“But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
For you bless the righteous, O LORD;
you cover him with favor as with a shield.” (Psalm 5:11-12)
What comes to mind when we think of the word ‘refuge’? Given the current haze situation, I would be thinking of finding refuge in the comfort of my home or enjoying coffee in an air-conditioned eatery. As much as I do keep up with the news – I subscribe to both hardcopy and digital version of Straits Times – I would hardly be mulling over refugees who have fled from their country or homes because it is no longer safe or viable for them to remain there.
Here, I must confess feeling somewhat ashamed that creaturely comfort would feature so highly in my mind. Having lived in a politically stable and prosperous city state with relatively low crime rate and low risk of natural disasters for the past 52 years, it makes me wonder if my privileged lived experiences as a Singaporean have caused me to unwittingly lose sight of what many others in this world have been denied or deprived of.
Indeed, for many people, seeking refuge is a matter of life and death. Often, they are forced to choose between a rock and a hard place. Whereas for me, finding refuge may merely be about deciding which option is more convenient or affordable.
When King David wrote Psalm 5, it is evident that he was not penning poetry from a throne of regal serenity. We know from context that David crying out to God in lament as he was facing a challenging time in his life. Although David is God’s anointed king, his life was not a walk in the park.
David knows the pain of being hounded by bloodthirsty and deceitful enemies whose “throat is an open grave” (v.8). These arrogant evildoers (v.5) had no fear of God and would have spoken ill of David, seeking to ruin his reputation and to harm him physically. But instead of becoming anxious or retaliating in vindictiveness, David sought refuge in God through prayer.
David was assured that not only will God hear his cries for help (v.1-3), a holy and just God will also bring about his sovereign judgment upon those who sought to rebel against him (v.10). In addition, David has learnt to trust that God will spread his protection over him and cover him with favor as with a shield (v.11-12).
Notice David’s assurance that God will vindicate him and provide him refuge was not based on his own merit or ability to deal with his enemies. As much as David sought to walk rightly with God, he is well aware that everything is ultimately dependent upon God’s grace.
As David bows towards God’s holy temple (v.7), he is reminded that it is a tremendous privilege to come before God in humble confession and have one’s sins atoned for through the blood of a sacrificial lamb. In the case of the wicked, since they refuse to take refuge under God, God will cast them out and hold them accountable for their choices.
In contrast to David’s enemies, God’s people can and will experience joy even if it seems that various forces in this world are trying to ruin us relationally, physically or economically. Instead of depending on makeshift shelters to offer us refuge in our time of need, God is also calling Christians today to continue loving and trusting him and to find refuge behind the shield of his favour.
Whenever we feel weary or defenseless, remember that God extends his favour as a protective shield over us. Indeed, there is no greater blessing and nowhere more secure and reassuring than to trust that God relates graciously towards all who belongs to him?
King David in Psalm 5 shows us that God’s people have reason to rejoice even when we need to find refuge in God in our times of trouble. Undoubtedly, joy is one characteristic that sets God’s people apart.
To be sure, finding refuge in God does not mean we are trying to downplay our problems or hide from those who are causing us trouble. Instead, we know we can press on since God’s favour is serving as a protective shield over us.
It is a shield that is large and strong enough to cover every aspect of our lives. And since God has promised to provide us with such an “armour”, then surely we cannot be shirking away from our Christian witness and from striving to live a life that is worthy of his calling?
Every Sunday, as we gather as God’s people to offer our worship and prayers unto our Triune God, may joy be ever so evident in our lives and faith community since we are truly blessed to have God looking upon us with favour and pleasure. Even if sometimes we need to lament before God, we know that God hears us. By his grace and in his sovereign timing, our cries for help will one day turn into songs of joy.
