Recently, I have enjoyed such pleasant Springtime walks along the bike trail south of my home. I sometimes think, as I walk along my path, how much like life this trail seems to be. I never know, when I start out, just what I might encounter on my walk. Sometimes, the breeze is mild, the day magnificent, and those I encounter pleasant and cheerful. Sometimes, however, the wind can be cold, or the day stormy and forbidding, the creek can flood, or there can be stinging insects or other unpleasant encounters. But, this trail, however one finds the attending conditions, always leads me home.

For those who faithfully walk with the Lord in this world, it might seem to make sense that the pathway of life should always be filled with sunshine and soft, warm breezes, and that the sweet smell of clover should fill the air. It might seem that there should be a pleasant and gentle ascent to the top of each hill, with a splendid vista to greet the eye. But, all too often, our path is stony and difficult, with steep uphill climbs, stormy weather, and uncertainty about what one may find around the next bend in the road. Come what may, though, the child of God need not fear, for we have One who watches over us and cares for us all along the way.

In 1 Samuel 21, we read about a time in David’s life, where nothing seemed to be going well. David was the anointed king of Israel, but Saul was yet on the throne, and by this time, Saul intended great mischief towards David. David’s life was in grave danger, so he was compelled to flee with much haste from the presence of the sitting king of Israel. He was, in a very real sense, hunted like a prey, and no place in Israel seemed a safe haven; he even left his country to seek refuge among the Philistines for a time, but that proved to be perilous too, so David escaped, in a most inglorious manner, and returned to his own country. Yet, despite the fact that things seemed to go from bad to worse for David, and that there appeared to be dangers and difficulties at every turn, the words of Psalm 34 do not appear to be the words of one experiencing great difficulties in life: “I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together,” (Psalm 34:1-3).

In these beautiful words, we see the heart of the true child of God—a heart in complete dependence upon the Lord, and a spirit of continual praise. What was it, do you think, that caused David to bless the Lord at all times, and to invite the faithful to magnify the Lord with him, even when things were not going very well? I notice that in the words of this Psalm, there is not a hint of bitterness or anger at the way David was being treated by his king, nor frustration over the hardness of the path he was obliged to walk in his early years. David had apparently surrendered his own will to the Lord, and he was satisfied to be totally in His care; and David trusted completely in the love and care of God for His own. We get a feel for David’s spirit in verse 18, and it is this mindset that I believe afforded him such comfort, even in the toughest times, “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit”.
Oh, for such a humble spirit, and a heart given over in dependence upon the Lord—the Lord is nigh to such a one! This is how, I believe, the child of God can walk in quiet confidence with the Lord through this wilderness world, whether in storm or sunshine.

And, does the presence of such stormy days come as a surprise for us? Actually, the Word of God shows us that such times are not unknown, even for faithful believers: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all,” (verse 19). Despite the fact that there were threats and dangers on every side, David could know with assurance that God faithfully watches over His own, and He hears the cries of His people when they are in trouble. In verse 4, we read, “I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. My dear friend, do you have fears? If you are a child of God, then this verse is for you too, no matter where you are at in this world, and no matter how humble your station in life just now. The Lord hears you too, and can deliver you from your fears. One of my favorite verses in this Psalm is verse 6, where we read, “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles”. It is an amazing thing to grasp that the very God of the universe can be called upon by even the most humble of servants, even those not highly esteemed by the world, and the Lord hears and delivers! Whether you are rich or poor, very young or very elderly, healthy or stricken with infirmities, the same God who heard and delivered David, hears and cares about you, right where you are. If you are one of His own, then you can know with assurance, just like David of old, that “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them,” (verse 7; and also that, “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry,” (verse 15).

How is it going for you just now, my dear Christian friend? Sometimes, the path we walk is very stony and steep, and it can seem that we are opposed on all sides, and very much alone. Perhaps you have recently lost your job, or have endured medical issues that have set you on the sidelines of your career, or perhaps these medical problems have threatened your very life. Perhaps, you have lost dear ones, or have had family or friends turn against you for no reasonable cause, and nothing you do seems to make a difference. These are the times that try the soul. Sometimes, discouragement over such events can lead to a bitter heart, which only makes things seem worse. Dear Christian friend, at such times, remember that you are never alone, even on the darkest day, or in the midst of the most difficult of circumstances. The same Lord who had His eye upon His servant David, has His eye upon you just now. The same God who faithfully guided and cared for David, and who delivered him from his troubles, hears your cries as well. As David of old trusted the Lord for deliverance, so we can trust Him as well today: “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles,” (verse 17); “O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing,” (verses 9-10); ”The LORD redeemeth the soul of His servants: and none of them that trust in Him shall be desolate,” (verse 22). The Lord has a plan for your life, and nothing in the universe can prevent Him: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end,” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Finally, my dear Christian friend, can you join David in praising the Lord, as the Spirit invites us to do in verse 3? Have you tasted His goodness, and known His care for you? David surrendered his own will, and walked with the Lord. He learned to trust in His guidance and care, so that come what may, he could say, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him,” (verse 8). Surely, we who have tasted His amazing Grace, who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, can rejoice in the certain love and care of God: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life,” John 3:16. How could we doubt the love of God, who has given us so much? He has given His only begotten Son to be our Savior, so that through faith in Him, we might have salvation and life. And more than that, being saved, we can come into the presence of our Lord at any time, day or night, to receive grace and help from One who knows the difficulties of this road: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need,” (Hebrews 4:15-16).

There is much encouragement for the Christian in Psalm 34. My dear friend, let me ask you plainly–are you a true believer on the Lord Jesus Christ? Are you a Christian? If you have never yet believed on Jesus, you may be finding life’s road very difficult indeed, and your way uncertain and frightening. Why not believe on Him just now, and you can experience rest from your fears and burdens: “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,”
(Matthew 11:28).