Surely, God Is My Helper

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the One who sustains me. Psalm 54:4 NIV

The Lord understands the hearts of men and reads their minds. And God found in David a man after His own heart; a man whose faith was credited to him as righteousness, because he trusted in Him. As we trace the life of this man from the hills of Bethlehem to the end of his life, we see his faith in God develop and grew.

From the time he faced Goliath as a lad, to the day he 'slept with his fathers and was buried in Jerusalem, we trace David's faith developing, growing, and maturing into a man who died knowing that God is faithful to keep His Word. He trusted God to keep His promises. He believed the Lord would build for him a house and a kingdom that would endure forever, and that the throne of David would be established eternally.

Without faith it is impossible to please God and this short, simple Psalm is a beautiful example of a man who demonstrates a growing faith in God. He does not rely on his own strength and innate abilities but places his trust in the Lord and is confident that God's Word would come to pass. He maintains his conviction that God's Word is sure and has the assurance that God's promise of things to come would assuredly take place, when he cries out: "Behold, God IS my Helper. The Lord IS the Sustainer of my soul."

The trusting faith David expressed in this Psalm is an example of the secure faith we all desire to develop in our Christian walk. However, it is not easy to be encompassed about by difficulties and dangers and still to stand firm on the promises of God. It can be a great challenge to be hotly pursued by violent men who seek our downfall and be able to declare in confident trust: "Behold, God is my Helper. The Lord is the Sustainer of my soul." But this is the faith that pleases God.

It is easier to remind others who are facing great trials in their lives, of their need to trust in the Lord in the challenging circumstance they face or when confronted with their own personal problems! But how much more difficult it is to translate that secure faith into our own unsettled heart?

Let us set our heart to trust in the Lord no matter what problems arise and stand firm on His promises. His past faithfulness proves His continued constancy and never-failing fidelity. He has proved Himself to be our Faithful God, the Anchor of our soul, our never failing Helper, and the Sustainer of our soul.