GOD'S PROTECTION IN PERILOUS TIMES

PSALM 59

INTRODUCTION

These are the words of Scripture taken from the Bagster's 'Daily Light' on 23rd January morning reading reflect well this psalm from God's view perspective and offers immense comfort and direction for the seeking soul in troublous times -

"I am the Lord: ... they shall not be ashamed that wait for me (Isa 49:23 ) Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is (Jer 17:7 ). Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength (Isa 26:3 ,4 ). My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved (Psa 62:5 ,6 ). I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed (2 Ti 1:12 ).

God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us; which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus.(Heb 6:17-20 )"

This psalm reveals to us the heart cry from the godly man's view point. Where do we find help in desperate times?

Here we see the turmoil that is plaguing the hearts of men as a result of the financial crisis that men sought suicide as solution.

Testimony 1

Germany's wealthiest man commits suicide (January 7, 2009) - "It's when one faces a situation like Adolf Merckle is facing where spiritual guidance is needed to create hope. Otherwise, you'll end up precisely like he did: killing himself along with the death of hope he pursue all his life. God often times is not needed, especially when your mental state is in "normal condition. Adolf Merckle, one of Germany's wealthiest men, committed suicide after weeks of talks with creditors designed to save his businesses from being consumed by disastrous investments and the global financial crisis. The billionaire, 74, was said by his family to have been "broken" by the sight of his business empire, which ranged from pharmaceuticals to cement, crumbling. He died on Monday evening, apparently hit by a train a few hundred metres from his home in southern Germany."

Testimony 2

Straits Times Jan 8, 2009

Prominent suicides

Shame, not loss

BERLIN - DEEP feelings of shame rather than material losses were probably behind the suicide of German billionaire Adolf Merckle and some other prominent casualties of the global financial crisis, according to mental health experts.

Mr Merckle, who threw himself in front of a train near his home on Monday in despair over huge investment losses, has joined a lengthening list of high-profile investors around the world to take their own lives.

'An industrialist losing a fortune on the stock market has different motives for killing himself than a father with six children who loses his job,' said Detlev Liepmann, professor of economic psychology at Berlin's Free University.

'Merckle's livelihood was certainly not threatened by his risky investments but he was threatened by shame, a loss of face in society and a loss of honour,' said Mr Liepmann.

Before 74-year-old Mr Merckle, who was ranked as Germany's fifth-richest person by Forbes magazine, French money manager Thierry Magon de la Villehuchet was found dead last month in his New York office; his wrists were slit with box cutters.

The co-founder of money manager Access International was reportedly distraught about losing up to US$1.4 billion (S$2.07 billion) in client money to Bernard Madoff's alleged fraud.

'People like Merckle may be highly motivated but also highly sensitive,' said Gerrit Grahl, a psychotherapist in Frankfurt's banking quarter who treats 400 patients a year - with managers and bankers now outnumbering all professions combined.

'It's unfortunate he killed himself because he could have been treated. Many other people in the same spot would say 'to hell with it'. They'd look to save their own tail and wouldn't think of killing themselves no matter what happens.'

Empire rocked by crisis

The World Health Organisation warned in October the crisis would cause increased mental health problems and suicides.

'There is clear evidence that suicide is linked to financial disasters,' WHO director general Margaret Chan said at the time.

'I am not talking about the millionaire jumping out of the window but about poor people.' Mr Merckle did not opt for the window. Instead the media-shy billionaire, whose family controls some of Germany's best-known companies, jumped in front of a train in the darkness near his villa in the southern town of Blaubeuren.

The train driver did not even see him. Mr Merckle's dismembered body was found hours later.

He had assembled a business conglomerate with about 100,000 employees and 30 billion euros (S$60 billion) in annual sales.

But the empire was rocked last year by wrong-way bets made on shares in Volkswagen. Banking sources told Reuters the family lost hundreds of millions of euros on investments, with about 400 million euros lost on Volkswagen shares alone.

