Gospel Reflections #1109: Not by our own strength

Psalm 64:1–2 ‘O God, hear my cry when I call to you; save my life from the fear of my enemies. Hide me from the secret plots of evildoers, and from the schemes of the unrighteous.’

These are the words of a prayer in which David, suffering under the attacks of an unjust enemy, desperately seeks God’s protection for his life.

In the midst of great suffering, David cries out in the belief that God will hear his voice.

David’s very life is in danger due to the threat posed by his enemies, and his sole wish is to be ‘protected’ from that terror.

 The wicked are not acting openly, but are plotting ‘schemes’ behind the scenes.

As verse 3 states, ‘They have sharpened their tongues like swords’, the attacks referred to here are ‘backbiting’ and ‘false accusations’.

He prays to God to ‘hide him’ in order to protect him from these despicable traps that human strength cannot ward off.

For us today, this passage resonates with the suffering we experience when faced with malice beyond our control, such as ‘backbiting’ or ‘bullying’ at school or in the workplace.

David does not sugar-coat his words; he pours out his fear and lament to God just as they are.

And rather than trying to fight with his own strength, he first chooses God as his ‘refuge’.

We, too, must not focus on appearing to be exemplary Christians before God, nor on demonstrating our superiority over other Christians; it is only by honestly confessing the true emotions and weaknesses of our hearts before God that we can experience His mercy, healing and restoration, and come to recognise what sort of God He truly is.

It is through this ongoing process that our trust and certainty in God are built up.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.