For the past twelve weeks I’ve been posting each Tuesday reflecting on a verse a week from Psalm 84. I wrote these reflections a few months after having my Ada Rose and these are being posted in the initial months after having our Elliott River. Thank you for reading and I hope you have enjoyed these reflections!
O Lord of hosts, how blessed and greatly favored is the man who trusts in you [believing in you, relying on you, and committing himself to You with confident hope and expectation]. Psalm 84:12
I’m reminded of the hymn that goes,
“Tis so sweet to truth in Jesus,
just to take him at his word,
just to rest upon his promise,
just to know ‘thus saith the Lord’”
This verse, along with the entire passage, along with the entire arch of the Bible, affirms that as believers we have exceeding joy in Christ and live a blessed life no matter our circumstances. Even if the child walks away or the friendship dissolves or the marriage doesn’t come or the bank account dries up or the prayer is never answered. We can have joy and be blessed because of our relationship with our Father. And in this relationship, knowing that he is God and the Blessed Controller of our lives, allows us to trust him completely and live in freedom.
There are a lot of things I want in this life. There are disappointments and desires that gnaw at me. Sometimes, too often, I try to manipulate and control situations to get my way. When things don’t fall into line as I wish, I huff and puff, moping around, wallowing in misery and hoping everyone else is miserable around me.
This feels easy. It takes little effort from me. It also feels justified. When things don’t go as I wish, especially if the things aren’t wrong or sinful, I think how right I am to be upset.
And yet.
God invites us into a life where we can live with peace, joy, and hope no matter the disappointments or desires we face. He asks us to trust him. To acknowledge that he does not withhold good from us, so if things are not as we wish they were we can trust that he will use it for our good and his glory (Romans 8:28).
This is obviously the better life. To trust our Creator and walk in joy and peace is much better than walking in misery and anger. But it is so much more difficult to do. It requires humility, trust, and sacrifice. It means we must lay down our desires and trust the one who is over everything. It means we must position ourselves as Child and him as Father, accepting from him what he sees as good for us.
Do you trust him, my friend? Do you trust that He is working? Do you trust that he withholds no good thing from those who walk in integrity? Do you trust that he has conquered death? Do you trust that he has a plan and purpose for you and for your spouse and your children? Do you trust that nothing and no one is outside of his power and redemption? Do you trust him with the season you are in? Do you trust that he loves you? Do you trust that you are his deep, personal concern.
Blessed (happy, satisfied, fulfilled) are we when we trust Jesus. Trust that he is good, faithful, and kind. That he is with us and working in the entirety of our lives. That he forgives us and invites us to live without shame. That his goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives.
Though we may not understand what he is doing, we can trust his character. We can have a deep belief and a confident hope in our caring and powerful God. How would it be if we lived with this sort of trust? How would it be if we chose the blessed life?
Memorize: Memorize Psalm 84:12 in the version of your choice.
Questions to reflect on: What is the blessed life? Why is it so hard to walk in the peace and joy God offers? Why is it challenging to trust God? What disappointments and desires are you needing to surrender to God and trust him as your Blessed Controller?