Psalm 9: Pt. 4 Jehovah is our Refuge, our Faithful God and worthy of our Praise!
Good morning...
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Psalm 9:9-11 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. 10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. 11 Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.
In Psalm 9, King David began with praise that was built on the foundation of the swift and righteous judgment of Jehovah. Now he is going to lead us back into the glories and spiritual realities of knowing Jehovah as Savior, Deliverer and Sovereign.
Remember that Jehovah is the promise and covenant keeping God who inhabits eternity and who dwells with those who have humble hearts and contrite spirits. David is describing a man or woman who has exercised repentant faith in God's provision for salvation. This is the unchanging God who will always do what He says He will do and He is the audience of David's psalm.
Jehovah is our refuge in times of trouble.
Psalm 9:9 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
What does it mean when David says Jehovah is our refuge? It refers to a high place, a strong secure fortress carved out of solid rock. It is like a defensive tower that shelters us from enemy attack. We have all probably faced very hard, difficult situations in life and when we were in the worst of it, we probably wished there had been a safe place we could go hide in until the trouble had passed.
Jehovah is where we find shelter from danger, distress, calamity and troubles. We can rest in knowing we are surrounded by the strength of our God.
What does it mean when David says Jehovah is our refuge? First, we must know Him. We must have a real, genuine relationship with the God who redeemed us through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. Once we are born again and have entered into that saving relationship with Jehovah, then this is the time that we can run to Him as our refuge.
Who are the oppressed? A person who is being crushed by circumstances in his or her life. A person who is being ground down like rocks being pulverized into dust. A person who is afflicted unjustly by others. In other words, an oppressed person could easily be you or me when a trial or trouble comes our way. Surely we would say we are deep in trouble when we are facing strong oppression.
Notice the present tense is used when David tells us about Jehovah being our refuge. If you are born again then right now, this very moment He is your refuge and my refuge.
29 times out of 46 places in the Bible we find the word "refuge". It is used to tell us that God is our refuge, our hiding place, our high tower where we can run to hide from the enemy, to seek His protection and to benefit from His tender care.
Deuteronomy 33:27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
This is the God whom we serve when we are born again. He is the eternal God and He is our refuge. He holds us up and protects us with His everlasting arms. He will conquer all our enemies. Is this not a comforting thought to know that Jehovah loves His children so much that as a Father He watches over us like any dad watching over his young children?
Jehovah will never forsake those who put their trust in Him!
Psalm 9:10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
Imagine living at the time of King David and being a firsthand witness to the idolatry of nations that Israel interacted with. You would see statues of "gods" made from metal, stone, or wood that were shaped by men's hands. Objects that cannot see, cannot feel, cannot taste, cannot smell or hear. These objects are lifeless!
What happened to those pagans when they were attacked by an enemy? Did their idols rise up and defend them? Did their idols carry a sword into battle to protect them? Did their idols ever do anything for them, or speak to them or hear and answer their prayers? The answer to all these questions is "No!"
Many times when attacked by an enemy or when facing times of trouble, the people pleaded with their powerless idols but nothing even happened. Usually they would flee and leave their worthless idols behind if the enemy got too close.
Jehovah, the mighty Creator God who sustains all and governs all, will never forsake the born again! We are with Him "in Christ" and He is with us "in Christ"! Nothing can separate us from His love and He promised very specifically that He would always abide with the believer. (See Deuteronomy 4:31; 31:6; 31:8; Joshua 1:5; 1 Chronicles 28:20).
Those who are born again, who know His name and are regenerated by God's Spirit are the ones who enjoy this position of rich blessing from Jehovah.
Sing Jehovah's praises and tell others about His works!
Psalm 9:11 Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.
King David leads us into another round of praise to Jehovah because He dwells in Zion (Jerusalem) the city and the Temple where He chose to put His name.
1 Kings 9:3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
Here is God's response to King Solomon when the Temple was dedicated in Jerusalem. Jehovah hallowed the house that Solomon built in order to put His name there. What a blessing and privilege it was for Israel to have a holy temple where God set His name and a place where God said He would respond to their prayers. Jehovah's eyes and heart would be favorable to that holy place forever.
Because all this is true, David tells us to sing praises to Jehovah for He is worthy.
Thoughts to Ponder...
King David starts off this Psalm with passionate praise and then shows us the surety of Jehovah's righteous judgment. Then he leads us back to a plenitude of praise.
We can anchor our soul to the truth that Jehovah is our refuge, our place of shelter from all danger and distress.
We can anchor our soul to the reality that Jehovah will never leave or forsake the child of God.
