“THESE CALAMITIES”

Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. Psalm 57:1

The words of this Psalm are said to have been written by David when he fled from Saul in the cave. He surely must have felt that he was being overwhelmed by a multitude of “calamities.” The Hebrew word for “calamaties” is defined by words such as “iniquity, mischief, mischievous things, naughtiness, noisome, perverse things, very wickedness.” No doubt he felt the presence of these things within himself as a sinner and all around him in the world. He rejoiced and took comfort in the fact that both would end. These calamities would pass. But until God brought them to an end, where could he hide? Was there a refuge? David’s refuge was “in the shadow of thy wings.” He, like all believers, hid himself under the safety of divine sovereignty, in the saving work of the coming Christ and among the unchanging promises of God.. God was ruling, Christ was coming and all the promises were sure! Is that not the way it is for God’s people at this hour? Do we not have “these calamities” all around us every hour? Let us flee to David’s Refuge! Let his cry be the cry of our hearts repeatedly, “O God, be merciful to me!” We are fearful but God is faithful. We are sinful but God is merciful. We are among calamities but Christ is our Refuge. These calamities are in us, in our families around us and in the world in which we live. Our trust is not to be in our own strength or in those around us but in our God and while these calamities often cause us concern, we can say with David, “my soul trusteth in thee.” Take refuge people of God in Christ who is our Savior in every thing until these calamities be overpast!

Gary Shepard

The joy of God’s salvation may diminish in times of our disobedience and we may say with the psalmist, “restore unto me the joy of thy salvation.” But since it is God’s salvation and that salvation is in Christ the Savior, the safety of it never diminishes or changes. He and His salvation are the same yesterday, today and forever! GS

"But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, then the veil is taken away." 2 Corinthians 3:16

The blessed Spirit, as a needful preparation for his own divine instruction, convinces us of our ignorance, of the veil of unbelief that is by nature spread over our heart, and of our utter inability to take it away. So great is this darkness, as a matter of personal inward experience, that like the darkness in Egypt--so dark that it may be "felt;" so deep this ignorance that all knowledge or capability of knowledge seems utterly gone; so strong, so desperate this unbelief that it seems as if thoroughly incurable.

And yet amid all this deep and dense cloud of ignorance, darkness and unbelief, rays and beams of light every now and then break through, which, though they seem at the time only to show the darkness and make it deeper, yet really are a guiding light to the throne of God and the Lamb. There Jesus sits enthroned in glory, not only as an interceding High Priest to save, not only as an exalted King to rule, but as a most gracious Prophet to teach. Thus, in soul experience, as the veil is felt to be thick and strong over the heart, there is a turning to the Lord with prayer and supplication that he would take it away; and as he, in answer to prayer, is pleased to do this, light is seen in his light, his truth drops with savor and sweetness into the soul, and the word of his grace sways and regulates the heart, lip, and life.

J. C. Philpot

My friends, when the Lord Jesus is truly seen, believed, and loved, there will be joy in the Lord with genuine peace of conscience.

Yes, we are sinners; but Christ died for sinners!

Yes, the law condemns; but Christ honored the law!

Yes, justice has a claim; but Christ satisfied that claim!

Yes, we are imperfect in faith, in commitment, in love; but "He knows our frame and remembers that we are dust," and loves us all the same.

We are in Him by HIS CHOICE, redeemed by HIS BLOOD, called by HIS SPIRIT, and kept by HIS POWER, through faith which HE GAVE US! How can I entertain any doubts based on shortcomings found in me when the whole affair is THE LORD'S DOINGS?