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A Faithful Helper in Times of Need

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A Faithful Helper in Times of Need

8 minuten leestijd Arcering uitzetten

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19).

Dear Reader,

The Book of Psalms belongs to the poetical books of the Bible. There are more poetical books, namely, Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Jeremiah’s Lamentations. In the original Hebrew they are written in a form of poetry, but this disappears when you translate them into another language. When you begin reading Psalm 34, you should start reading with the words “A Psalm of David, when he …” That is where the psalm begins in the original Hebrew Bible. When you start reading with “I will bless the LORD …” you skip over a few lines. We do not know why in English Bibles the first lines of the original psalm are printed in smaller type. When reading Psalm 36, you should also read, “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David …” These words give, in one or two sentences, a short outline of the psalm, usually in italic printing. They do not belong to the original psalm but show you in a glance the main contents of it.

Enough regarding the outward things. What does it mean, “many are the afflictions of the righteous”? Does this not contradict what we read in Psalm 92:12, “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon”? No, dear reader, both are true; on the one hand, we read of the manifold trials and obstacles, and on the other hand, we read of the faithfulness and nearness of the Lord towards the righteous ones. Prior to his kingship young David had to go through many trials. He was therein a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, all these afflictions were unto him as a training school for the kingly office which he faithfully fulfilled for forty years, seven and a half at Hebron and thirty and three at Jerusalem.

Who, besides David, are these righteous ones? What are their afflictions? When the Lord Jesus left this world on Ascension Day, He gave His Church this farewell: “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33b). The afflictions of the righteous are seen both outwardly and inwardly. The outward ones are most visible. Think about those openly persecuted because of their belief. Read the history of the martyrs and realize that history can repeat itself. There can be sickness, poverty, and disappointments in business, family life, health, etc. Inwardly, some suffer things which are not visible to other men.

The Lord, however, knows of the internal afflictions of His chosen ones. The men of their own house can be or become their enemies (Job 19:15, Micah 7:6, Matthew 10:36). Tribulation can be seen when we behold a Joseph who had to cope with the hatred of his brothers. Notice also a David who had a son named Solomon but an Absalom as well. His wife Michal loved him and hated him at the same time. Job went through deep ways. The faithful prophets came in the miry clay, in the den of lions, etc. The Apostle Paul had a sharp thorn in the flesh, and John was banished to a lonely island. Where shall we begin and where shall we end when we enumerate all the troubles of God’s dear ones? “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but,” and here comes the contradiction, “the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”

Since we have left the Lord through our deep fall in Adam, afflictions are come upon the whole human race. Adam sinned deliberately, allured by Satan, through the instrumentality of his own wife Eve. Destructive were the consequences. They are mainly five. Reader, do you know what they are? They are as follows: the loss of God’s image, sensibility of nakedness, horror of conscience, expulsion from of Paradise, and death itself. Also, today, we live in a world wherein the righteous ones have to go through many afflictions. Why is that so? Mainly because in their conversion they are brought from the broad way upon the narrow way which is in the way of the Lord’s commandments. He inclines their hearts to obey Him, asking Him, “What will Thou have me to do?” They have to learn to strive to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

This strife was a very heavy one in the time of the apostles. Except for one they all died as martyrs. Think about that. Regarding this strife, we hear out of the mouth of the Apostle Peter: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy” (1 Peter 4:12&13). David had this strife since his childhood, as we mentioned above. “… But the Lord delivered him out of them all.”

Dear reader, boys, girls, do you know of such a strife in your life? When did it start? It starts as soon as the Lord begins that good work in a person’s life. Then there comes a time wherein we learn that we have sinned against a holy, righteous, and good-doing God. We also have to strive against a three-headed enemy—Satan, the world, and our own flesh, and we often are defeated if we fight against these enemies in our own strength. See, the last part of our text is a mystery. Deliverance by the Lord occurs when the faith of God’s elect comes into exercise. Then their strength is spiritual, not carnal. It is written in the Scriptures “… for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10b).

It is by the power of a risen Mediator that they receive strength. “All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18b). Countless are the times when God’s children are as the Israelites in captivity in Babylon where their harps were hanging upon the willows (Psalm 137:2)— countless are the times when they are in the midst of afflictions and do not know how to proceed. Yet, dear reader, there are times for them that they may receive some insight into the holy and mysterious ways of the Lord, which causes them to be silent and submissive and to see something of the holiness of His ways. They are so much higher than ours. This is what we have to learn over and over again.

When God’s people are delivered, they are often deeply ashamed because when He comes over in their life to help them and to restore them, they remember their hard feelings and their suspicious thoughts, if not words, yea, all their unbelief. Oh, dear reader, words cannot express how insignificant, how unworthy they get to know that they are. We do not have to doubt that David knew this by experience.

How is your condition, reader, baptized member, confessing member, office bearer? We have to conclude that our lost condition can still be learned. Implore the Lord to teach you. Needy and missing ones, all waits upon Christ and the work of His Holy Spirit to make room for Him, time and again. They who may know something of this work experience to their grief their worldly existence, which causes them often to sigh, “O wretched man that I am.” They are not able to deliver themselves out of even one affliction. Yet, we do read in the Scriptures, “Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is His name.”

“… But the LORD delivereth him out of them all,” usually by the way of the means of grace. In the first place, we have to mention prayer but, secondly, the preaching of God’s Word. In the way of His own institutions, He will unburden His people, giving them relief. Having a close tie to other of God’s children can also be used by the Lord to give them relief.

Bearing one another’s burden—is that communion and unity not greatly lacking in our days? It is true we have to live in this world, also God’s children whose outward life can be very tried. Their best times are when the preaching of God’s Word includes them as being of the countless number whose will has been renewed, whose understanding has been enlightened, and whose affections have been regulated.

Dear reader, what is your world? “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:17). Oh, realize that in one instant it can become eternity.

Missing ones, needy ones, and seeking ones, will that not be your most beneficial day when He who overcame this world will speak to your soul? He has performed that holy will of God to the fullest. In Gethsemane, it was “not My will, but Thy will be done.” This will help you to bear the afflictions here below, the afflictions of the righteous. Is there a more valuable name possible than righteous ones? And that only through the righteousness which He had to fulfill (Matthew 3:15) and apply to our soul—a righteousness not by works but by faith. To trust Him of whom it is said in the text, “… but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” Notice the present tense: delivereth. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). So be it.

Rev. G.M. de Leeuw, Grand Rapids, MI

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