Come and Listen

Come and listen! Children are here urged by David, the man after God's heart, to listen to the voice of the Lord. He is one who himself had received instruction from the Lord. He is one who himself has experienced what it is when God bestows mercy upon a sinner, such as we find in verse six of this psalm, “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.” David desired that also children would know who the Lord desires to be for them. David wants to make it known that young people also are welcome in His service.

This psalm refers to the time that David sought refuge with Achish in Gaza, in the land of the Philistines, to escape the sword of Saul and to flee away from afflictions. Arriving in the city, he was recognized by the servants of Achish, who said, “Did they not sing one to another of him, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?” When David observed this, he contrived a plan to get out of the city. He feigned himself to be mad. Seeing this, Achish amazingly responded by sending him away, and David thus made his escape.

Nevertheless, from this psalm it is evident that David lamented his circumstances before the Lord. He was caught in the midst of his own enemies. He had walked into a trap. In one moment he could have been made prisoner. But as a poor man he cried and looked unto the Lord. And the Lord saved him out of all his troubles.

David experienced that “the angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear Him.” David feared the Lord with all humility, for, notwithstanding his actions before Achish, he remained a child of God. He was one of those who feared the Lord with all his heart. That was certainly different with Saul, who did not fear God. He had received another heart, but not a new heart.

Our children must be taught and instructed regarding the fear of the Lord. They must know what conversion is. They must know that they are in need of a new heart, and what the grace of Christ is. They must know that He will hear their prayer, and that the face of the Lord is against them that do evil (verse 17). They must know that the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit (verse 19).

We are in the season of the year in which the work of schools, catechism classes, and societies is taking place. The good seed of God's Word is again being sown. This instruction begins in the home. Therefore young and old are encouraged to seek the Lord while He is to be found. The times in which we live are dark times. The world increasingly exerts its influence upon our young people. As parents we are to walk before our children in these ways.

Come and listen! “Who is he that fears Jehovah, walking with Him day by day?” They only are blessed, they only shall experience peace. This does not mean that there are no troubles in the lives of God's children. This psalm states, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous.” The baptismal form speaks of being “subject to all miseries,” sickness, troubles, and cares. These are all the results of sin because of our disobedience in Paradise. We have sinned in Adam, and therefore death entered into the world. This is also seen today. By nature the fear of the Lord does not live in our hearts.

How is it with us? Do we continue to live without God? Do we actually not have any need for Him? Do we still serve ourselves? It is by the grace of the Holy Spirit that we may be born again and renewed. To miss God is to miss everything. Without the Lord we cannot continue to live. We then learn to know our sins, and that we have sinned against God. We must be made poor in spirit, dependent upon the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Come and listen! This is an encouragement for young people. They bear the sign and seal of God's covenant of grace. This will one day testify against us if we have gone our own way, disregarding the Word of God. His Word is also opened and read in our societies, therefore we should come and listen so that our hearts might be filled with that same love for children which filled the heart of David. The same love filled Paul in his labors. It is the same love with which Christ was filled in order to seek and to save sinners.

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