One of my favorite hymns from my past is “Trust and Obey”. I think it’s a favorite because I still hear Grandpa Lacquement’s voice leading the congregation. He would always choose this song when we baptized people in our church. Grandpa sang all the verses while people were drying off and changing clothes. It was sung at my own baptism. Yes, we believe in immersion baptism. Dead to sin, rise to new life in Christ!
Today, I am reminded of the importance to trust and obey God in good times and bad while reading David’s lament to God in our next Psalm followed by the wisdom Proverb. Let’s learn by going deeper! Trust God for there really is no better way!
Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs
Psychologist M. Scott Peck writes, “Once we truly know that life is difficult–once we truly understand and accept it–then life is no longer difficult.” David knew that the path of life wasn’t easy, but he succeeded in the journey because he held to three unwavering assurances.
- The Help We Need Comes from God. Other people may lift up their hearts to idols (24:4), which are only manufactured substitutes for God, but David lifted his heart up to the Lord, for He is the only true source of encouragement. In one of the darkest hours of his life, when David had lost everything, he “encouraged himself in the Lord his God” (1 Sam. 30:6). He desperately needed wisdom to make the right decisions, avoid the traps, and reach the goal. David not only prayed for God’s guidance, but he asked for insight to understand the Word; for only there could he learn God’s ways and understand his own path. “Lead me in thy truth” reminds us that the Word and prayer always go together (1 Sam. 12:23; John 15:7).
- God Can Be Trusted! At this point, David paused to meditate on the character of the Lord his God. After all, why pray to the Lord if He can’t be trusted? But He can be trusted! To begin with, He is “good and upright,” and what He says and does are always right. If we submit ourselves to Him in meekness, He will teach us His ways, but if we are arrogant, He will be silent. God can be trusted to be merciful and gracious to those who repent (v. 11), but we must walk in the fear of the Lord (v. 12). “He [God] will instruct him in the way chosen for him” (v. 12 niv). Knowing that the Lord has a plan for our lives and that this plan is the very best for us should give us great joy and confidence as we seek His will (16:11; 139:13-16; Eph. 2:10). According to God’s covenant arrangement, those who obey will receive His provision and protection, and there will be blessing also for the next generations in the family (Deut. 4:1-14). DO YOU HEAR the song “The Blessing” playing in the background?
- Trusting God Brings Victory! David once again turns to prayer and mentions to the Lord the special burdens that beset him, the dangerous enemies without, and the distressing emotions within. But he wouldn’t mention them to the Lord if he didn’t believe the Lord could help him!
- Danger (v. 15).The enemy had put snares in the path, but David trusted the Lord to protect him. Satan is a destroyer and a murderer and would trap us all if he could, but if we are in God’s will, he can’t harm us.
- Loneliness (v. 16). Those who have never had to exercise authority and make difficult decisions involving other people sometimes overlook the loneliness of leadership. As we obey the Lord, we sometimes see friends and even family members turn against us, and this is painful. Three of David’s sons–Absalom, Amnon, and Adonijah–turned against him, and so did his close friend and counselor Ahithophel.
- A broken heart (v. 17). If we sit alone and feel sorry for ourselves, we will never grow in the Lord and accomplish greater things for Him. Enlarged trouble will either make us or break us, turn us into giants or crush us into pygmies. See how God helped David to grow. God can heal a broken heart if we give Him all the pieces and let Him have His way.
- Regrets (v. 18). As we have seen from verse 7, David may have had deep regrets because of things he had done in the past, and these regrets were robbing him of peace and joy. Satan is the accuser (Rev. 12:10) and wants to remind us of our sins, even though the Lord has forgiven them and holds them against us no more (Heb. 10:11-18).
- Fear (vv. 19-20). We don’t know what the situation was, but whatever it was, David feared for his life. Even more, he feared that he would fail and bring disgrace to the name of the God he loved. His enemies were increasing and so was his fear, but he trusted the Lord to take care of both.
