Trusting in God’s Deliverance
Psalms 4:1-8
Jim Davis
Too often spirituality is a self-designed program to be a better person, to live a better life. We look within ourselves to make a better world. Our lives become formed around a self-designed agenda for improvement. It’s the kind of philosophy that makes us masters of our own fate. We seek to do what is right because we understand the natural order of things—one reaps what is sown. It is obvious that we enhance our lives by making right choices. We do need a firm grasp of the idea that there are consequences to our behavior.
Buddha postulated the concept of Karma. Making right choices creates a force in and of itself, which Buddha called Karma. One seeks to be liberated through a means of mental and moral self-purification. It relies on self-enlightenment through self-discovery for the purpose of reaching a higher level of existence. Supposedly good Karma allows the soul’s migration to a higher level of existence. Webster defines Karma: “the force generated by a person's actions held in Hinduism and Buddhism to perpetuate transmigration and in its ethical consequences to determine the nature of the person's next existence.”
It is this sort of philosophy that appeals to a self-improvement mindset. It is a self-perpetuated life, which relies on the strength of good or bad choices in and of themselves.
God blessed Solomon with special insight to understand the natural order of life. Solomon writes, “The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life” (Proverbs 16:17 NIV). Much of what Solomon teaches comes from his observation of life. God gave him special insight to gain wisdom. Yet, reading the book of Ecclesiastes leads me to believe Solomon observes this as a natural occurrence of one’s actions as he admittedly lives a life of vanity. Yet, in his vanity he understands there is a natural order in life. One reaps what is sown.
It is obvious choices do shape our lives. Eve’s decision in Eden is indicative that there are serious consequences to our behavior. The difficulty then, and now, is accepting God’s plan to salvage our world, not merely through self-enlightenment and self-effort, but through God’s direction and the powerful help God affords.
There is a growing hunger in our world for something that takes us beyond ourselves—beyond the mere consequences of our choices. We are like the Samaritan woman who goes to draw water daily from Jacob’s well with her eye peeled for someone who could quench her thirst for a better life. Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling p to eternal life" (John 4:13-14). The world seems to be looking for this water.
A God Designed Path
Throughout the psalms we see the futility of human effort as the writers struggle with their limited ability to make life better. Often, they are suffering at the hands of the wicked despite their efforts to live righteous lives—in spite of their right choices. In the midst of their struggles God is recognized and sought as the one in control—the one powerful enough to make a real difference.
Psalms 63:6-11
6 On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
7 Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8 My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.
9 They who seek my life will be destroyed;
they will go down to the depths of the earth.
10 They will be given over to the sword
and become food for jackals.
11 But the king will rejoice in God;
all who swear by God's name will praise him,
while the mouths of liars will be silenced. NIV
David writes, “He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake” (Psalms 23:3 NIV). He sees God as the one who is leading him in paths of righteousness. David is not walking a self-designed path. He is following God’s paths. God is leading him down the right paths as the shadows of uncertainty engulf him. God is not turning David loose in a dark world to find the right path for himself. It is God’s path he is following. There is a difference. God not only knows the right path; he is fully capable of clearing a path for us no matter how dark and deadly the shadows.
There is much lamenting in the book of Psalms. We see those struggling in the darkest of worlds striving to make right choices. Yet, it is obvious they are looking beyond the mere power of choice as they call upon God for relief. They are looking for God’s sustaining power—his salvaging power. In Psalms 4 the psalmist cries out for God to salvage his life.
Psalms 4
Answer me when I call to you,
O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;
be merciful to me and hear my prayer.
2 How long, O men, will you turn my glory into shame?
How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?
Selah
3 Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself;
the LORD will hear when I call to him.
4 In your anger do not sin;
when you are on your beds,
search your hearts and be silent.
Selah
5 Offer right sacrifices
and trust in the LORD.
6 Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?"
Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD.
7 You have filled my heart with greater joy
than when their grain and new wine abound.
8 I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety. NIV
The psalmist cries, “Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.” In that it is a cry for God’s merciful intervention, it goes beyond what he deserves—it has to do with God doing the right thing as He intervenes through His mercy. The psalmist is calling upon the God who is the author of righteousness—who is the God of his righteousness. He is not relying upon his personal righteousness—the mere power of his right choices for his salvation. The psalmist is not merely relying upon the power of his decisions. His cry is an effort to see God as the force in his life. He is relying upon God who is leading him in righteousness.
He cries “Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.” He is not asking God to empower him. He is asking for God’s personal intervention. He is looking for God’s activity. Throughout the Old Testament it is amazing how God is fighting the battles for the faithful. He is not necessarily empowering individuals to accomplish the impossible, at times he did, but the majority of the time God was fighting the battles. God hung Mordecai on his own gallows. God prevented Balaam from cursing Israel. God broke the walls of Jericho. God drowned the Egyptian army in the Red Sea.
In all of salvation history God is the one salvaging lives. It is no wonder that David said that God leads us down his paths of righteousness for his own name sake. God desires to reveal himself in a dark world as the one capable of leading us through the valley of death. Is it any wonder that the psalmist is looking for God’s activity in his circumstances? After all, if it is God directing our steps, will he not ultimately be the one vindicated in our walk with him? Will he not be glorified as we walk in his paths of righteousness?
