“This God—His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord proves true;
He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him.”
Psalm 18:30
David wrote Psalm 18 after he had been rescued from those who sought to ruin him. This man had just come through profound difficulties during which he had to trust the purpose of God. David knew he was under the promise of divine protection as God’s chosen instrument, but that did not eradicate the sting and struggle in the cruelties of life. Though it, though, he was compelled to celebrate the goodness of God’s faithfulness in stark contrast.
He begins with “This God.” This is not just any god of human imagination, this is the God who gives grace to the humble and resists the proud (v27); this is the God who shines light into the darkness (v28); this is the God whose strength is made perfect in our weakness (v29), this God!
In this verse alone we find three reasons why God is worthy of our confidence and devotion:
1) His way is perfect. His plan is complete and trustworthy all the time because it flows from His perfect understanding. His is a plan of unimpaired goodness – it is reliably for our benefit.
2) The Word of the LORD proves true. The Word translated “proves true” is used for smelting – delivering metallic genuineness through fire. What God says is what He will do even when we might not see any good outcome. His Word stands. He delivers on His promises because He is unfailingly good.
3) He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him. To those who retreat to the promises of God, and for whom He alone is the place of confidence and hope, He is a sure defense and place of quietness.
In light of this whole psalm, God invests Himself in the lives of His children (that’s what grace is) with the result that we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:35-38) – triumphant and free – even in the context of a broken and often hostile creation. We will know and celebrate our God this way when we retreat to Him and trust His goodness.
Let’s be real – this is a daily test for us. We are so often tempted to put our confidence in other sources of security and satisfaction that compete for our allegiance. Often – if we insist long enough – God will give us over to our stubborn hearts to follow our own counsels (Psalm 81:12). If we choose to trust another to the point that we sideline our benevolent Sovereign (hear the arrogance in that scenario), He might just step aside, second the motion, and let us follow our own devices – for a time. Then at some point in His severe mercy, we realize how much we need Him, how little we have apart from Him, and retreat to His presence and faithful plan. Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son shows His mastery of human nature.
Only when we draw near and abide in Him in surrendered trust (“take refuge”) are we triumphant and free! In the same vein Jesus called us to take His yoke upon ourselves to find rest for our souls.
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Here is a song to help you reflect on and abide in the True Vine this week: