God the true Refuge of the soul.
This psalm, like many others, refers to a time of trial. The key-note may, perhaps, be found in Psalms 7:1, "In thee." When trouble comes we naturally look out from ourselves for help. Some lean upon friends; others cry for a favourable change of circumstances; while others again preach patience to themselves, in the hope that somehow deliverance will come. But only by trusting in God can we find real help; he is the Adullam, the true Refuge of the soul. "In thee." Here is—
I. RESCUE FROM SIN. When the paralytic was let down in the midst of the people before our Lord, his first word to him was, "Thy sins are lop, yen thee." He needed healing, but he more sorely needed deliverance from sin. And so it is with us. Troubles may press heavily on the soul, but the first and chief thing is to be made right with God. Let this be done, and then we can bear the ills of life with patience, and face the future without fear (Psalms 143:9).
II. REFUGE FROM SOCIAL OPPRESSIONS. Foes may be many and fierce; their tongues may be as sharp swords, and their malice unrelenting. Much that they speak against us may be false and calumnious; much more may be cruel perversions of the truth; but so long as we are able to rest in God, we are safe. He is just; he is the true Vindicator; he will not only defend us, but deliver us. Like Job, we can say, "I know that my Redeemer liveth" (Job 19:25).
III. REST AMIDST THE CONFUSIONS AND MISERIES OF THE WORLD. Evil abounds.
We often feel constrained to cry, with the gentle Cowper ―
"My ear is pain'd,
My soul is sick with every day's report
Of wrong and outrage with which earth is fill'd."
What then? How little can we do in the way of remedy! We can feel grief; we can express sympathy; we can try, as we have opportunity, to lessen human woe; we can bear our part in the great business of confession, humbling ourselves before the Lord for the sins of others as well as our own. There may be no result. Things may even seem to grow worse; but in the darkest hour we can cry, "Our Father … deliver us from evil;" and take comfort from the thought that not only is God "our Father," but that his are "the kingdom and the power and the glory." "In thee:" here is hope for the sinner, and comfort for the saint. "In thee:" here is defence for the weak, and inspiration for the worker, and a bright future for all who long and labour for the advancement of truth and righteousness (Isaiah 26:20, Isaiah 26:21; Revelation 19:6).—W.F.