“I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.” — Psalm 27:13-14 (NASB)
God is Good … All the Time
The Book of Psalms is packed with testimonies of people who looked to God for perspective in times of fear, uncertainty, danger or grief. The Psalms speak to trying times.
The writers are so transparent in struggling to reconcile the emotions of their situation with waiting for God’s answers to their prayers. King David, author of at least 75 of the 150 Psalms, often details his cause for fear or distress, but in the end finds his confidence in God’s unchanging character.
In Psalm 27, David describes the threats to his life and his struggle with it. The turning point for David is the word “unless” in verses 13-14 (NASB). As he fluctuated between despair and trust, his belief that God is good gave him hope. Because he believed that God is good (always right, caring) he could wait for God to act on his behalf.
The word “wait” means to “expect.” When we expect God to show up, we can live with courage despite the chaos around us. While our emotions may fluctuate like a flag in the wind, we can still experience strength and courage to face the disruption.
When we question God’s goodness, despair will seem insurmountable. Immerse yourself in the Book of Psalms. Note the writers’ struggles and their dependence on God’s character. God will use the insights and experiences of the writers to take your trust in Him to new depths.
— Tom Petersburg, Catapult Ministries
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