Guide me by your truth and instruct me. You keep me safe, and I always trust you. ” This is one of the clearest of the psalms. Largely void of symbolism or metaphor, King David calls upon his life experience to highlight the purpose of God's word and the benefit it can be in the lives of those who trust and obey. He speaks of guidance, instruction, and safety-all crucial gifts for navigating life with God's protection and blessings.
In the fourth century, Saint Augustine explained this verse as follows: "Let me shun errors, 'and teach me,' for of myself I know nothing but falsehood… Turned out of paradise [or Thy presence] by You and wandering to a far-off country [called earth], I cannot return [to You] by my own strength unless You come to meet me in my wandering, for my return has been waiting on Your mercy throughout the whole stretch of earthly time." Augustine essentially says that we're all ignorant, and wander about aimlessly, thinking we "see" more than we really do. Our only hope for a safe return to God is if He intervenes, making Himself manifest in our lives and by His Holy Spirit. We can each trust that God wishes to do exactly that!
Similarly, the 6th century Roman statesmen, Cassiodorus. explained, "There are two factors that make good Christians: the first [is] that we believe that God is our Savior, [and] the second [is] that we must wait [upon] His recompense with patience all our lives." Likewise, Arnobius the Younger-the fifth century Bishop of Gaul-explained this verse, saying: "Lord, your ways…which you have walked, make them known unto me, so that through those very ways I may walk, and teach me your paths so that I may proceed on them. And as I do this very thing [won't] you direct me in your truth and lead me, because you are my God of salvation." Arnobius' point is that God has the answers. God knows the safe path to our heavenly home. If we will "walk" in His ways, and follow the "paths" He has set out, He will direct us and assure that we are lead to the truth; something desperately needed in this difficult time in the world's history.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. ” In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet Jeremiah is speaking to the Israelites at a time of great despair. They were exiled, living in Babylon, far from their homeland. Jeremiah's words were meant to offer hope and assurance during this period of upheaval. His message was not just for their immediate comfort but also to give them a perspective of a hopeful future planned by God.
This passage in Jeremiah speaks directly to the heart of encouragement, especially in the face of uncertainty and difficulty. It's a reminder that even when our current circumstances seem bleak or disheartening, there is a broader plan for good, for hope, and for a future. This can be particularly resonant for us when we face our own periods of doubt or when our path seems unclear. It's a call to trust in a greater plan that we might not fully understand yet.
