Why does a good God allow so much suffering in the world? The depth, the extent, the pain of so many could overwhelm us. And yet, if you scratch below the surface, there is tragedy in every life. Can these words provide comfort, even to the terminally ill (v 6), or in a war zone (v 5)? Verses 9 to 13 could be unhelpful if used carelessly. But overall this psalm expresses God’s great care for us in the midst of our pain. 

Read the psalm again, but this time applying it to Jesus. How would he have read this psalm? Harm and disaster (v 10) certainly came his way. He suffered tragedy and deep, deep pain. And yet it was not without purpose: in the very act of his death he crushed the head of the serpent (v 13; see Genesis 3:15). And it was for us – it was so that sinners like us could rest in the shadow of his Father’s wings (v 4). The cross doesn’t tell us the reason for all the hard things God allows into our lives. But it leaves us utterly certain that God cares, and cares deeply for us. The God whose faithfulness can be our strength in the battles of life (v 4) can be trusted (v 2).

‘And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’¹ Rest in the assurance of Jesus’ presence with you today.

There are times when we feel supremely confident; there are times when we are wracked with doubt. For either mood there is a psalm. Today’s is a psalm of supreme confidence, but we remember that this is not the whole story, not in our experience nor in the Bible. That does not make it any less real, for in God there is ultimate security. In many ways this is what the writer of Hebrews is saying, except that with the benefit of the supreme revelation of God in Christ, he would say – and, as Christians, we would agree – that our security is in God as we meet him in Jesus. Like the writer of Hebrews, the psalmist sees no alternative to trust in God. He alone has the power to see us through and to make sense of the complexities of life.

He describes a God who is for his people. He provides safety (refuge) and protection (fortress, wings) from varied dangers conjured up by the images of verses 3–13: the poachers’ trap, the epidemic (vs 3,6), the predator (v 4), the heat of battle (v 5), the dangerous path (vs 11,12) and wild animals (v 13). All this stems from his character and, supremely, his faithfulness (v 4). The psalmist knows full well that bad things happen to good people, but equally he has no doubt that trust (v 2) and living close to God (v 1) bring benefits. We can be confident of our ultimate security in Christ if we continue to trust and remain in him,² a security that transcends the dangers and difficulties that come our way. We should not simply see these assurances as future benefits; they are, despite the challenges and problems we face, present realities in the lives of those who trust a faithful God. Whatever comes, we can know the power of his protecting presence.

Review the coming week, asking for God’s presence and protection in every situation you will face.

¹ Matt 28:20  ² John 15:1–8