When I read the Psalms that coincide with the stories from 1 and 2 Kings in which David is running for his life and hiding in caves, I envision a cave like this. One in which he can be hidden away from King Saul and others who are hunting for his life. Yet, even in these caves, David can be found and possibly killed. Ultimately, through all these times of extreme danger and the fear of losing his life, he had a place of refuge in the person of Yahweh, God himself.
Psalm 62:8 is one of those times. David wrote this truth to Jeduthun who was one of the worship leaders in the temple who led the Israelites in public worship. David wanted to remind the people of Israel of many important truths as they met for corporate worship - just like we need to be reminded.
REMEMBER/REMINDED - these words keep coming up because we forget so easily.
“Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.” Psalm 62:8
Trust
Trust is the firm belief in the reliability, truth, and ability or strength of someone. This definition rings clear. We struggle through life hoping to trust in others and so many times people fail us and we lose trust in many people around us. We very quickly can become distrusting of all people. But we must remember that all people are sinful humans just like us. They are not free from failure. They make hurtful decisions. But God is completely trustworthy. He cannot lie. What He says is and can only be the truth. Hebrews 6:18a reminds us, “So that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie…” When we trust we do not rely on our own strength. We rely on the strength of the One who has shown Himself to be true.
Now the question is, “How often should we trust?”. Psalm 62:8 uses the phrase “at all times”. These two words carry the assumption that we don’t stop or change at any time. Whatever we are struggling with or whenever we are discouraged, we turn to Christ. We take our eyes off our circumstances and place them directly on the person and work of Jesus.
Pour Out Your Heart
The following phrase that King David commanded his people to do is to “pour out your heart before Him”. These words used denote the very idea of speaking VERY freely to someone about your private and most deeply felt emotions from the very center of your mission control center. This is hard for some and it comes easier for others. But if we think back to the beginning of this verse, we see that we have someone who can be trusted with the very deep thoughts, emotions, and struggles that our hearts/minds have hidden. He is unlike any others we may have trusted and been hurt or deceived by. How do we know this? We go back to His Word and His character.
1. He is faithful.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.
2. He is true.
1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
3. He is a promise keeper.
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
4. He is perfect.
Psalm 18:30 This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
5. He is eternal.
Psalm 90:1-2 Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
We have a God like no one else. This God is Almighty, Deliverer, all Powerful, Creator, Sustainer, and All-knowing. He already knows our thoughts and deepest pain. So he beckons us to come to Him and pour them out. This is also known as lamenting. David, the author of this Psalm, is very familiar with this spiritual discipline. According to Mark Vroegop, author of Deep Clouds, Dark Mercy, “When brokenness becomes your life, lament helps you turn to God. It lifts your head and turns your tear-filled eyes toward the only hope you have: God's grace.” God already knows our thoughts and He invites us to empty our hearts to Him - our complaints, our questions, and our cries of pain. And He will hear and answer.
God is Our Refuge
A refuge is a place of resort, rest, and safety. A refuge is a means of being protected and sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble. Think about the desire for safety in this world. We crave rest in this rat race. Most of us can’t even stop for a second to think twice about something. But God says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) This is where true refuge is found. This equation we have discovered in Psalm 62:8 is this:
TRUST in Him
+
POUR out your deepest thoughts, emotions, and struggles
=
FIND THE TRUE REFUGE
This is what David is calling the Israelites to in this song. And this is what God is calling us to do as we navigate this dance called life.