WHEN TROUBLE IS NEAR -- Tomorrow:
"Trouble" speaks of the agitating of the waters of circumstance, when life becomes challenging, difficult, and sometimes hopeless. "Trouble" is to living what storms, hurricanes, and floods are to environment. It is when the ordinary is disrupted, and unexpected hardship intrudes into the normal.
Since the entrance of sin into the world, "trouble" is common. Although Eliaphaz the Temanite did not use the truth properly toward Job, yet he was right when he said, "Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward" (Job 5:7). Job responded, "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble" (14:1). Solomon put it in these words, "All things are full of labor . . . all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief" (Eccl 1:8; 2:22).
Eliaphaz, Job, and Solomon saw "trouble" as continual and inevitable – and, indeed, that is true. Life in this world is troubling, especially for those who are in Christ Jesus. They live every day with an adversary hounding them, assaults from the powers of darkness, and warfare within. However, although "trouble" is common, there are times when, like a flood, it comes upon us in a rush. During such occasions "trouble" is accelerated, special trials and extraordinary are endured.
One of the first mentionings of trouble is related to Israel's tenure in Egypt. After they were commanded to gather their own straw for the making of bricks, the officers of the children of Israel "saw that they were in trouble after it was said, ‘You shall not reduce any bricks from your daily quota'" NKJV (Ex 5:19). Life became more difficult from that point on. Like the cold blast of a wintery wind, "trouble" had intruded upon them. What they normally did with relative ease now became difficult. What was formerly reasonable, now became unreasonable.
Ezekiel once prophesied, "the day of trouble is near" (Ezek 7:7). He spoke of a time of judgment that was about to come upon the land of Israel. The life to which they had grown accustomed was about to be violently disrupted. In their case, "trouble" had been determined by God, and was fast approaching.
In our text, David is struggling with a sense of utter helplessness. It is generally understood that this Psalm was written when David was being persecuted by king Saul, hounded and pursued to such an extent he had to hide. He was not able to face Saul like he did Goliath. It was a different kind of challenge. Although he had once killed a lion and a bear, and struck down Goliath of Gath, the mightiest Philistine of all, yet now he was helpless. His former victories were not preceded by fervent supplications – he simply defeated the foe. But now, he is struggling upward, fully aware he is not adequate within himself for the test confronting him.
This Psalm is also a Messianic Psalm, in which the heart and mind of the Lord Jesus during His vicarious sufferings and atonement are depicted. The same Jesus who passed through a crowd who was determined to kill him (Lk 4:29-30), and felled a "multitude" of men with but a word (Lk 22:47; John 18:3-6), struggled fiercely with trouble upon the cross. He cried out words from this Psalm, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matt 27:46; Psa 22:1). Trouble had come upon Him. When He saw it coming, He prayed, "Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour" (John 12:27).
In their own measure, and in accord with their calling, each believer experiences times of "trouble," where there is "none to help." All praise be to God, this is not an uninterrupted experience. We are also given refreshment, renewal, reviving, and renewed strength. It seems to me that the secret of survival is dwelling in the courts of the Lord, living by faith and walking in the Spirit. In such a posture, we are able to detect when "trouble is near." It may not yet upon us, but is fast approaching, and we must prepare for it.
However, when one lives in a state of quenching and grieving the Holy Spirit, giving in to the flesh, and refusing to set his affection on things above, looming trouble cannot even be seen. In such a case, trouble swoops down upon the unexpected sluggard like a devouring bird of prey. This is precisely why some people, much to the surprise of their friends, suddenly fall into reprehensible sins. Trouble was coming – it was near – but they did not see it. They did not arm themselves with a godly mind, or run the race with patience that was set before them.
Sometimes trouble can catch us unawares even if we are living by faith. That is something that happened to Job. Yet, even though he did not know all of the reasons behind the trouble, he was able to keep believing, and not sin with his mouth, keeping his integrity. Such occasions are not ordinary.
It is good for the saints to develop their spiritual sensitivity and intuition. Such can be honed to a fine edge, so that approaching trouble can be felt or ascertained. That is the time to pray as David did. "Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help." That is the same as saying, "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" (Matt 6:13). It is recognizing there are times when only God can help us.
PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You in Jesus name that I am not left alone to face trouble.