LIGHT FOR THE DARKNESS

We have reached the darkest stage of the year, the winter solstice, and the darkest day, typical of our spiritual day, yet to get darker still. For the reader, is the day, in some ways, a dark one? The psalm before us seems made for a dark path. The song begins well, v. 1, and ends well, v. 18, but the question is soon asked of us, “Where is now their God?”. Is your answer, “our God is in the heavens”. Is this all? Are our ways so dark that we cannot see Him near? Do we look around for help? Do we sense futility when we consider the gods of men who, they think, determine their well being and destiny? This is where verses 4-8 lead us. Truly men’s gods today are “silver and gold”; such are irresponsive, without feeling, undemonstrative, who only make their devotees like unto themselves. There is no help for us in them. We reach the source of real help in our darkness at the centre of this psalm, “O Israel, trust thou in the Lord”, v. 9. The only antidote to darkness is faith.

Note the faith-centre of the psalm. We hear a threefold call. “O Israel, trust”; “O house of Aaron, trust”, “Ye that fear the Lord, trust”. Whatever our nomination, as through the covenant, the sanctuary, or of the God-fearing— trust. If we have believed in the Lord for salvation, then trust Him for life; we must remember that the call is to trust in Jehovah, the everlasting, unchanging, faithful One. Note the threefold affirmation, “he is their help and their shield”. Here is help to press on, with a shield to protect as we move on in the dark toward our prospect. As we look backwards, the psalm reminds us, “The Lord hath been mindful of us”, v. 12. As we look forward, note the fourfold guarantee: “he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great”, vv. 12, 13. Note the change in tense—what He has been He will yet be. All nominations are included in the divine blessing. So the promise is that we will be moving on to greater things, v. 14, greater light, greater blessing, clearer prospects, brighter hopes. The only light, therefore, for the dark is the candle of the Lord, the flame of faith.

Presently dark, prospectively lighter unto perfect day.