God Is Loving, Faithful, Eternal, and Our Refuge

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Psalm 92-94

 

Psalm 92:1-2

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
² To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night,

(NKJV)

 

The three psalms of this text offer praise for our loving, faithful, eternal God who is our refuge in times of trouble. As ambassadors for Christ who serve in a fallen and evil world full of hatred and chaos, we can find comfort in knowing our God has these attributes. I pray everyone reading this post will find comfort and strength in the Lord.

 

Psalm 92 offers praise for the Lord’s love and faithfulness. It begins with a declaration of how good it is to sing praises to the Lord Most High, declaring His lovingkindness in the morning and His faithfulness every night (Psalm 92:1-2). Musical instruments accompany this praise, providing a harmonious sound because the Lord makes us glad by His works with us triumphing in the works of the Lord’s hands (Psalm 92:3-4). So great are the Lord’s works and his thoughts are so deep that a senseless man cannot know, with a fool unable to understand (Psalm 92:5-6). When the wicked spring up and flourish, it is so they may be destroyed forever, with the Lord on High forevermore (Psalm 92:7-8). The enemies of the Lord shall perish, with the workers of iniquity scattered, but the horn of God’s people is exalted with them anointed with fresh oil (Psalm 92:9-10). The psalmist has seen his desire for his enemies and heard his desires on the wicked come to pass (Psalm 92:11). The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree and grow strong like a cedar in Lebanon, with those planted in the house of the Lord flourishing in the courts of God (Psalm 92:12-13). The righteous shall be fruitful in old age, remaining fresh and flourishing to declare that the Lord is upright and a rock, with no unrighteousness in Him (Psalm 92:14-15).

 

Psalm 93 offers praise for the eternal reign of the Lord. The Lord reigns and is clothed with majesty and girded with strength, establishing the world so it cannot be moved (Psalm 93:1). The throne of the Lord is established with the Lord everlasting (Psalm 93:2). Even though floods have come and lifted their voice and waves, the Lord is mightier than the noise of many waters and the sea (Psalm 93:3-4). The Lord’s testimonies are sure with holiness adorning His house (Psalm 93:5).

 

Psalm 94 praises God as the refuge of the righteous. It begins with the psalmist asking the Lord God, to whom vengeance belongs, to shine forth and judge the earth, rendering punishment to the proud, wondering how long the wicked will triumph (Psalm 94:1-3). He then tells of the actions of the wicked, saying insolent things, boasting in iniquity, breaking and afflicting the Lord’s people, slaying widows and the fatherless, claiming the Lord does not see or understand (Psalm 94:4-7). The psalmist then calls out their foolishness, reminding them that the Lord who formed the ear and made the eye sees and hears all things (Psalm 94:8-9). Should not the Lord who teaches men knowledge instruct, knowing that the thoughts of man are futile (Psalm 94:10-11).

 

A man instructed by the Lord and taught from His law will have rest from the days of adversity until the pit is dug for the wicked (Psalm 94:12-13). The Lord will not cast off His people or forsake His inheritance, but judgment will return to the righteous with the upright in heart following it (Psalm 94:14-15). The psalmist then asks who will rise up for him against evildoers or who will stand for him against the workers of iniquity, because unless the Lord had been his help, his soul would have settled in silence (Psalm 94:16-17). The psalmist knows the Lord will hold him up if his food slips and comforts him in the anxieties within him (Psalm 94:18-19). He then asks if the throne of iniquity devising evil has fellowship with the Lord (Psalm 94:20). Workers of iniquity gather against the life of the righteous and condemn innocent blood, but the Lord is their defense and rock of refuge (Psalm 94:21-22). The Lord has brought the iniquity of the wicked upon them, cutting them off in their wickedness (Psalm 94:23).

 

The authors of these three psalms are unidentified, but the psalms praise the loving, faithful, eternal God who is our refuge from the wicked.

• Psalm 92: Our loving and faithful God – In this psalm, the psalmist extols and praises the lovingkindness of the Lord and His faithfulness. He praises the great works of the Lord, works the world does not understand, with them foolishness to them (Psalm 92:5-6). The psalm concludes with the psalmist declaring that the Lord is upright, his rock, with no unrighteousness found in Him (Psalm 92:15).
• Psalm 93: Our Eternal God – While this psalm is short, it is powerful, reminding us of the eternal reign of the Lord. All disciples of Christ live in a fallen world full of evil but have a blessed hope of the return of Christ to take his people home (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
• Psalm 94: God, our refuge from the wicked – Living in a fallen world comes with anxieties and fears. However, in these times, a disciple of Christ has a refuge in the Lord. While it may seem wickedness reigns in the world, its reign if only temporary, with the Lord providing a refuge for His children, cutting off the wicked in their wickedness (Psalm 94:23). Jesus taught us not to worry, looking at how he cares for the sparrows and flowers of the field (Matthew 6:25-34). This psalm reminds us to seek refuge in God in a fallen world.

 

The psalms are heartfelt expressions that provide comfort as God’s people live for God in a fallen world. Even the Lord Jesus was not exempt from experiencing trouble in a fallen world, suffering death by crucifixion even though he committed no sin (2 Corinthians 5:21). They are like the soundtrack to a movie, reminding us that the story has a happy ending. This is because not only did Jesus die for our sins, but he overcame death by resurrecting from the grave three days later (John 16:33). Now the same Spirit that raised Jesus up from the grave lives within all who choose to make Jesus the Lord of their life (Romans 8:11). We need not fret when trouble comes, for no weapon formed against God’s people shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17).

 

I urge anyone reading this who has drifted away from the Lord to ask God to forgive them and return to living a life of devotion to God. I also urge anyone reading this who has never prayed to make Jesus the Lord of their life to do so by praying with me.

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23). I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9). I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

If you meant what you just prayed, know that God has forgiven all your sins and that you now have a relationship with God and are a child of God (Romans 8:16). Like any relationship, it grows as we get to know each other. While God already knows all about us, we must study the Bible, the word of God, to learn more about Him. If you just prayed, I encourage you to find a Church that teaches the truth of the Bible so you can learn more about the Lord. May God convict, challenge, and bless everyone reading this post.