Desperate Times Calls For Deliverance

PREVIEW: We all go through seasons that could be labelled as “desperate times.” So what is a believer to do in times like that? As the psalms teach us, we are to “unfurl our banner.” In other words, we are to declare our loyalty to God! We are to shout our trust in his goodness! We are to make clear to the world whose side we are on! We are to affirm our submission to his will and align ourselves once again to his sovereign purposes. We are to refuse to surrender to fear, self-pity and defeat. We are to intensify our intentions and redouble our efforts to be God’s man or God’s woman or God’s organization no matter what the times are like—good or bad. And then simply and patiently we are to entrust our lives to God our deliverer to save and help us with his strong right hand.

A Journey of Worship // Psalm 60:3-51

You have shown your people desperate times; you have given us wine that makes us stagger. But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow. Selah Save us and help us with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered.

David’s reign as king over God’s people came to be known as the Golden Age of Israel. Yet there were times during his reign, as you can discern from this psalm, that all was not well with the nation. There were situations and seasons where it seemed as if the people had abandoned their God, and God had abandoned his people.

On this occasion, David sensed that God had not been with Israel in battle as he had expected. We are not told why—if there was some national sin that caused God to withhold his favor, or if David’s leadership was to blame, or if God was just simply testing and deepening Israel. Admittedly, this psalm is shrouded in a bit of mystery, and at times, it is clouded with pessimism with occasional sun breaks of optimism.

That is so true of our lives as well. Sometimes we just don’t know. Sometimes difficult things happen, and after some serious soul-searching, we simply cannot produce an adequate explanation. I am sure many Christians who are caught in the vise-grip of our present unpredictable economy may be feeling this way today. And I certainly know of several God-honoring churches and missional organizations, too, that are experiencing severe financial challenges. I am sure a lot of believers right now would join David and say, “You have shown your people desperate times.”

So what are you to do in those desperate times? Unfurl your banner, that’s what! In other words, declare your loyalty to God! Shout your trust in his goodness! Make clear to the world whose side you are on! Affirm your submission to his will and align yourself once again to his sovereign purposes. Refuse to surrender to fear, self-pity, and defeat. Intensify your intentions and redouble your efforts to be God’s man or God’s woman or God’s organization no matter what the times are like—good or bad.

And then simply and patiently entrust yourself to God to save and help you with his strong right hand. After all, the One who loves you goes by the name “Deliverer” for good reason. As David did, change your tune so that at the end of the day, you are placing well-founded optimism in the God who delivers! Again, the best thing you can do in desperate times is to entrust the future to the One whom Psalm 68:20 confidently declares, “Our God is a God who delivers.”