on our own righteousness but only plead with God the Father to save us relying on the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

(2) David’s second plea was, “Be to me a strong rock and a fortress to save me.”

Look at Psalm 31:2: “Incline your ear to me; hurry to save me; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.” This is a prayer hoping for God’s protection. It is a prayer that relies on God’s omnipotence and steadfastness. The “strong rock” mentioned here means a fortress on a rock where one can take refuge, and the “fortress” refers to a shelter built on a mountain top. These terms metaphorically describe God as a powerful protector (Park Yun-sun). Amid severe suffering, after fleeing to God and praying for salvation based on Jesus’ righteousness, David asked for God’s protection. Our only rock of refuge is the Lord. Only He can protect us through any hardship and adversity.

(3) David’s third plea was, “Lead me and guide me.”

Look at Psalm 31:3: “For you are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.” David pleaded with the Lord, who is his rock and fortress, to lead and guide him. For whom did David pray in this way? He pleaded for the Lord’s guidance and leadership “for the sake of your name.” David, who asked for salvation relying on the Lord’s righteousness, asked to be led and guided so that the God of the covenant would fulfill His promises and reveal His faithfulness. Therefore, he prayed to be led and guided for the sake of the Lord’s name (verse 3). We too must seek the Lord’s guidance and leadership like David. Why? Because without the Lord’s guidance and leadership, we will wander like lost sheep, ultimately becoming a laughingstock to our enemies (Hymn 82).

David, who trusted in God, took God as his refuge and, bringing these three prayer requests, pleaded with Him while also asking that he never be put to eternal shame (verse 1). In other words, David prayed that he would not be disgraced because of failure (Park Yoon-sun). This shows that when David sought refuge in God, he was confident that the Lord would help him. If God did not help, failure was inevitable, and those watching him would mock him (Park Yoon-sun). Therefore, David offered such a prayer to God.

Secondly, those who trust in God entrust their spirit to the Lord.

Look at Psalm 31:5: “Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.” This verse means that David completely entrusted the matter of his life and death to God. Why did David entrust his spirit to the Lord? There are two reasons:

(1) Because the Lord is the God of truth.

David entrusted his soul (life and death) to God in the midst of severe suffering because he believed the Lord is the God of truth. In other words, David could fully entrust his life and death to the Lord because he knew that the Lord is the true God. This true God revealed Himself and faithfully fulfilled His covenant promises, and David experienced this. Therefore, even in his current extreme suffering, David entrusted his life and death to this God of truth. Having already experienced God’s saving grace in the past, David made this resolve amid his present hardship: “I hate those who regard worthless idols, but I trust in the Lord” (verse 6). David hated the sinful acts of idol worshipers.

(2) David entrusted his soul to the Lord because he rejoiced and delighted in the Lord’s mercy.

Look at Psalm 31:7: “I will rejoice and be glad in your mercy, for you have seen my affliction; you know the distress of my soul.” In the midst of suffering, David did not forget or overlook the faithful saving grace of the God of truth from the past. Remembering this, he once again rejoiced and delighted in the Lord’s mercy. Isn’t that amazing? To be able to rejoice and delight in the Lord’s mercy in the midst of extreme suffering… This is true faith. Especially, the reason David rejoiced and delighted in the Lord’s mercy was that the Lord observed his distress, knew his troubled soul (verse 7), and did not deliver him into the hands of his enemies but led him to a spacious place—a place of freedom (verse 8).

Look at the first half of Psalm 31:5 again: “Into your hand I commit my spirit….” This verse reminds me of Jesus’ words on the cross recorded in Luke 23:46: “…Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When we compare these two verses, an amazing fact emerges: when the only begotten Son Jesus entrusted the matter of life and death entirely to God, God did not save Him from death on the cross. Although God heard David’s prayer and saved him when he entrusted his life and death to God, God did not save His Son Jesus from death on the cross. Why? It was in order to give you and me eternal life. Those who do not forget or overlook this grace of redemption, and who fully trust the true God, receive God’s saving grace, protection, and guidance. May we also receive these blessings.

Looking to the Lord who governs life, death, fortune, and misfortune,

Pastor James Kim’s sharing
(Trusting in the Lord who is my refuge)