The World is Out to Get You | Comforted by His love (Psalm 23-30)…
Walking into that store, a rush of feelings swept over me when he walked in. He was, after all, a “Christian” man in ministry who dealt in shady trade practices and refused to pay for contracted services. It made me remember the time we were embezzled by an employee we essentially treated as family. In a word, simple interactions in daily life can reveal your enemies. Similarly, David experienced the wrath of those around him. Many Psalms talk about ‘the world is out to get you’ scenarios because the reality is that they happened.
David was very open in the Psalms about his life and struggles, he:
- erred greatly in adulterous sin yet repented fully,
- dealt with a King who tried to murder him,
- ran away from an entire army that was sent to kill him,
- had all of his own men ready to kill him, and
- had a crazed son who murdered the rest of his sons and had to flee from him.
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By all means, these were not insignificant events. He lived this while we just read about it. Put yourself in his shoes when reading the Psalms to grasp the seriousness of his situations and how he approaches God after they have passed, during, and after.
Establishing who you are…
Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
Psalm 24:3-6
Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind. For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness. I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked. I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O Lord, proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds. O Lord, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells.
Psalm 26:1-8
He identifies the duality in the relationship. Yes, God makes promises and covenants, but we also have our end to uphold in them. Indeed, David is of a few who truly understood this concept.
All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
Psalm 25:10, emphasis added
Bringing it before God…
As Christians, we believe God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. In other words, he is all-knowing, all-powerful, and everywhere. God knows everything there is to know about the situations we face. In spite of this, David (among others) communicates them to God.
The book of Psalms are individual praises (tehillim) and prayers (tephillot). They speak to God in prayer and of God in praise. David brings his prayers and praises to God about his life.
Does God already know about them? Yes. We need to take a page from David’s book on presenting our lives to God in such a manner that shows our complete trust in Him. In a way, it is giving up control of the situation and releasing it to God for His help and guidance.
Really now, the world is out to get you?
Look back through the paltry list at the beginning of a *few* of the life circumstances David encountered. Death, destruction, enemies, hatred, etc.
Not many of us have people in our lives who literally want to see us dead, but the hatred and vitriol they show us could very well have us believe they would clap at our funeral. When not reigned in, hatred is potent, dangerous, and ever-increasing.
The world is out to get you? Think about who is in the world. It seems we go through our days thinking much of the world thinks like us, are good people, and we all ultimately just want to get along. Accordingly, stop to refresh your memory really quickly on who the three types of people are in this world: the Christians, the “Christians”, and the wicked.
Only one type will “dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6b) Furthermore, “the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14)
David’s examples…
Again, because this point should be hammered home, David had enemies, faced murder, and had unknown amounts of stress. In just these chapters alone, he mentions them repeatedly.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
Psalm 23:4-5b
Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me. Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
Psalm 25:16-20
Do not sweep my soul away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes.
Psalm 26:9-10
For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in. Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence.
Psalm 27:10-12
I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
Psalm 30:1
O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
Psalm 23:4-5b
I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.
Psalm 26:4-5
The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.
For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me.
Psalm 27:1b-3, 5-6a
To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, be not deaf to me, lest, if you be silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my pleas for mercy, when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary. Do not drag me off with the wicked, with the workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors while evil is in their hearts. Give to them according to their work and according to the evil of their deeds; give to them according to the work of their hands; render them their due reward. Because they do not regard the works of the Lord or the work of his hands, he will tear them down and build them up no more.
Psalm 28:1-5
Seeing the bigger picture…
David does not share these details to whine or complain. He does it while acknowledging God’s salvation for him from earthly situations as well as, and more importantly, His eternal salvation.
David’s heart is in these praises and prayers. In particular, they are ever-pointing to God as the ultimate source of strength and comfort.
Trials will come for believers, this life is a battlefield. The world is out to get you in some respects. But take a lesson from David and look at the bigger picture, how you are being transformed to seek God in the face of danger and see His saving work.
Comfort through trust…
When you feel the world is out to get you, remind yourself of the same truths David steadfastly held onto.
All of Psalm 23 reflects a profession of joyful trust in God:
- The Lord is my Shepherd,
- I shall not want,
- He leads me beside quiet waters,
- restores my soul,
- leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake,
- I will fear no evil for you are with me,
- Your rod and your staff, they comfort me,
- You prepare a table before me,
- You anoint my head with oil,
- My cup overflows,
- Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and
- I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Eternal mindset…
This perfectly sums up what our response should be to trials. To put it another way, the end wraps up his earthly situation with a Heavenward viewpoint. David kept an eternal perspective as the foundation of his praises and prayers.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23:5-6
Covenants often concluded with a meal to establish “the bond of friendship; in the case of vassal treaties or covenants, the vassal was present as the guest of the overlord.” (NIV Study Bible)
In this case, there is a hidden little line in that chapter portraying a love that brings with it a sense of complete comfort in His promises. During that time, a good host would ensure that his guests’ cups would never empty as it would signify it was time to leave. Because of this, guests knew they were welcomed and encouraged to stay longer after their cups were continuously filled up. Think about the last time you were in a restaurant with an attentive waiter, the water pitcher is often in their hand as they constantly ensure you have a full cup or offered one.
[M]y cup overflows.
Psalm 23:5b
God is overflowing David’s cup! In the final analysis, for the saved, our presence is beyond welcomed and encouraged! What a comfort when the world is out to get you!
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I appreciate your phrase: eternal mindset. That’s really what sets David’s thinking apart! May we also grow into that perspective.
Good word.
Real, practical trust in God is something I have definitely been working on and praying for. So comforting.
It’s so true. The world is out to get us and sometimes those attacks come from people who claim to be believers which makes it all the harder. Thanks for reminding us of the importance of keeping our eyes on the Lord.