Psalm 32:7
We must come out of our spiritual cave where we cannot enjoy God's pardoning grace. But we do need a hiding place to be safe in the midst of countless troubles, Does not David confess, in Psalm 32:7 - "Thou art my hiding place; Thou shalt preserve me from trouble; Thou shalt compass me with songs of deliverance"?
If we are sincerely sorry for our sins — and not merely relieved that we need not suffer their punishment — we will want to have a hiding place so that we are kept from sinful thoughts, desires, and actions. That is what a spirit that is without guile yearns for. Enjoying the sunshine of God's mercy, we do not want to be enticed and drawn away from the place where we can enjoy it. We want a hiding place from Satan's fiery attacks. We want to keep clean spiritually. Clad with the robes of Christ's righteousness, we do not want to lose the smallest part of them. Enjoying God's protecting care, we will sing of deliverance and safety. We will have echoing in our souls the versification of Psalm 32 that declares (PRC Psalter, #83):
In Thee, O Lord, I hide me.
Thou savest me from ill,
And songs of Thy salvation
My heart with rapture thrill.
Note that God receives the honor and praise. Songs of His salvation fill the hearts of those who confess their sins. Some years later Paul wrote that of Him, through Him, and to Him are all things. That is true also of our salvation. From Him comes all of it. Through Him it all is realized. It is all unto His glory. Songs of deliverance will fill our souls. But take note of the fact that God is the one Who compasses us about with songs of deliverance. Our praise then is of the Deliverer.
How important that every day we search our souls to see how much of a song of praise there is therein for the cross of Christ. He is our hiding place but also the one Who puts a song in our hearts. How wonderful when in the new Jerusalem we shout for joy and praise Him for all He did for us. But there must be a beginning of this singing in our souls today.
Read: Psalm 91
Psalter versification: #83:3b
Daily Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism
Song for Meditation: Psalter #329
Why not sing along??
Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Genesis 23 ; Genesi 24:1-51
Matthew 8:1-17
Psalm 9:13-20
Proverbs 3:1-6
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Quote for Reflection:
“Women sigh for fame. They would be sculptors….or they would be poets….But is any work in marble so great as hers who has an immortal life laid in her hands to shape for its destiny? Is the writing of any poem in musical lines so noble a work as the training of the powers of a human soul into harmony? O that God would give every mother a vision of the glory and splendor of the work that is given to her when a babe is placed in her bosom to be nursed and trained!” --J. R. Miller
Additional Info
- Date: 10-January
Heys, John A.
Rev. John A. Heys was born on March 16, 1910 in Grand Rapids, MI. He was ordained and installed into the ministry at Hope, Walker, MI in 1941. He later served at Hull, Iowa beginning in 1955. In 1959 he accepted the call to serve the South Holland, IL Protestant Reformed Church. He received and accepted the call to Holland, Michigan Protestant Reformed Church in 1967. He retired from the active ministry in 1980. He entered into glory on February 16, 1998.