- Despair (vv. 21-22). “I wait on you” also means “I have hope in you.” To lose hope is to surrender the future to the enemy, and that only destroys the meaning of the present. David was a man of integrity (7:8; 26:1, 11; 41:12; 78:72); he was wholehearted in his obedience to the Lord. Whatever lies the enemy was spreading about him, David knew that the Lord saw his heart and approved of his character.
Psalm 25, The Message
A David Psalm
1-2 My head is high, God, held high;
I’m looking to you, God;
No hangdog skulking for me.
3 I’ve thrown in my lot with you;
You won’t embarrass me, will you?
Or let my enemies get the best of me?
Don’t embarrass any of us
Who went out on a limb for you.
It’s the traitors who should be humiliated.
4 Show me how you work, God;
School me in your ways.
5 Take me by the hand;
Lead me down the path of truth.
You are my Savior, aren’t you?
6 Mark the milestones of your mercy and love, God;
Rebuild the ancient landmarks!
7 Forget that I sowed wild oats;
Mark me with your sign of love.
Plan only the best for me, God!
8 God is fair and just;
He corrects the misdirected,
Sends them in the right direction.
9 He gives the rejects his hand,
And leads them step-by-step.
10 From now on every road you travel
Will take you to God.
Follow the Covenant signs;
Read the charted directions.
11 Keep up your reputation, God;
Forgive my bad life;
It’s been a very bad life.
12 My question: What are God-worshipers like?
Your answer: Arrows aimed at God’s bull’s-eye.
13 They settle down in a promising place;
Their kids inherit a prosperous farm.
14 God-friendship is for God-worshipers;
They are the ones he confides in.
15 If I keep my eyes on God,
I won’t trip over my own feet.
16 Look at me and help me!
I’m all alone and in big trouble.
17 My heart and kidneys are fighting each other;
Call a truce to this civil war.
18 Take a hard look at my life of hard labor,
Then lift this ton of sin.
19 Do you see how many people
Have it in for me?
How viciously they hate me?
20 Keep watch over me and keep me out of trouble;
Don’t let me down when I run to you.
21 Use all your skill to put me together;
I wait to see your finished product.
22 God, give your people a break
From this run of bad luck.
TRUTH: “God is fair and just; He corrects the misdirected, Sends them in the right direction.” “If I keep my eyes on God, I won’t trip over my own feet.” Stay focused on the One who loves us most and wants His best for us. We are never alone in our trials, for as members of God’s believing community, we have encouragement from one another. Our brothers and sisters around the world are also suffering trials (1 Peter 5:9), so we are not alone.
Tomorrow we will read how David survived his trials and was able to write Psalm 26:12: “My feet stand on level ground; in the great assembly I will praise the Lord” (niv). May we follow his example!
David’s son, Solomon writes to his son…
Proverb 13:21-25, The Message
Disaster entraps sinners,
but God-loyal people get a good life.
22 A good life gets passed on to the grandchildren;
ill-gotten wealth ends up with good people.
23 Banks foreclose on the farms of the poor,
or else the poor lose their shirts to crooked lawyers.
24 A refusal to correct is a refusal to love;
love your children by disciplining them.
25 An appetite for good brings much satisfaction,
but the belly of the wicked always wants more.
WISDOM: “…God-loyal people get a good life. A good life gets passed on to the grandchildren…
Abby Father,
Bless all who believe and trust in You alone. We know You will for You have promised to be with us always, unto the end of the age. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen. I believe.
And we sing…
“The Blessing (Elevation Worship)
The Lord bless you
And keep you
Make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you
The Lord turn His
Face toward you
And give you peace
Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen
The Lord bless you
And keep you
Make His face shine upon you
And be gracious to you
The Lord turn His
Face toward you
And give you peace
As we receive, we agree, amen
Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen (amen, amen)
Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen
May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
Your family and your children
And their children, and their children…
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 