Psalm 59:1-17

God is a fortress.  He protects us from the evil and hatred that surrounds us.  In the midst of people who desire our destruction and plot evil against us; God engulfs us with His steadfast love and allows us to be victorious through His power and might.  It is of utmost importance that we always remember that we are not alone.  God is always with us and stands ready to protect us from all that threaten.  Fear can be a debilitating emotion that paralyzes us and prevents us from actively worshiping and enjoying the Lord.  Faith provides us with the security we need to be able to praise the Lord even when we are perplexed by the problems we face.

WE MUST RECOGNIZE THE DANGERS THAT WE FACE: The Christian life is not a life of denial.  There is no point in denying the dangers that are all around those who desire to serve the Lord.  Sinners do not like to be convicted about their sin.  Those who deny the existence of God do not like to be told that they are responsible to Someone greater than themselves.  Men who have been deceived by false religions hate us for claiming that Jesus is the only means by which men may be saved.  The truth is that we are surrounded by evil men who do not like us very much.  David had not done anything wrong to deserve the constant threats upon his life, but He was still constantly under attack by his many enemies.  There is no point in denying the dangers of following Christ.  Rather, we must recognize them and take them to the Lord.  He provides us with the protection we need and allows us to rest secure in His power and love.


WE MUST REJOICE IN THE DELIVERANCE GOD GIVES: God delivers us from the dangers we face and provides us with protection so that we can rejoice in Him and praise Him for His love, power and kindness to us.  God is honored when we look to Him as our fortress and when we bask in the joy of His love.  God is pleased when we cry out to Him for deliverance but we must be faithful to praise Him when He provides it.  Songs of praise and adoration should always be on our lips because we can trust in God’s care and we can bask in His unfailing love.  We do not have the strength to stand on our own against the dangers of this sinful world.  But we do have a fortress where we can find rest, refreshment and reassurance.  God is that fortress so we can face our fears with faith in Him.  We can live with the assurance of being lavished with His love.  We must delight in the deliverance God gives and then fill our hearts with rejoicing and our mouths with praise.

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