Thoughts From Psalms 3 and 4

The Owner Of Salvation

“Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be upon your people!”

Psalm 3:8

     What do you desire more than anything else in this world? Is your greatest desire for the type of wealth that will permit you to retire early and never have to work again? Perhaps your greatest desire is for the type of notoriety that makes your name recognizable all across the world. Could it be that your greatest desire is to excel at your chosen field above all your contemporaries? Or could your strongest desire simply be to marry and enjoy the remainder of your life surrounded by family and friends?

     As you consider your answer to this question, ask yourself this: how strongly do you desire the salvation of your soul? In Psalm 3 David was writing during the time of his flight from Absalom. What a terrible tragedy when one’s own child actively seeks his life! With enemies surrounding him and with friends few and far between, David did what he always seemed to do—He placed all of his hope and trust in the One who had saved him so many times before. Psalm 3 reaches its crescendo in the final verse. No matter how bad it became for David he knew that God always possessed the power to rescue him from his trouble.

     I ask you to consider whether God has saved you from the worst enemy confronting man today—sin (Romans 6:23). While salvation belongs to the Lord, we are the recipients of it. The invitation of the Lord has been offered for all (Matthew 11:28-30). There is no one living who finds themselves outside the scope of Matthew 11:28-30. Are you a thief? You can be saved. Are you an adulterer? You can enjoy salvation. Are you a liar? You can receive forgiveness. How can I say this? I can say it because salvation belongs to the Lord and His greatest desire is to save man’s soul (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).

     However, the owner of a thing has the right to stipulate how it can be used. Our heavenly Father is no different. Because salvation belongs to Him He gets to determine what man must do and be like to receive it (Romans 10:17; John 3:16; Luke 13:3; Matthew 10:32; Acts 22:16; Ephesians 4:1). 

     Salvation belongs to the Lord. If we would be saved we must belong to Him as well. Read the verses listed above and let the Lord tell you how.

Properly Placed Treasure

“You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.”

Psalm 4:7

     I can remember a time when I thought that if I could just manage to acquire a small fortune my life would be as happy and fulfilling as it could be. I think that a great many people who claim Christ as Lord feel much the same way. Obviously we should all know that wealth does not lead to happiness or fulfillment. A simple perusal of the magazine stand as we pick up our groceries shows us that movie stars, music stars, and sports stars are not immune to disaster and depression just because they enjoy great wealth.

     Sure, it’s nice not to have to live one paycheck to the next. I can only imagine that it’s nice to pay one’s monthly bills and still have so much money left over that you don’t even know what to do with it. But wealth is just a thing among a world of things. When a person puts all of their trust in things, whether they have a lot or a little, a truly fulfilling life is far from them. 

     Perhaps someone says, “I know some people who put all of their time and effort into acquiring more stuff and they seem to be awfully happy.” I have no doubt that there are some who are quite fulfilled with that type of life. But which shoes would you rather fill before God: the shoes of a wealthy man with all of his toys who forsook the health of his soul, or the shoes of a man who lived from one paycheck to the next but lived faithfully to the Lord?  I know my answer.

     So we come to our title. Where are you storing your treasure?  The parable of Luke 12:13-21 shows us a man who continues to exist in our world today. He was a man who spent all of his time acquiring money and things. His soul was required of him and his wealth could do nothing to save him. God called him a fool. Verse 21 says, “So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

     So where is your treasure? Put it in heaven and understand exactly how David could say what he did in Psalm 4:7. Only then will you know the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).