March 2008

Psalm 34 — Happiness in Christ

You will remember friends that we have been looking devotionally at Psalm 34 in our February Prayer Letter and now we want to complete these thoughts in our March Prayer Letter. The theme of our devotion in Psalm 34 is ‘Happiness in Christ’ and I guess you could use the subtitle of ‘staying in tune with the Lord during the struggles of life’. This is just one of those psalms that really gives such clear guidance as to how to keep our focus on the Lord especially when the going gets tough. We have to recognise that in the Christian life part of the process of growing and maturing in Christ are trials and temptations. I think its been well summed up by someone who said that where the sun shines always we get but a desert. So it is fair to say that we need the rain and the wind and the storms of life mixed in with the sunshine of life to help us grow and mature into well-balanced Christians.

So in this month’s prayer letter I want to cover 2 more points in Psalm 34 that I think can help us to do exactly this.

Then thirdly David develops this theme of fear in encouraging us to fear the Lord in verses 9-16. He picks up in verse 9 and says to all of us; “O fear the Lord you His saints.” And then makes this wonderful statement where he says; “There is no want to those who fear Him.” Now let me say to you that if we as the Lord’s people do not have this awful reverential fear of God then we might find that Psalm 23 is not quite what we thought it was when David says; “The Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want.” You see friends that opening verse of Psalm 23 just bristles with the whole meaning of having a personal relationship with the Lord. Notice how David says; “The Lord is my shepherd.” Now we cannot say that unless we are in a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. But as we fear the Lord notice the benefits that come. We see first of all that He provides for His people. Look at verse 10. It says; “The young lions lack and suffer hunger but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.” That really is just another way of saying Psalm 23 and verse 1.

Then notice he says He will teach us in verse 11. “Come you children, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord.” One of the great challenges I come across with young Christians is to find young Christians who are willing to listen and be teachable. Not only is that a means of listening and being teachable in regards to say an older man teaching a younger man or an older woman teaching a younger woman, it also refers to the fact that we as the Lord’s people are to be listening to God and coming before Him in humility and are teachable. This is why David says; “Who is the man who desires life and loves many days that he may see good?” So as one is teachable notice the impact that flows from that; the Lord keeps us from speaking evil, He keeps us from being deceitful and lying, He keeps us away from evil and enables us to do good. He also helps us to pursue peace in all that we do. We also see that in all of these difficulties He enables us to deal with our troubles. Look at verse 16 where David says; “The face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Then lastly we see in verses 17-22 David’s final rally call is to trust in the Lord. Look at verse 17 where he says; “The righteous cry out and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.” This reminds me of Psalm 50 and verse 15 which says; “Call upon the Lord in the day of trouble and I will deliver you and you will glorify me.” As we trust the Lord not only do we experience God’s deliverance but also the experience we go through is glorifying the Lord. So it’s really important that when we cry out to the Lord we cry out in faith, in trust and do so with an expectancy that God will answer. We also must be willing to walk in humbleness before God. Notice how David says that; “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and save such as have a contrite spirit.” So we don’t come with a sense of arrogance or self importance or with a superior attitude in that we have got it all nailed down. Rather we come before God recognising that as John 15 and verse 5 says; “Apart from Him we can do nothing.”

So in all of this as we cry out in trust and expect God to answer and as we walk in humility, then what happens is that God is pleased to keep us in a right walk with Him. What David is saying to us is that as we walk with God there will be times that we experience afflictions and suffering in trial but we can know God’s experience in all of these situations and that’s why we read in verse 19; “But the Lord delivers him out of them all,” that is the struggles, afflictions and difficulties. But not only does He do that, He protects His people. You’ll notice there in verse 20 that He protects us physically, He protects us emotionally and He protects us spiritually. And that’s why it says in verse 22 that; “The Lord redeems the souls of His servants and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.” This brings me to that wonderful verse in Romans 8 and verse 1 which says; “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” That word condemnation has the idea of being free of debt, being free of guilt because of the finished work of Calvary. It’s no wonder David opens this Psalm with the statement; “I will bless the Lord at all times and His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

May that be your testimony for 2008 and onwards.

Best wishes on behalf of the Challenge Team for 2008.