Psalms 46:10
"Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth." NIV
The psalmist can confidently say, I “Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD will hear when I call to him.” He is anticipating God’s merciful intervention as he trusts God’s righteousness. He encourages himself to rely on God who he believes will hear and answer his prayer.
“Let him who walks in the dark,
who has no light,
trust in the name of the Lord
and rely on his God.” (Isaiah 50:10)
The psalmist writes, “In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent” (Psalms 4:4). He is tempted to anger, but decides to be silent and trust in God. He refuses to allow his enemies to take control of him through his anger. In the silent stillness of the night the psalmist remains calm. He searches his own heart for a correct response. He allows his belief in God to control his emotions.
He tells himself to “Offer right sacrifices and trust in the LORD.” The proper response to God’s mercy is to continue offering right sacrifices. Yet, the psalmist’s righteousness goes beyond offering another animal sacrifice or contributing more money to the temple treasure. He is reaching inside himself to make the right sacrifice in his own heart. He refuses to respond to his enemies in the manner in which he is being treated—what a sacrifice this is. He lifted up his heart to God.
What a sacrifice—a refusal to allow anger to take control. Anger is a sure fire way of allowing self to become the object of worship. Anger will only reduce us to the level of our enemies. A parallel passage in the New Testament reveals the kind of sacrifices made when we are engulfed in darkness.
Ephesians 4:25-32
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. NIV
Contrasted here is the way we act when we seek to take control of our circumstances and how we act when we are trusting God for deliverance. It is a call to sacrifice our natural instincts—our natural self—to the control of God. It surrenders our lives to God’s control regardless the circumstances.
Romans 12:17-21
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. NIV
The greatest choice we can make in life is to become partakers of God’s divine nature. This is the choice of salvation for salvation is about God asking us to become partakers of his divine nature—to be become like him—to be recreated in his image. It is all about participating in God’s divine nature as we sacrifice our natural instincts to God’s control. Through participation in God’s nature God’s power comes into play. He empowers us to escape worldly corruption that rules through the ruin of evil desires.
2 Peter 1:2-4
2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
Participating in God’s nature is the only means of living a productive life as a Christian. It is the greatest sacrifice a person can make. It has the means of turning our world around as we reign as kings and priests in the kingdom of God (Revelation 1:6).
2 Peter 1:5-11
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. NIV
Peter describes the divine nature—“make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.”
These are the sacrifices the psalmist makes as he encourages himself not to respond in anger. Instead he trusts God’s deliverance to salvage his life as he struggles to participate in God’s new creation. In so doing, God fills his heart with joy.
Psalms 4:6-8
6 Many are asking, "Who can show us any good?"
Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD.
7 You have filled my heart with greater joy
than when their grain and new wine abound.
8 I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety. NIV
The psalmist experiences the joy of salvation as God fills his heart with the anticipation of deliverance. It is God who is making it possible for him to sleep in peace as he provides him a refuge of safety.
Of course, in difficult times we go through extreme emotional waves. One psalmist reveals how he questions God in the darkness of the night. It is his doubts about God’s seemingly untimely deliverance that rob his eyes of sleep.
Psalms 77:4-9
4 You kept my eyes from closing;
I was too troubled to speak.
5 I thought about the former days,
the years of long ago;
6 I remembered my songs in the night.
My heart mused and my spirit inquired:
7 "Will the Lord reject forever?
Will he never show his favor again?
8 Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
Has his promise failed for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be merciful?
Has he in anger withheld his compassion?" NIV
Then in the sleeplessness of the night the psalmist reminds himself of God’s unfailing love.
Psalms 77:10-20
10 Then I thought, "To this I will appeal:
the years of the right hand of the Most High."
1 I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
12 I will meditate on all your works
and consider all your mighty deeds.
13 Your ways, O God, are holy.
What god is so great as our God?
14 You are the God who performs miracles;
you display your power among the peoples.
15 With your mighty arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. Selah
16 The waters saw you, O God,
the waters saw you and writhed;
the very depths were convulsed.
17 The clouds poured down water,
the skies resounded with thunder;
your arrows flashed back and forth.
18 Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind,
your lightning lit up the world;
the earth trembled and quaked.
19 Your path led through the sea,
your way through the mighty waters,
though your footprints were not seen.
20 You led your people like a flock
by the hand of Moses and Aaron. NIV
Conclusion:
We have the freedom to call upon a righteous God for deliverance because he extends his righteousness to us in mercy through the sacrifice of Christ. We must remember that righteousness is a quality for which we strive, but God imparts it to us. Jesus presented righteousness as something to be sought after rather than something to be attained. He said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6 NIV). It is our job to hunger and thirst for God’s righteousness. It is God’s job to lead us in paths of righteousness. It is God’s job to fill us with his righteousness. It is God’s job to anoint our lives with salvation.
Romans 8:31-35
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son , but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? NIV
This is precisely the salvation Christians enjoy as we come to life in Christ. When we come to life in Christ, God treats us as though we have never sinned as he looks at our life through the sacrifice of Christ. It gives us the freedom to call upon God’s righteous intervention. It is not merely a call for God to empower us to overcome, but a call to experience his supernatural deliverance as he powerfully intervenes on our behalf.