Personal Benefit of Faith

“Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.” (Ps 33:20-22 AV)

There are times when explanation of a verse is pointless.  When the passage is all about God and none of man, it seems almost to diminish from the scripture to expound upon it.  Such is the case above.  The context of the verse is the LORD delivering David from a pagan king. David was running from Saul and he ran right into the kingdom of Abimelech.  The only way he could think of to escape the hand of an enemy was to feign being mad.  And that he did.  The pagan king had compassion on him and sent him away.  This pagan king had more compassion on David than his own father-in-law did.

The Bible clearly teaches us that without faith, it is impossible to please the Father.  Faith and trust are the basis of our relationship with the LORD.  It is the basis of which no other creature can experience with the LORD and it is the deepest of all relationships.  However, there is a benefit to those how trust.  Faith pleases the LORD.  But faith will also please us.

The Psalmist has stated that he (and they) will rejoice because they trusted in the LORD.  The implication is that this joy would not be there if there was no trust.  David had one of two choices.  He could have run again, back into the threat of Saul.  Or, he could trust the LORD with a different enemy who at least did not make the animosity a personal thing.  There were no good options.  He was backed into a corner that forced him to trust the LORD.  It is always better to trust the LORD.  Always.  Specially when it seems like there is no good choice ahead.  It is always better to trust the LORD.  God did not promise David a care free life.  There would be challenges dwelling in the midst of animosity.  Yet, if he trusts the LORD, God will provide.  God will protect.  God does not remove the challenges.  He provides the means to endure through them.

Many people look at faith as a dreadful thing.  We learn over time that faith and trust is the only way to live.  We see the risks but know that to trust the LORD means to rejoice when God moves.  It is the only way to walk with God and experience the blessings associated with a relationship with the LORD!