God Is Good, All the Time and to Everyone

“The LORD [is] good to all: and his tender mercies [are] over all his works.” (Ps 145:9 AV)

To those who may be suffering, this truth is a hard one to accept.  Regardless of how we may feel or what our perception might be, the above statement is still the truth.  “It could always be worse” is not what David is saying here.  David had his share of troubles.  More so than most.  In fact, most of his troubles are not even recorded.  How do we know this?  Because a good portion of his psalms are written regarding events never recorded in scriptures.  Most commentators try to tie each psalm to a recorded event.  However, that assumes David only writes at these times of life.  Not so.  The troubles David speaks of come because he was king of the greatest nation on earth.  During the reign of David and Solomon, it could be argued there wasn’t a nation that could measure up.  With his stature among the world, no doubt he had his troubles.  He had a wife who left him, a father-in-law who wanted him dead, a son who was a rapist, and another whom he had to destroy in battle.  He had four sons who would meet untimely deaths.  David had insurrection among the men he led, many friends who turned on him, and at times was extremely lonely.  Yet through all this, David is able to pen the words above.

I was watching a video the other day of 25 facts we believe but that are incorrect.  One of them had to do with quicksand.  Hollywood loves to portray quicksand as certain death.  They love to make it dramatic.  If a person falls into quicksand, give enough time, they portray the poor soul as being swallowed up alive.  This is not true.  One cannot drown in quicksand.  He or she may to be able to get themselves out, but they will not totally sink into the sand.  Then it got me thinking.  What would I do?  After a bit of standing in it, what would I do?  Or better yet, I wonder what David would do.  Knowing the promises of God, he would be assured that somehow he would get out.  Given the promise of a throne, death was not a threat.  Perhaps he would devise ways to rescue himself.  Once those methods failed, I wonder if he rested his weight against the sand to make himself comfortable, then pondered how good God is.  Maybe he realized just how beautiful a day it was.  Perhaps because he could go nowhere or do nothing, it gave him time to notice the world around him and God’s mercy that was contained therein.  The singing birds, the crawling insects, a gentle breeze; all the little things God does that make life a joy.  Perhaps David learned to count his blessings and forget his troubles.

How soon we forget just how good God is.  I think that is the difference between people like David or Job and the many of us.  They are able to see how good God is regardless of their circumstances.  They are able to be grateful no matter the situation.  Because of their gratitude and faith, the LORD can then strengthen them through the deep waters.  David is absolutely right.  Even if our life was full of trouble, eternity will not be.  Paul said, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Ro 8:18 AV) Again, not an easy one to believe.  Faith is a funny thing.  Our choice to trust something doesn’t make it true.  Rejection of a truth does not make that truth false.  Paul and David both make the same point.  The only thing left to do is believe it and live by it.