Psalm 89-91

June 26

Psalm 89-91

"“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”" (Psalm 91:14-16, NIV)

The devil took the words of Psalm 91:11 and quoted them to Jesus when he tempted Jesus in the desert. The devil tried to get Jesus to jump from the highest point of the temple and allow God to rescue Him to reveal to the people that He is the Son of God. Jesus reminded the devil that God also said; “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

Many people are tempted to turn from God when He does not give them what they want or does not seem to answer prayers the way they want Him to answer. When trials and trouble come, some people turn from God instead of turning to Him. Especially when illness comes, when a diagnosis of a terminal illness is received people ask; why? Why doesn’t God heal those who get cancer at a young age? If the scripture says “with long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation,” why do some followers of Christ still die young? Why do good Christian people still face trouble in life?

First we have to remember that death is not final. Jesus won the victory over death when He rose from the dead. Death is a transition from life on earth to eternity. Those who receive the salvation offered by God through Jesus receive long life, eternal life. God does still answer prayers, they are just not always answered the way we want, but we can be assured God works all things together for the good.

This Psalm does not say we will not have trouble, but it does say God will be with us in the midst of the trouble. He will deliver us and will honor us as we come out of the fire refined and purified by God. When trouble comes, instead of turning away from God, we can turn to God and know that He is with us in the midst of the trouble. If we continue to love Him and serve Him and call on His name, He will hear us from heaven, will answer us, and will guide us through our trials. If our trouble leads to death, we can also be assured that at that time our faith will become sight and we will enter into God’s presence.

There is no trouble this world can bring us that God cannot bring us through.