Psalm 28:7
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.”
Oh, what a comfort to know that we have God as our helper! Therefore our heart can greatly rejoice. Therefore we can praise him with our song.
In what ways is the Lord our Helper?
1. The Lord is hour helper when we are oppressed and destitute
“12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble. 13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it. 14 Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless. 15 Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none. 16 The Lord is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land. 17 Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear: 18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.” (Psalm 10:12-18)
God will prepare the heart of those who are humble before Him, and He will be a helper to the poor, the fatherless, the humble, and the oppressed.
“37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. 38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble. 40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.” (Psalm 37:37-40)
2. The Lord is our helper when all others fail us
“Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.” (Psalm 12:1)
“Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.” (Psalm 22:11)
3. The Lord is our helper when we are in trouble.
“The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee.” (Psalm 20:1)
“Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.” (Psalm 22:11)
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)
4. The Lord will help us back up when we have fallen, even if we have fallen because of our own pride.
“6 And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. 7 Lord, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. 8 I cried to thee, O Lord; and unto the Lord I made supplication. 9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? 10 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me: Lord, be thou my helper. 11Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.” (Psalm 30:6-12)
5. The Lord will help us by sustaining us in time of famine.
“18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; 19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. 20 Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield. 21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. 22 Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.” (Psalm 33:18-22)
6. The Lord will help us when we are discouraged
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.” (Psalm 42:5)
There are so many more ways that the Lord helps us, but these six will give us something to meditate on for a while. They are so wonderful, so full, so rich! Let us say with the Psalmist, “To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.” (Psalm 30:12)
Perhaps in your devotions this week you will read about other ways that the Lord is your helper. Or perhaps you would like to write down some ways in which He has helped you and some words of thanksgiving to Him for that help.
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