“Turning To God In Trouble”
Psalm 32:6-7
6. Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him.
7. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah
The Holy Spirit, speaking through David, promises us here that when the Lord’s children call upon Him, He will be found, and He will protect and deliver us from our trials and troubles. He will give us deliverance and fill our hearts with songs of joy and thanksgiving for His deliverance. We all have troublesome times in our life. That part I do not like so much! But, this is a fallen world that we live in. It is a violent, God-hating world that is in reality, ruled by Satan. Trouble and hardship will come. But rejoice in God’s promise of deliverance. He will surround you, and will be found when you call on Him.
“The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You (Psalm 9:9-10).”
The “therefore” in verse six looks back to the forgiveness that David found when he confessed his sin. Because of God’s grace, everyone who is godly (worshippers of/believers in God) should pray to Him while He may be found. We have seen in verses 3-5 that forgiveness and restoration with God are as close to us as our own hearts. James said, “draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
“Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon (Isaiah 55:6-7).”
“The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth (Psalm 145:18).”
“Surely the mighty waters” seems to harken back to the flood waters of Noah’s day. But, like Noah and his family, the waters will not reach those that call on the Lord. God’s wrath and judgment is being poured out on a wicked and rebellious world (Rom. 1:18). His wrath against wickedness does not reach those in Christ, though. God has accounted our sin to His Son Jesus Christ, on the cross, for all who believe in Him. Those that call on the name of the Lord are accounted the righteousness of Christ, and are therefore no longer the recipients of God’s wrath.
For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved (Romans 10:13).”
“The mighty waters” may also speak of a flood of adversity and trial. Though God does allow trials in our lives, everything that happens to us is allowed by Him and we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Notice in verse six that prayer/relationship with God, through the mediator Jesus Christ, keeps us safe in His will, under His wings, safe in His ship, riding the flood waters instead of drowning in them!
He Himself is our hiding place, our refuge and our strong wall of protection from trouble. He has surrounded us with songs of deliverance. We sing out to Him joyfully because of His intercession in the midst of our trials and troubles. He is our deliverer. He reaches into our lives and is the worker of miracles.
When God allows trial and hardship to infringe on my life, many times I just do not understand what is happening or why it is happening. I have to remind myself that God is sovereign over all. He is on His throne. Nothing happens that doesn’t first pass through His counsel. I am a child of God and He has a plan for me. He works all things out for His people according to His perfect plan.
In Exodus, chapter 15, Moses and the children of Israel sing to God a song of deliverance because of the mighty workings of God to free them from the Egyptians. Here are a few verses:
“The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him (Exodus 15:2).”
“Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders (Exodus 15:11)?”
“You in Your mercy have led forth The people whom You have redeemed; You have guided them in Your strength To Your holy habitation (Exodus 15:13).”
“You will bring them in and plant them In the mountain of Your inheritance, In the place, O LORD, which You have made For Your own dwelling, The sanctuary, O LORD, which Your hands have established. The LORD shall reign forever and ever (Exodus 15:17-18).”
Think of all that God has brought us through to this point. Will He bring us this far to forsake us now? No! He will see us through the wilderness. He has already delivered us from our slavery to sin and brought us into the glorious kingdom of His Son. He will see us through our adversities in this life. We will enter into His promised Kingdom.
In Mark, chapter 4, Jesus and His disciples were crossing the lake to the country of the Gadarenes.
“And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, ‘Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith (4:36-41)?’”
At another time, before Jesus raised a little girl from the dead, He said, “do not be afraid, only believe (Luke 8:50).”
And, in Psalm 27, David expresses His trust in God,
“The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
When evil men advance against me
to devour my flesh,
when my enemies and my foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident.
One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.
For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.”
Lord, stand with me in my trial. Be present. Work out Your perfect will for my life. I ask for Your peace and joy. See me through this, Lord. Be my strength. I give my heart and life to you Lord, and pray that in all that is happening, Jesus Christ may be glorified in me. Amen.
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