Put your trust in the Lord Psalm 4:5 by Roy Davison

 

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Put your trust in the Lord
Psalm 4:5

"Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar" (Romans 3:4).

Millions have entrusted the salvation of their souls to man, rather than placing their trust in God. Millions believe in God, they believe He exists, but they do not place their trust in God.

Many place their trust in the wrong things.

Do not place your trust in weapons.

"Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the Lord our God" (Psalm 20:7).

This world is full of people who place their confidence in guided missiles, fighter planes, bombs, automatic rifles, knives and spears.

Jesus said: "All who take the sword will perish by the sword." (Matthew 26:52). In Revelation we read: "He who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword" (Revelation 13:9). Physical violence is reciprocating and self-perpetuating. You cannot solve your problems with a weapon.

Do not place your trust in riches.

"He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like foliage" (Proverbs 11:28).

You cannot buy eternal life. "Those who trust in their wealth And boast in the multitude of their riches, None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him ... That he should continue to live eternally, And not see the Pit" (Psalm 49:6-9).

Maybe you think, "Well that doesn't apply to me. I'm not rich." But even a poor man is placing his trust in riches if he thinks money would solve his problems.

Jesus said: "Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!" (Mark 10:24).

Paul wrote: "Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy" (1 Timothy 6:17).

We must place our trust in God, not in money.

Do not place your trust in yourself.

Only a proud fool does that. "He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered. He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But whoever walks wisely will be delivered" (Proverbs 28:25,26).

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:5,6).

Many people place their trust in their own righteousness. But Jesus "spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 'Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, "God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess." And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other'" (Luke 18:9-14).

Many trust in their own relative goodness. They think they will be saved just because others are worse. This ignores the consequences of sin. We are all sinners and can only be saved by the grace of God and on His terms.

The folly of trusting our own strength is exposed by death. Paul wrote: "Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead" (2 Corinthians 1:9).

Do not place your trust in man or in governments.

"It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in princes" (Psalm 118:8,9).

All false religion is some form of trusting man rather than God, because true religion comes from God and false religion comes from man. Catholicism focuses on the Pope who claims to be the Holy Father, God's infallible representative on earth. Islam is based on the writings of Mohammed, purported to be visions from God. Calvinism is based on the teachings of Calvin. Lutheranism, on the teachings of Luther. By definition, a denomination is something distinct, something other than the body of Christ. A group is a denomination if it follows written or unwritten rules produced by man, rather than the Word of God.

"Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help" (Psalm 146:3).

Some people expect the government or some political system to solve their problems. Any form of government is bad if the people in charge are bad, and most politicians are not known for their goodness. The only resources the government has come from God. Trust in God rather than in governments.

To trust in man is to depart from the Lord: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt land which is not inhabited. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit" (Jeremiah 17:5).

"The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe" (Proverbs 29:25).

Do not place your trust in words of men.

Isaiah's society was similar to ours: "No one calls for justice Nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity" (Isaiah 59:4).

Jeremiah warned: "Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit" (Jeremiah 7:8).

The world is full of lying words given by the inspiration of the devil. How do I know they are lying words? Because they contradict the Word of God! "Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar" (Romans 3:4).

When the world tells you the lie that there is no God and that intricate life just evolved by chance, believe God, the Creator of all things, who holds man accountable.

When the world tells you the lie that easy divorce is a good solution to marriage conflicts, believe God, who says marriage is for life (Matthew 19:6; Romans 7:2) and that divorce and remarriage is adultery (Mark 10:11,12). Seek a marriage partner who trusts in God.

When the world tells you the lie that homosexuality is an acceptable "alternate life style," believe God, who calls it perversion and an abomination (Leviticus 18:22,23; Romans 1:24-28).

Do not place your trust in weapons, in riches, in yourself, in man, in governments or in the lying words of a godless society.

Put your trust in God.

"Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the Lord" (Psalm 4:5).

You will be blessed if you trust in God.

"Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him" (Psalm 2:12).

"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!" (Psalm 34:8).

"O Lord of hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You!" (Psalm 84:12).

Place your confidence in the word of God.

"Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him" (Proverbs 30:5).

"He who heeds the word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he" (Proverbs 16:20).

"As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him" (Psalm 18:30).

In times of trouble, place your trust in God.

"The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him" (Nahum 1:7).

"Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us" (Psalm 62:8).

"Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret -- it only causes harm" (Psalm 37:3-8).

"The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him" (Psalm 28:7).

"In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Psalm 56:11).

"Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You" (Psalm 56:3).

"Oh, how great is Your goodness, Which You have laid up for those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You In the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence From the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion From the strife of tongues" (Psalm 31:19,20).

"How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings" (Psalm 36:7).

To explain the shadow of God's wings, sister Gene E. LittleJohns of Albuquerque, New Mexico told this story: "When I was a little girl we lived on a ranch 100 miles from the nearest town. We raised our own chickens with setting hens. When the chicks hatched, the momma hen kept the little chicks near her as they scratched for food. The baby chicks were special game for the large, hungry blue jays that lived in the trees. When the jays came swooping down for a chick to devour, the momma hen would cover the little babes with her wings, the feathers fluffing up to cover and protect them. As little as I was, I was always amazed at the protection the hen's feathers were for her family."

"Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until these calamities have passed by" (Psalm 57:1).

"I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings" (Psalm 61:4).

The Lord is merciful to those who place their trust in Him.

"But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation" (Psalm 13:5).

"Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him" (Psalm 32:10).

"Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord -- Your salvation according to Your word. So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me, For I trust in Your word" (Psalm 119:41,42).

Trust in God for the salvation of your soul.

"The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned" (Psalm 34:22).

"The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold" (Psalm 18:2).

"For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe" (1 Timothy 4:10).

"Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For YAH, the Lord, is my strength and my song; He also has become my salvation" (Isaiah 12:2).

Where do you place your confidence?

"In the Lord I put my trust" (Psalm 11:1).

"Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name" (Psalm 33:20,21).

"Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You" (Psalm 143:8).

"Lord my God, in You I put my trust" (Psalm 7:1).

"You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on you, Because he trusts in You'" (Isaiah 26:3).

"And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You" (Psalm 9:10).

"Those who trust in the Lord Are like Mount Zion, Which cannot be moved, but abides forever" (Psalm 125:1).

Do not place your trust in weapons, in riches, in yourself, in man, in governments or in the lying words of a godless society. Put your trust in God.

Roy Davison

The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982, Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers.
Permission for reference use has been granted.

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)