God Saves

Part three of a series on Psalm 34. You can read the intro here and part one here.


I sought the LORD, and He answered me;
     He delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to Him are radiant;
     their faces are never covered with shame.
The poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
     He saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him,
     and He delivers them.
                                               Psalm 34:4-7


After declaring the need to praise God in the midst of all circumstances, David moves on to a reminder that God will come to those who call out to Him for rescue.


"I sought the LORD, and He answered me . . ."

David looked to find God in the midst of His situation. When trouble came his way, he called out to God. And when he called out to God, God answered him. God is listening for the cries of His people because He wants to answer them.


". . . He delivered me from all my fears . . ."

God doesn't want us to live in fear. He wants to provide us with freedom from the fear that can hold  us back from what He has for us. When we call out to Him in the midst of circumstances where we are full of fear, He comes and rescues us from those fears. All He asks to deliver us from those fears is that we come to Him with them.


". . . Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame . . ."

Choosing to look to God in the midst of any circumstances we may face changes everything. When we look to God we reflect His glory and goodness to the world around us. No matter what we face, we can reflect God to the world around us. We just have to choose to look to Him.

Another amazing thing happens when we choose to look to God . . . He removes the shame we may be feeling. When we go to God with everything and ask for His forgiveness and His strength in the situation all shame is removed. Shame can hold us back from God has for us. He is waiting to remove it, because it's not of Him. He removes that shame when we go to Him with it.


". . . The poor man called, and the LORD heard him; He saved him out of all his troubles . . ."

Everyone can call to God. There's no social standing that would prevent us from calling out to God and being heard by Him. Whatever the situation, we can call to God for rescue and He will come to rescue us from it.


". . . The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them."

Every time I read verses that talk about fearing God, I have to stop and think about what that means. It's not language we commonly use today. And when we do talk about fear it's not in the way being spoken of here. To fear the LORD is to show Him respect and awe for Who He is.

Those who show God respect and awe for Who He is are protected by God. He sends His angels to protect us from harm - from attacks of Satan. God delivers us from Satan's attacks who is out to harm us.