RETURNING TO REST

The psalmist speaks to himself in verse 7, counselling himself very wisely, “Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee”. This illustrates an important feature of the psalms. Frequently we find a writer exhorting himself, challenging himself, rebuking himself—in fact, talking to himself! We have already encounted examples of this, including the famous words in Psalm 103. 1, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name”. The psalmist is there harnessing his energies and rousing his faculties for engagement in the praises of God.

In verse 7, the psalmist urges himself to return to his rest. This implies that he had been doing otherwise. He had been turning from his rest. He had allowed trial and adversity to distract him, to divert his thoughts away from God. He had become anxious and fearful. This was understandable, for he had been grappling with danger and the threat of death: “The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow”, v. 3. But these hazards had driven him to his knees, and God had heard and answered him wonderfully. His gratitude for answered prayer appears to have promoted him to write this psalm, “I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live”, vv. 1, 2. Moreover, his experience had given him a fresh, threefold appreciation of the Lord, “Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful”, v. 5. It is not that the psalmist had been ignorant of these divine attributes previously, but that he had now experienced their activity in his own circumstances.

There is no substitute for experience. That is how theoretical knowledge becomes proven reality. And it is good when we have the wisdom to return to our rest, recovering tranquillity in the calm assurance of our Father’s care. It is better still, of course, never to depart from it and from its Author.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”, John 14. 27.