In his long life, David found on earth no resting-place. In his manhood a hunted fugitive, finding refuge in the rocks and caves of the wilderness, he wrote:
"O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee: My soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee In a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.... Thou hast been my help, Therefore in the shadow of Thy wings will I rejoice."
"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; For I shall yet praise Him, Who is the health of my countenance, And my God."
"God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, tho the earth be removed, And tho the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea."
In the ninety-first psalm is a most wonderful description of the coming of the Lord to bring the wickedness of the wicked to an end, in which He gives to those who have chosen Him as their Redeemer the assurance of His love and protecting care:
"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: My God; in Him will I trust. Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with His feathers, And under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
"Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; Nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; Nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, And ten thousand at thy right hand; But it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold And see the reward of the wicked.
"Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, Even the Most High, thy habitation: There shall no evil befall thee, Neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For He shall give His angels charge over thee,
To keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, Lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: The young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under foot. Because He hath set His love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him."
The time has come when the righteous should understand that the judgments of God are to fall upon all those who transgress His law, but that those who walk humbly before Him will triumph with holy gladness, realizing constantly that they are under the assuring protection of His everlasting covenant of love. As Jehovah is holy, He requires His people to be holy, pure, undefiled; for "without holiness no man shall see the Lord." Those who worship Him in sincerity and truth will be accepted by Him. So long as God's people, in this time of peril, are sincere and upright, pure and undefiled, and trust alone in the One who is all-wise, all-merciful, and full of compassion, they walk in safe paths, and will not be turned aside. God is their defense, their front-guard and rear-ward.
Slighting God's Mercies
At any moment God could withdraw from the impenitent the tokens of His wonderful mercy and love. O, that human agencies would consider what will be the sure result of their ingratitude to Him, their disregard of the infinite Gift of Christ to the world! Loving transgression more than obedience, the blessings of God, which they enjoy but do not appreciate, will become the occasion of their eternal ruin. Choosing to engage in worldly amusements and sinful pleasures rather than to check themselves in a course of sin and live for the honor of God, they learn too late what it means to be without God, without hope. Then they learn what they have lost by choosing to stand in rebellion to His commandments. In the past they have defied His power, rejected His overtures of mercy. When His judgments fall upon them they realize that they have lost happiness, life--eternal life in the heavenly courts. Surely they will say, "Our life was full of madness against God, and now we are lost."
In the time when God's judgments are falling without mercy, O, how enviable to the wicked will be the position of those who abide "in the secret place of the Most High,"--the pavilion in which the Lord hides all who have loved Him and obeyed His commandments. But when probation has ended, the door of mercy is closed to the wicked. No more prayers in their behalf are answered.
There Is Yet Time
But this time has not yet come. Mercy's sweet voice is still heard. The Lord is still calling sinners to come to Him. As the light of truth reaches their hearts, will they repent and be converted? Will they, in humility, in meekness and lowliness of heart, come to the foot of the cross to learn of Jesus? Will they say to Him, "I will wash mine hands in innocency; so will I compass Thine altar, O Lord: that I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving and tell of all thy wondrous works"?
The righteous understand God's government, and will triumph with holy gladness in the everlasting protection and salvation that Christ thru His merits has secured for them. Great joy will come to them in that day when every man shall receive according to his works; and songs of joy will burst from their lips as they recall all that God has done for His people.
Until that day of final triumph comes, it is the privilege of every trusting believer to join in the song:
"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evil-doers came upon me to eat up my flesh, Even mine adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell. Tho an host should encamp against me, My heart shall not fear: Tho war should rise against me, Even then will I be confident. One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple; For in the day of trouble He shall keep me secretly in His pavilion: In the covert of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall lift me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me; And I will offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord."