This Psalm is also found in II Samuel 22. A Word of God with double representation in Scripture that speaks to the battles of King David. (Specifically against Saul here.) Here we read "As for God" and not "as for me..." Things happen in our life that we have no control over, and we need to hear these words! The ways of the Lord are ALWAYS perfect and His word will ALWAYS lead and guide us! They will always stand us in good stead when life gets "shaky!"

The contrast: We see a contract between God and ourselves, the Creator and the creature. God upholds all things as Creator. He is the Sustainer! God needs no one else and is Sovereign! We are the creatures of God's hand and we are dependent on God though being the zenith of all of His creation. We are caught in the realm of time and we are all subject to it. Time however has content and God works in time to accomplish His eternal will does this in a way that does not go against our rational will. This is His will and good pleasure also. We live, move, breathe in that eternal council of God! His eternal council partakes of the same virtues of God. It is eternal, unchangeable, immutable, etc. We however stand in the here and now. He gives us scripture in hand however and says "this is my will for you and how I want you to live!" But God has all things laid out in His eternal council. You and I grapple with decisions we have to make as we commit to His word and prayer.

The way: God's ways are ALWAYS perfect and we live daily searching out His good pleasure in scripture. Daily! The word "perfect" in scripture means the end as it has been accomplished by its pre-design. God had all of history in mind "in the beginning." The way of history is guided to achieve His goal perfectly and unfolds His pleasure perfectly to its end as we are living it here below. He knows how to bring His people through sin and grace into perfection! Christ was eternally in the design of God with the cross of history. Adam did not mess things up and go contrary to the council of God. He bends us, molds us, shapes us for heaven while not excusing our sin and is the plan of God nevertheless. He sets a Bible in our hand and tells us "be holy even as I am holy" and it is perfect for life and doctrine! The Psalms all talk about how precious the Word of God is do they not?! It is tried and tested! We try and test things to make sure they will not fail mechanically so that we can trust them. The Word of God is tried and tested! When has the Word of God failed?

Comfort: When we digress from the Word of God we will experience chastening in His Fatherly love. Like Peter did...like Paul....and like many others in scripture did. Know that He is our rock, our fortress, and we can trust Him to be our shield and buckler! (Note the warfare terminology that is used in scripture.)