Cares, Meet Consolations

“Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord,
    and whom you teach out of your law,
to give him rest from days of trouble,
    until a pit is dug for the wicked.
For the Lord will not forsake his people;
    he will not abandon his heritage;
for justice will return to the righteous,
    and all the upright in heart will follow it.

Who rises up for me against the wicked?
    Who stands up for me against evildoers?
If the Lord had not been my help,
    my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.
When I thought, “My foot slips,”
    your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up.
When the cares of my heart are many,
    your consolations cheer my soul…
But the Lord has become my stronghold,
    and my God the rock of my refuge.” Psalm 94:12-19,22

Discipline chafes, troubles pelt and assail, and rest can be elusive. The psalmist flirts with feeling abandoned, forsaken, overwhelmed by these situations and the pressures and ubiquitousness of evil. But with every hint of pain or turmoil, the Lord’s constancy meets him. With every ouch, there’s the balm of blessing. With every near slip, his God grabs hold. It is his very struggles that magnify the goodness and steadfastness of His God. (Hebrews 12:11)

The Lord never abandons His people! He is our present help in trouble, no matter what shakes or is at stake! He is on our side to defend, advocate, redeem, and love without fail! When our cares are many and weighty and seemingly unending, His consolations are more, and cheer us! Will we look up from our circumstances to welcome their benediction? (Psalm 46:1-3; Romans 8:31-39)

What cares, what bitter angst, personality rubs, longstanding shame, weakness, ceaseless opposition or pressure or ungodly desires, can we bring to our Lord for His handling? Where do we need, and will we choose to take, the comfort He offers? Would we exercise faith this day to rest in the stronghold that is Christ and take relief in His calvary-won consolations?

“Trust Him when thy wants are many;
  Trust Him when thy friends are few;
And the time of swift temptation
  Is the time to trust Him too.

Trust Him when thy soul is burdened
  With the sense of all its sin;
He will speak the word of pardon,
  He will make thee clean within.

Trust Him for the grace sufficient,
  Ever equal to thy need;
Trust Him always for the answer,
  When in His dear name you plead.

Trust Him for the grace to conquer,
  He is able to subdue;
Trust Him for the power for service;
  Trust Him for the blessing too.

Trust Him when dark doubts assail thee,
  Trust Him when thy strength is small,
Trust Him when to simply trust Him
  Seems the hardest thing of all.

Trust Him; He is ever faithful;
  Trust Him, for His will is best;
Trust Him, for the heart of Jesus
  Is the only place of rest.

Trust Him, then, through cloud or sunshine,
  All thy cares upon Him cast,
Till the storm of life is over,
  And the trusting days are past.” ~Lucy Bennett (1850-1927)

Father, help me secure every care under Your grace-bought consolation and within Your love, so You are exalted and blessed.