When Good People Suffer
We're continuing our journey through Psalm 18 while we think about "Keeping Going."Sometimes we do the right thing, we live well and we do our best and yet trouble still comes our way.
David has been in trouble - he's been surrounded by enemies - he's felt hemmed in - he's been drowning in trouble. But God delivered him and brought him into a 'spacious' place.
In today's section it appears as though David is claiming that he earned the right to be saved because of his own righteousness. He talks about how God has dealt with him according to the cleanness of his hands. David isn't claiming to be perfect... but he is contrasting himself to his enemies.
While he talks about general principle that God is good to the faithful, blameless, pure and humble there's no denying the obvious:
David the one who claims to be righteous and clean, has had to be delivered from trouble.
Why? Was David not righteous enough? No, although David was righteous, there were still evil people whose evil also impacted the righteous. But God rescues.
And so David concludes this section with the strong affirmation:
- God saves the humble and brings down the haughty
- God keeps our lamps burning
- And even if darkness comes, He will turn it to light
- And so we can face the troops and walls in our way...
In a nutshell, this section is an encouragement for those of us who, although we're doing good, are experiencing trouble from arrogant people. It is reminder to persist in doing good and not to sink to their level and to know that God sees and God delivers.
Enjoy reading the passage below:
| The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. 21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not done evil by turning from my God. 22 All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees. 23 I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin. 24 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. 25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful, |
