In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. 2 Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. 3 Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. 4 Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. 5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.

Just how much do we really trust God? We know that while on the cross, the last words of Jesus were “into your hands I commit my spirit”. We usually think of these words as appropriate only when someone is dying. However, in this passage they are used by the Psalmist while very much alive and looking to live. He is expressing his complete trust in God; even to the point of turning over his spirit (or soul) to him. Another way of putting this would be to say: “God, I trust you now and in eternity with all I am and have”. Now, do we trust God that much?

As we read this Psalm we see one who is in the midst of trial and who cannot find an escape on his own. He is on the brink of destruction without any hope of being rescued on his own. In this total despair, he turns to God as his only help and refuge. But notice that he does so with complete confidence in God to deliver him. It is not a “last resort” effort or even an expression of “desperation” but the natural response of one who has spent his life serving and trusting his God.

We can, with complete confidence, turn to God in every situation and know that he is listening to our plea and our prayer. We can always depend on him because he is always faithful to his word. He has promised to take care of us, no matter what we face. He has promise to provide our every need, no matter how impoverished we may become. He has promised to protect us, no matter how strong our enemy. He has promised to give us joy, no matter how dark our night becomes. He has promised to give us abundant eternal entrance into heaven, no matter how distant it seems at times. The issue is not God. The issue is our willingness to trust him and his word.

O Lord, please help my lack of trust in you and your word. Help me to know how to depend on you instead of trying to always take care of it myself. I thank you and give you all praise for your love and the constant care and protection you have given me in the past. I thank you for your guidance in my life. I give you thanks for changing my heart and ask that you continue to make me more like you in every way. Help me to open my heart to your Spirit that I may see his fruit in my life. I pray this in the name of Jesus.

May God bless each of us as we trust him and serve him today.