Advice for Relying Upon the Lord

This psalm contains important lessons. David, who is the poet, sees the prosperity of the wicked, while God’s children very often have tribulations. This theme returns throughout the whole psalm, namely, the difference between God’s children and the world. This is a matter we all know, and it is difficult not to become jealous of this prosperity. David warns against it and emphasizes that we should ask for grace to be united with the will of God, seeing that the end is an eternal difference.

David begins in our text: “Commit thy way unto the LORD.” A “way” is a connection between two places. You must understand that this is figurative language and means our path of life with all its circumstances, sweet and bitter. We begin in this way at our birth and end it at our death. For one it will be short, for the other longer, but all have to die. Therefore it is so very important to be prepared to meet the Lord, since we never know when the end will come. As a consequence of sin, we are going through a valley of tears; nobody will escape the difficulties of life. Because of our corrupt nature we are most of the time not submissive to such difficult ways and murmur against the Lord our Maker. In fact, we think the Lord makes mistakes and that we do not deserve this. We know better than the Lord. When we look around us, then we realize that everyone has to bear a cross, but for the one it is heavier than for the other. Thus we travel our different ways.

Those who travel from one place to the other see that the scenery changes all the time. How evident this was in David’s life also! As a young boy he took care of his father’s sheep, but later he was brought to the palace of King Saul to play music for him. However, he soon had to flee for his life’s sake when Saul tried to kill him. He then became captain over a small band of people who did not feel safe anymore under the rule of Saul. Later he became king of Judah and after some years was also king over Israel. After all the warfare he would have rest, we would think! No, he had to flee from his own son because he had sinned against the Lord. The sword did not depart from his house until the end of his life. The way of David is not unknown when we speak about the difficulties that can come in our lives.

King David knew from his own experience how it can storm in the heart, because the Lord had led him also through very deep ways. He could not have walked upon them in his own strength, but only with the help of the Lord. David was a type of Christ, the great Son of David, not in his sins, but in the deep ways in which he had to go. Christ went the way of suffering and death to open heaven for His Church. In all those sufferings Christ was and remained the beloved Son of the Father, even in the deepest agony, and as Mediator He had to pay for the debt of the Church and satisfy the attributes of the Father. This is a great mystery for God’s children, also for Martin Luther as we know, until the Lord revealed unto him that the just would live by faith.

God’s favorites have to become cross-bearers, but often they must be forced, as was Simon of Cyrene. The Lord Jesus has said: “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matt. 16:24). Such difficult and deep ways of the Church are necessary to learn what it means to be partaker of His suffering and to desire to go upon the path of sanctification.

Every child of God knows of those ways which go against flesh and blood. At the moment of regeneration they are brought from the broad way of sin and the world to the narrow path which leads to life. We think of the way Christian, in Pilgrim’s Progress, had to go with a burden on his back. There are many temptations, tribulations and problems with which God’s people are confronted. At one time David cried out, “I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul.” The Lord is free in His dealings with His people and this is often experienced by the church of God.

Everyone has to bear a cross, but for the one it is heavier than for the other.

When we really are brought into need by the Lord, then there is only one way left, namely, to flee to the Lord, as David says, “Commit thy way unto the LORD.” In Hebrew it reads, “Roll thy way upon the Lord.” When an object is not too heavy, we can carry it; but when it is really heavy, we have to roll it. To commit our way unto the Lord is not something we can do ourselves, but it is an act of faith. This means we must possess true saving faith and this faith must be in exercise. You can feel that this is the opposite of doing it ourselves, as it is preached all around us. You hear what man has to do or has done, but not what the Lord has done, and the last part is indispensable. Of course, when the Lord begins to work in the heart, then you will see a change in such life, but the work of the Lord comes first.

The apostle Peter writes, “Casting all your cares upon Him; for He careth for you” (1 Pet. 5:7). This had become the experience of Peter himself, as he looked back upon his life. Did the Lord not care for him in a special way? Otherwise it would have been lost forever for him, but the Lord was faithful for His unfaithful servant who had denied Him three times.