In an interview in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper last month, Mr Merckle said what pained him most '...is that I'm being attacked and portrayed now as a gambler'.

Dr Grahl, the psychotherapist, said: 'Here was a man who spent a life working hard to do good but saw it all in ruins. He saw financial failure and thus felt his life was a failure. The minds of people like that recall only the negatives of their whole lives and blot out positives. They feel guilt and shame.' There have been other suicides related to the crisis.

In London, millionaire chief operating officer of private equity firm Olivant, Kirk Stephenson, was hit by a train in London in September. A jury later returned a suicide verdict.

In Brazil, a trader shot himself at Sao Paulo's commodities exchange in November. He survived in critical condition.

In Los Angeles, out-of-work money manager Karthik Rajaram, 45, killed himself and his family in October. Police said Mr Rajaram had said in a suicide note he was broke and had lost most of his assets in the stock market. - REUTERS"

The psalmist David was being hunted by King Saul's men. In desperation, he cried to God. He is appealing to the Alimighty power of God to deliver and save him from 'workers of iniquity' - unscrupulous men void of morals, and 'bloody men' - men looking to shed his blood. He appealing to God for protection - deliver and save him in his perilous circumstance.

Our beloved principal in FEBC taught us quoting succinctly the words of the knight Sir Galahad in Alfred Tennyson's writing - 'My strength is as the strength of ten, because my heart is pure.' What tremendous encouragement and appeal to live holy lives in the strength of the Lord. More so in troublous times where the temptation to react with our own ways. Where the heart is not seared by a guilty conscience but strengthened by constant self-examination and repentance where we have fallen.

The psalmist appealed for God to awake and see and act to defend him! In his own wisdom, he saw the hopelessness of his predicament and asked that God will rescue him. His senses have to be in high alert all the time not knowing when the enemy will strike to kill him. It is more draining mentally, emotionally and physically. He pleaded for God's help and intervention. The LORD God of hosts is the commander the all heavenly and earthly powers. The God of Israel is a personalized call that this God who favours His people Israel. However, from the preface of the psalm, we know that David's enemies are his own people. Here I believe that David is alluding to the fact that his enemies, though part of Israel, is behaving like the heathen devoid of God's law in their hearts, dealing wickedly.

Notice that verse 6 is repeated in verse14. "The Bible invokes the image of the dog rarely in a positive light. It appears as an utterly unclean animal. A filthy scavenger, the dog wanders about the fields and streets of the cities, disposing refuge and even dead bodies. The Israelites were familiar with dogs, not as cherished pets, but as members of packs that fed at the town dump and roamed the streets at night howling. The animal thus signifies uncleanness, not affection and loyalty. For the Jews, the Gentiles are like dogs in their way of life, they live without the Torah (law). By way of application, the Apostle Paul sought in his ministry to win the unlovable lawless to Christ when he said, "To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law" (1 Corinthians 9:21 ).

In Proverbs 1:24-33 ,God is personified as a man who laughs at rebellion of the simple who rejects His wisdom. Observe the contrast with the obedient ones in verse Pr 1: 33 "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil."

When it is most naturally to falter and fret, the psalmist demonstrated a quiet confidence in the ability of His God to deliver him.

The God that dispenses kindness and goodness will meet him with His blessings. This is the character of God that brings comfort, solace to the fretful heart. The shield is a defensive weapon. The metaphor pictures God as a shield, protecting his people from hostile enemies. It emphasizes God's ability to protect His people. He will yet caused His people to triumph over the wicked.

When God pronounced a favourable verdict in His court, the righteous rejoice. Morning is a time and symbol of hope for the righteous as in Psalms 30:5 "For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."

The psalmist affirmed yet again in this trial that God is His sure defence and refuge in the day of trouble. Once again, He demonstrated His unfailing mercy. What tremendous relieve. The rejoicing and the praise in the heart is beyond words. Indeed, he saw by faith God's power and will live to experience it.