When my heart is shaken

“Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Selah.”(Psalms 62:8)

I am reminded of the lesson that I should be careful after receiving grace.  In the midst of the full grace of God I received during the Internet ministry in Korea in 2016, I noticed that my heart was a little shaky after returning to the United States.  I saw myself getting depressed without myself realizing it.  Although physically my fatigue is recovering a lot, I don’t know why my heart is getting depressed and then it’s okay again.  Then, while reading Psalms 62 today, I became interested in verse 3: “How long will you assault a man?  Would all of you throw him down-- this leaning wall, this tottering fence?”  d

The psalmist David was under attack.  His enemies were uniting in unison and attacking David to kill him.  David, who was thus under attack, described his current situation like a wall that falls down and a fence that shakes.  The reason is because his enemies not only tried to bring David down from his throne, but they were deceitful, and blessed with their mouths, but in their hearts they cursed (v. 4).  In other words, when David's enemies seem to have tried to shake him up, they also tried to shake up a protective barrier such as a wall” or fence and knock it down.  I think this is Satan's work and strategy.  Satan continues to attack us, diligently trying to shake us up and even knock down the wall and the fence that are like the shield of our hearts which is the wellspring of life (Prov. 4:23).  Satan is constantly attacking our hearts, diligently trying to make us discouraged, depressed, and even desperate.  What should we do when our hearts are shaken as a result?  I meditated on two things.

First, when our hearts are shaken, we must quietly trust God.

Look at Psalms 62:8a – “Trust in him at all times, O people; ….”  When our hearts are shaken in the face of Satan's attack, we must realize two truths at the same time: (1) We should not depend on our wealth even if we increase it (v. 10) and (2) We must trust in God alone (vv. 1, 2, 5, 6).  When Satan attacks us, he attacks us a lot, especially with material temptations.  Satan diligently tempts us with money, especially when we are in material need.  Satan is trying to tempt us even by increasing our wealth so that we can eventually serve the Lord and wealth together.  Our hearts can be shaken enough by this temptation of Satan.  However, as the Bible says, we should not set our hearts on our riches that are increasing (v. 10).  Rather, like David, we must always trust in God alone (v. 8).  Even when our hearts are shaken, we must find rest in God alone and look to Him only (vv. 1, 5).  We must keep our eyes on the Lord alone (vv. 2, 6).  How is this possible?  How can we quietly look to God only when our hearts are shaken?  I am reminded of Psalms 42:5, 11 and 43:5 – “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence.”  I often use this word as my prayer and pray to God.  Especially when I am discouraged and anxious within myself, I often pray to God, declaring to my own soul: ‘James, why are you in despair, and why have you become disturbed within me?  Hope in God!’  In doing so, I often experience God's help.  God revives and lifts my soul, which was discouraged and anxious, with the word of God's promise.  Likewise, when my heart is shaken, like David, I want to go to God in prayer, crying out to my own soul, “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone” (62:5).  Why should we find rest in God alone?  The reason is because “my salvation” and “my hope” come from God (vv. 1, 5).  The reason is because only God is “my rock” and “my fortress” (vv. 2, 6).  Therefore, we will not be shaken if we are quietly trusting in God and finding rest in Him alone (vv. 2, 6).  Rather, we will be strengthened (Isa. 30:15).

            Second and last, when our hearts are shaken, we must pour out our hearts.

Look at Psalms 62:8 – “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Selah.”  Many church members in the community are unable to share their concerns and difficulties.  The reason seems to be because they know that when they share their concerns and difficulties, it will go viral in the church and will eventually hurt them.  Therefore, it seems that they have no choice but to live with their concerns and difficulties.  Although the church should be a community of sharing, it seems that there is no church culture that can deeply share each other's concerns and difficulties.  It is a sad reality.  Even in this reality, we are not discouraged because we can come to the Lord and pour out our hearts.  That's why I personally like the hymn “Go, Carry the Burden to Jesus.”  If we look at the chorus lyrics of that hymn it reads: “O, steal away softly to Jesus, To Him let thy heart be outpoured; Thy Father, who seeth in secret, Shall give thee a gracious reward.”  How grateful we are to be able to quietly go to the Lord and pour out our hearts.  It is a privilege and a blessing to be able to cry out to the Lord in prayer and to pour out our hearts to Him who loves us the most and knows us best.  The reason why the psalmist David exhorted the Israelites to always trust in God and pour out their hearts to Him is because “God is our refuge” (v. 8).  He was able to exhort them that way because in the attack of his enemies (vv. 3-4), he trusted in God alone, who was his might, his rock, and his refuge (v. 7).  Then David heard the word of God.  There were two things he heard: (1) ‘God is strong’ (v. 11) and (2) ‘God is loving’ (v. 12).  When our hearts are shaken, we should pour our hearts out to God.  Then we will experience God's power and God's love.  As we find rest in God alone and trust in Him quietly, we will receive the strength that God gives us (Isa. 30:15) and experience God's eternal love that is better than our lives (Ps. 63:3).

We are like walls that fall and fences that shake (62:3).  Satan and our enemies continue to attack us in unison (v. 3).  They are deceitful people.  And they only seek to dislodge us from the faith (v. 4) with lies (v. 4) and deceitfulness (v. 9).  They can make our hearts shaken.  When they do so, we must quietly trust in God alone (v. 8).  We must be find rest in Him and quiet look to Him alone, our salvation and our hope (vv. 1, 5).  And we must pour out our hearts to Him (v. 8).  When we do this, God will take hold of our hearts with His power and His love (vv. 11-12).  Therefore we will no longer be shaken (vv. 2, 6).