Refuge in the Day of Trouble

Refuge in the Day of Trouble

Focus Verses
Psalm 59:16-17 “But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble. To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; For God is my defense, My God of mercy.”

Twice God said He regretted making Saul king (1 Samuel 15:11;35).  The people wanted a king.  They wanted Saul… so God allowed it.  Saul was a prideful man, sought recognition for his achievements, and associated himself with those in prestigious position.  In chapter 14 we read that “And when Saul saw any strong man or any valiant man, he took him for himself” (vs 52b).     

Saul was fine taking David to himself at first, putting him over the men of war.  “David went out wherever Saul sent him, and behaved wisely;” (1 Samuel 18:5a).  Anger and jealousy quickly rose in Saul when David defeated the giant, Goliath.  There was much celebrating with singing and dancing and the women sang “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands” (1 Samuel 18:7).

Saul’s pride raged within himself.  So much so that he intended to remove David at any measure… specifically death.  He devised a plan to trick David into being killed by the Philistines and was disappointed when David won that battle.  Saul gave his daughter to David as a wife so that he could have easy access to him and could end his life more easily.  Thankfully, Michal (Saul’s daughter) loved David, and he had found a true friend in Jonathan (Saul’s son).  They both helped David flee from the crazed Saul. 

David fled to protect himself and was confused as to what he had done to have Saul so upset and seeking to take his life.  Saul’s pride was so great that he wasn’t willing to give David credit for anything, he just wanted him gone. 

David says in Psalm 11:7, “For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright.”

Like David, we must trust the Lord’s righteousness and have faith in His faithfulness when people in our lives get angry or jealous when things go well for us.  We should trust the Lord when they get upset when we don’t think like them, agree with them, or when they seem to do whatever it takes to get us out of the way so that they can get all glory.  Pride is an ugly thing.  

It is important for us to recognize that our battle is not against people.  “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

David penned these words when Saul was seeking to kill him.  “But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble. To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; For God is my defense, My God of mercy” (Psalm 59:16-17).  Like David, when we are being pursued, we should sing out to God, rest in His strength knowing that He is our defense. 

Prayer
Father God, thank You for being my defense and refuge.  Please help me to behave wisely and to walk in Your ways.  Help me to trust You when the enemy seeks to destroy me.  I will sing of Your power, mercy, and goodness, and seek to keep my eyes on You in the day of trouble.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

1 Samuel 18-20, Psalm 11, 59