Reflections from Psalm 116:1-9

Reflections from Psalm 116:1-9

Do you ever wake up feeling like you are being visited by an unseen darkness — a dark gloom casting its encroaching shadow over you? Or maybe you just have had a great victory and now distress, sorrow, and possibly terror are feeding upon you? Something more than just tired; something more than from the natural realm. What is this? What happened? Psalm 116 give some great insight.

Psalm 116:1-9

“I love the LORD, because He hears My voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live. The cords of death encompassed me And the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the LORD: "O LORD, I beseech You, save my life!" Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate. The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me. Return to your rest, O my soul, For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. For You have rescued my soul from death, My eyes from tears, My feet from stumbling. I shall walk before the LORD In the land of the living.”

First, the unknown psalmist (referred to as “Psalmist” henceforth) is reflecting back on an experience they had had saying that God had heard them when they had called upon Him. And because the intervention by God was seemingly so profound, Psalmist would now call upon Him as long as they lived! This adds to the weightiness of the experience Psalmist must have had—that now after being rescued by God in this attack they declare that He is worthy of the rest of their life!

Death, referred to in both verses 3 and 8, can be personified according to the Hebrew Lexicon. Listen to what the Psalmist is saying in verse 3, “The cords of (D)death encompassed me And the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow.” Sheol is the underworld, grave, hell, pit, abode of the dead, the place of no return, and “cord” can be anything from a cord, a rope, a territory, a band, or even a company. Doesn’t it sound like an unseen visitor, Death, paid the Psalmist a visit? Psalmist doesn’t fear for his life, rather he talks about his soul; his soul is who Death sees as its prey.

But, Psalmist has an encounter with the mighty Lord! His soul was in danger; he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord heard and delivered him! Psalmist, through this attack comes to know God as gracious, righteous, and compassionate. (We do come to know God better through our trials.) Psalmist says that God rescued his soul from (D)death, his eyes from tears, and his feet from stumbling. And that now because the Lord had dealt bountifully with him, he was returning to the land of the living. Do you ever feel like you too need to return to the land of the living? Maybe it could also be stated as, “You need a breath of fresh air."

So what’s my point? Many of us who sincerely live for the Lord and who are trying to make an impact in our culture—whether in or out of the church—are under assault by (D)death. We may feel (and that is a big word, because (D)death does prey on our emotions big time!) sad or strangled, or fretful, or like we are sinking into a black hole. If that fits how you feel—you are probably having an encounter with (D)death! But, there is good news! Jesus won and because He won we win too! It will take a bit of work to resist the devil, but be assured that Jesus won the victory over him and that victory is ours to walk (and stand) in. So resist your adversary and call upon the Name of the Lord! Prepaid freedom! Prepaid victory!

1 Peter 5:8-11 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist (to set one’s self against, to withstand, resist, oppose) him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.”

“But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

God the Chess Master

This morning as I was sitting with the Lord (as my friend, Richard, used to say) the Lord showed me a colossal chessboard before His Throne. The enormous board represents the earth and the pieces are the kings, rulers, nations, and peoples—even the devil. God was playing both sides of the board. Even though God was moving the piece around, each piece thought it was in control. I watched as some pawns became kings.

These can be fear-filled times. I know many people, even some of God’s people, awaken in the night with a sense of dread. Earth’s newsrooms are only the natural perspective of a very spiritual dynamic on the earth. And when we look at the earth’s stage naturally, yes it looks dreadful. But the proper vantage point is from a spiritual/Heavenly position. “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

The Book of Revelation is the finale of this age. Chess pieces are moving around the board. Nations and leaders and peoples are rising and falling. Chaos and darkness ensue. But, let us not miss the name of the book: The Revelation of Jesus Christ! The Bible clearly shows that God is in absolute control of Earth’s events and the Book of Revelation is no different. Many people when reading Revelation focus on the End-time events and completely miss the backdrop of the whole book—Jesus Christ is Lord, ruler over the kings of the earth.

Daniel puts it this way, “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever…” “He removes kings and raises up kings.” And Isaiah, “He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless. Scarcely shall they be planted, Scarcely shall they be sown, Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth, When He will also blow on them, And they will wither, And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble.” This is the story of Pharaoh too. Romans 9 says, “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.”” Pharaoh was a chess piece. An evil tyrant that God used for His purpose—a type of the anti-christ, the man of sin, the son of perdition (2 Thessalonians 2).

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The pawns who became kings are like King David. He started out as a nobody. Nothing about his family would have made him king. Except God found in David a man after His own heart. David spent his pre-king days, unbeknownst to him, in preparation for the throne. He did what did to protect his sheep…and he worshiped; he engaged with God. How many times I wonder, when he was ruling Israel did he wish he was out there…in the pasture…alone with God? His worship—his whole-hearted devotion—prepared him for kingship. The pawn became king.

God can and will move the progression of the End-time events without us, but that isn’t what He wants to do. He wants us to be engaged. He will always have those who will partner with Him. However, the stirring you feel, even the fear, is an invitation to be a part of what He is doing. Do not think God is even for a second out of control or at a loss as what to do next. Take heart! He is the chess Master and He controls both sides of the board.

Isaiah 24:21-26 “Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless. Scarcely shall they be planted, Scarcely shall they be sown, Scarcely shall their stock take root in the earth, When He will also blow on them, And they will wither, And the whirlwind will take them away like stubble. “To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing.”