God Protects His People

Welcome back to the GCC Elder Blog. We hope you are finding these opportunities in the word to be engaging and fruitful. Those of you with families, I would encourage you to stop this video and restart it when you are all together.

To our single brothers and sisters, you get your blessing right now because you can just keep going.

OK, welcome back...again! Today I would like to consider King David’s words recorded in Psalm 34. If you have your copy of Scripture you can open to that Psalm. There are two things to note before we get into the Psalm itself. The first is the heading. I don’t mean the heading put there by the publishers or translators, but the heading put there by the Holy Spirit. The publishers of the ESV gave this Psalm a title. They called it...

Taste and See That the LORD Is Good.

But the Holy Spirit inspired the original author King David to give the Psalm a quite different title.

Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

Included in this title is a basic title David used with most of the Psalms he wrote. It was simply, “Of David”. You can look across the page to Psalm 35 and see that title. But in Psalm 34 David felt he needed to give a brief description of what was going on in his life when he penned these words. This is very helpful to those of us reading this Psalm several thousand years after it was written. As we consider David’s title it would be good to remember that David was a valiant man. This title seems at first seems to cast David in a bad light. But when we understand the original context, things become clearer.

In 1 Samuel 19, King Saul tries to kill David because he sees David as a threat. David befriends Saul’s son Jonathan and Jonathan helps David to escape from Saul. What better place to hide from your enemy than among your enemy’s enemies? So David makes his way to the Philistines who, as you know were the enemies of Israel. The problem though, was that David was an Israelite also. So Achish, who is called Abimelech in the title of Psalm 34, gets word from his people that big bad David is seeking refuge among them. David finds out Achish knows about him and so David gets really scared. But he keeps his wits about him and behaves like he’s lost his wits. Achish sees David as just another crazy man and there are plenty around. So Achish sends David out of his presence. David has now been delivered twice. Once from Saul and now from Abimelech. This is not only cause for rejoicing in the LORD himself but calling all those around him to bless the God who delivers. And that’s exactly what he does in Psalm 34.

I would invite you to read along with me if you want to... I’ll read slow so you can keep up. So find your place in verse 1 and let’s read verses 1-3.

Ready?

Here we go.

1 I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 

2 My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. 

3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together! 

So David wants us to know it’s good to bless the Lord in all circumstances. Even the really scary times. Then God saves you from your sin, you have cause to call everyone else around you to lift up and praise the God Who Saves and Protects!

Now let’s read verses 4-7.

Ready?

4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. 

5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. 

6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. 

7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. 

David really was a man who trusted God. He believed God would always protect him. David was chosen by God to be king over one of the riches kingdoms on earth at the time and yet, David considered himself a poor man. That’s because he knew that only the blessing of God makes a person truly rich. Everything else is dust in the wind no matter what the world says.

Now Let’s read 8-10.

Ready?

8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! 

9 Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! 

10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. 

What yummy food do you like to taste? The coronavirus causes the loss of taste and smell in some folks. How sad! A big part of our world goes away when we lose those two senses. Like tasting good food, David wants us to experience God’s goodness. But without God’s grace we can’t enjoy the protection and provision of God. That is only for God’s children. 

OK, now let’s look at verses 11-14.

Ready?

11 Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 

12 What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? 

13 Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. 

14 Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. 

From time to time David talks about we need to do as God’s children. Here he gives us a list that involves Speaking, Stopping and Seeking. Can you explain what it is we are to be Speaking and Stopping and Seeking? You can pause the video and talk about it right now or keep going and talk about it later.

Now let’s read 15-18.

Ready?

15 The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. 

16 The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. 17 When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. 18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. 

Do you have eyes and ears? And so does our Heavenly Father. Well, not really. But the Bible sometimes speaks of God’s eyes and ears since He really does watch over us. And He really does hear our prayers because we are His children. Children, do your parents watch over you? Do they listen to you?

Ok, now let’s read the final section, 19-22.

Ready?

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. 

20 He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. 

21 Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. 

22 The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Romans 8:1 tells us “There is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Jesus is our Redeemer. He bought us with His own blood on the cross when He died the horrible death we deserved to die. Is Jesus your Redeemer? David ran away from Saul and even though he ran to Gath where his enemies were, he knew his real protection was only found in the Lord. Can you run to God for protection?

Take a moment now and read 1 Peter 1:3-5 and talk about God’s protection and what it means to you.

Thanks for listening.