We ought to be overflowing with praise for our all glorious God.
Bob
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Psalm 9:9-11 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. 10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. 11 Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.
In Psalm 9, King David began with praise that was built on the foundation of the swift and righteous judgment of Jehovah. Now he is going to lead us back into the glories and spiritual realities of knowing Jehovah as Savior, Deliverer and Sovereign.
Remember that Jehovah is the promise and covenant keeping God who inhabits eternity and who dwells with those who have humble hearts and contrite spirits. David is describing a man or woman who has exercised repentant faith in God's provision for salvation. This is the unchanging God who will always do what He says He will do and He is the audience of David's psalm.
Jehovah is our refuge in times of trouble.
Psalm 9:9 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
What does it mean when David says Jehovah is our refuge? It refers to a high place, a strong secure fortress carved out of solid rock. It is like a defensive tower that shelters us from enemy attack. We have all probably faced very hard, difficult situations in life and when we were in the worst of it, we probably wished there had been a safe place we could go hide in until the trouble had passed.
Jehovah is where we find shelter from danger, distress, calamity and troubles. We can rest in knowing we are surrounded by the strength of our God.
What does it mean when David says Jehovah is our refuge? First, we must know Him. We must have a real, genuine relationship with the God who redeemed us through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ. Once we are born again and have entered into that saving relationship with Jehovah, then this is the time that we can run to Him as our refuge.
Who are the oppressed? A person who is being crushed by circumstances in his or her life. A person who is being ground down like rocks being pulverized into dust. A person who is afflicted unjustly by others. In other words, an oppressed person could easily be you or me when a trial or trouble comes our way. Surely we would say we are deep in trouble when we are facing strong oppression.
Notice the present tense is used when David tells us about Jehovah being our refuge. If you are born again then right now, this very moment He is your refuge and my refuge.
29 times out of 46 places in the Bible we find the word "refuge". It is used to tell us that God is our refuge, our hiding place, our high tower where we can run to hide from the enemy, to seek His protection and to benefit from His tender care.
Deuteronomy 33:27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
This is the God whom we serve when we are born again. He is the eternal God and He is our refuge. He holds us up and protects us with His everlasting arms. He will conquer all our enemies. Is this not a comforting thought to know that Jehovah loves His children so much that as a Father He watches over us like any dad watching over his young children?
Jehovah will never forsake those who put their trust in Him!
Psalm 9:10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
Imagine living at the time of King David and being a firsthand witness to the idolatry of nations that Israel interacted with. You would see statues of "gods" made from metal, stone, or wood that were shaped by men's hands. Objects that cannot see, cannot feel, cannot taste, cannot smell or hear. These objects are lifeless!
What happened to those pagans when they were attacked by an enemy? Did their idols rise up and defend them? Did their idols carry a sword into battle to protect them? Did their idols ever do anything for them, or speak to them or hear and answer their prayers? The answer to all these questions is "No!"
Many times when attacked by an enemy or when facing times of trouble, the people pleaded with their powerless idols but nothing even happened. Usually they would flee and leave their worthless idols behind if the enemy got too close.
Jehovah, the mighty Creator God who sustains all and governs all, will never forsake the born again! We are with Him "in Christ" and He is with us "in Christ"! Nothing can separate us from His love and He promised very specifically that He would always abide with the believer. (See Deuteronomy 4:31; 31:6; 31:8; Joshua 1:5; 1 Chronicles 28:20).
Those who are born again, who know His name and are regenerated by God's Spirit are the ones who enjoy this position of rich blessing from Jehovah.
Sing Jehovah's praises and tell others about His works!
Psalm 9:11 Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.
King David leads us into another round of praise to Jehovah because He dwells in Zion (Jerusalem) the city and the Temple where He chose to put His name.
1 Kings 9:3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
Here is God's response to King Solomon when the Temple was dedicated in Jerusalem. Jehovah hallowed the house that Solomon built in order to put His name there. What a blessing and privilege it was for Israel to have a holy temple where God set His name and a place where God said He would respond to their prayers. Jehovah's eyes and heart would be favorable to that holy place forever.
Because all this is true, David tells us to sing praises to Jehovah for He is worthy.
Thoughts to Ponder...
King David starts off this Psalm with passionate praise and then shows us the surety of Jehovah's righteous judgment. Then he leads us back to a plenitude of praise.
We can anchor our soul to the truth that Jehovah is our refuge, our place of shelter from all danger and distress.
We can anchor our soul to the reality that Jehovah will never leave or forsake the child of God.
We ought to be overflowing with praise for our all glorious God.
Bob
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