November 10
________________________________________
BETTER TO TAKE REFUGE IN GOD THAN TO TRUST PEOPLE
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His mercy is everlasting.
2 Let Israel say, “His mercy is everlasting.”
3 Oh let the house of Aaron say, “His mercy is everlasting.”
4 Let those who fear the LORD say,
“His mercy is everlasting.”
5 From my distress I called upon the LORD;
The LORD answered me and put me in an open space.
6 The LORD is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?
7 The LORD is for me among those who help me;
Therefore I will look with satisfaction on those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in people.
9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in noblemen.
– Psalm 118:1-9
________________________________________
Psalm 118 does not name an author in its title, but there is reason to believe it was King David. Ezra 3:10-11 suggests that Psalm 118 was sung at the founding of the second temple, and when they sang it, they attributed it to David. According to Campbell Morgan, though this was likely David’s psalm, it was also Jesus’ psalm. “This is pre-eminently the triumph song of the Christ, He the ideal Servant, He the perfect Priest, He the Leader of the people. How much all these words meant to Him as He sang them on that night in the upper room.” Spurgeon comments on the first verse “for He is good” as “This is reason enough for giving him thanks; goodness is his essence and nature, and therefore he is always to be praised whether we are receiving anything from him or not. Those who only praise God because he does them good should rise to a higher note and give thanks to him because he is good.”
In verse 4, the psalmist emphasizes the importance of fearing the Lord: God’s mercy is upon them. In verse 6, it reminds us not to fear man because God will be our vindicator and protector, and in verse 8, we are warned not to seek refuge to man but to God only.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why is it better to run to God when we are in trouble than to rely on others and ourselves?
• Why should we always give thanks to the Lord on a regular basis?