It is impossible to commit our way unto the Lord and at the same time trust in ourselves. Since we sinned against the Lord and broke the covenant of works, we cannot trust in ourselves anymore; but we try it time and again. David gives faithful advice: “Trust also in Him.” The Lord has the right; He is worthy that His people trust in Him. He is not only the Creator and the provider upon whom they are dependent; He is also their God, and He may justly require this of His children. When we commit our way unto the Lord, then we should do it trusting in Him, which is an act of faith.

How does this take place in our life? When it pleases the Lord to give discovering light by the Holy Spirit, then we become concerned about eternal matters. Such a man, woman or child begins to call unto the unknown God for His help and guidance; they realize that without Him they cannot go further and therefore they cry unto Him. The Lord has promised:

Open wide thy mouth of longing,
I will satisfy thy need.

Here David comes to the root of the matter: Come unto the Lord, although you have nothing to plead upon from yourselves. You have forfeited everything, but you cannot miss the Lord anymore. “He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a re-warder of them that diligently seek Him.”

“Trust also in Him” refers to the LORD, which is written in capital letters. The Lord is Jehovah, and His Name explains how the Lord is bound and united with His people. It points to the faithful God of the covenant. His Name is so rich and tells us that He is the Maker and Husband of His Church. Blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord alone.

We know that in actual life it is so different: In prosperity, I am the man; in adversity, it is God’s fault; and in the future, I would like to arrange everything. It is so easily said, “I will give it into the hands of the Lord,” but by nature we never do it. By grace it becomes different, and in the exercise of faith it is self-evident to be enabled to trust in the Lord. But often it is a long time before we lay down the weapons of enmity as we try to maintain ourselves. The Lord knows the way to take our foundations away, so that we may fall on the side of the Lord. Flesh and blood are not spared, but only in this way will we acknowledge the Lord in His greatness, wisdom, majesty, glory, and faithfulness.

It is my wish and prayer that we come on this place and fall on God’s side; then we can go and may go further. It does not mean it will always go the way we like, but the Lord will fulfill His counsel on earth. Although it can go through deep ways wherein faith is tried, then we may have true passivity. The Lord makes our soul quiet — like a child that is weaned of his mother. Then there will be a quiet, sweet waiting, because it may have been given into the hand of the Lord, as He promised, “And He shall bring it to pass.”

In Hebrew it reads, “Roll thy way upon the Lord.” When an object is not too heavy, we can carry it; but when it is really heavy, we have to roll it.

All things are governed by the Lord and this promise is to the strengthening of the church. But we must read it as it is. It is not added: according to our pleasure. The ways of the Lord are higher than our ways and often go against our flesh and blood. Then we say so easily, “The Lord has forsaken us and our Lord has forgotten us”; or, “My way is hid from the Lord.” We think many times that prosperity is a blessing of the Lord and adversity a sign of God’s displeasure, but this is not always true, as God’s Word teaches us in many places.

This promise is also without date. We have to learn to wait for the Lord’s time. Also here the way wherein it will be fulfilled is not mentioned. We must leave this in God’s wisdom and sovereignty. Paul says, “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.” So the poet may say: “And He shall bring it to pass.” This is a great comfort, as the Lord is able and willing to take care of His church. He shall do it!

The Lord is the Almighty. He is able to do it; for Him nothing is too wonderful. He speaks and it is done, He commands and it stands fast. It is the almighty God who cares for His church. He is also willing to do it. This is not because of reasons in us. This He has shown in the sending of His Son. His sufferings speak of His willingness. The second Adam restored that which the first Adam had destroyed. In Christ God can have communion with the sinner again. Paul has said, “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” He is able and willing; therefore, “And He shall bring it to pass.” There is no doubt about it, as His covenant name is bound to it. He cannot do it differently. He shows His glory in the execution of His counsel and promise, especially to the welfare of Zion. Blessed is the people who expect it from the Lord only and who may flee with all their needs to Him. Man is powerless, but the Lord is the almighty One.

May the Lord give continual and persevering prayer that we may lay all our needs at His feet by faith: “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.” Then we will experience the immediate and special care of the Lord:

The work Thou hast for me begun;
Shall by Thy grace be fully done.

Rev. A.M. den Boer is pastor of the Netherlands Reformed congregation of Sunnyside, Washington.

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