490_God fulfills his purpose for those who trust in Him

Psalm 57 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
till the storms of destruction pass by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
3 He will send from heaven and save me;
he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah
God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

4 My soul is in the midst of lions;
I lie down amid fiery beasts—
the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!

6 They set a net for my steps;
my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my way,
but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
7 My heart is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast!
I will sing and make melody!
8 Awake, my glory!
Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn!
9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10 For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!

Years ago, a missionary named Alan Gardner set out to preach the gospel in one of the most remote and difficult parts of the world—the southern tip of South America. He and his team faced hunger, sickness, and harsh weather. Eventually, all of them laid down their lives on that desolate shore. When Gardner’s body was finally found, the explorers found his journal nearby. Scribbled with fingers trembling with weakness were his last words: “I am overwhelmed with a sense of the goodness of God.”

Words like this, written with death so near, point to a deep understanding that nothing can ever separate us from the goodness of God. It comes from the unshakable faith that God’s purpose is never frustrated, even in suffering. This sense comes from the knowledge that the storms of life are not meaningless.

This is the same faith and courage that David records, in Psalm 57. Hiding from King Saul, probably in the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22), David is surrounded by darkness and danger. And his response? A flood of prayer, interspersed with triumphant and trustful song.

The opening words are:
“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
till the storms of destruction pass by.” (Psalm 57:1)

The long experience David knew, from the long experience of faith, how to transmute desperation to trust. He did not ask that the storm be stilled. He simply lifts his voice to God, calling for mercy. At the same time, with humble boldness, he shelters under the wings of the Almighty God until the storm is over.

Psalm 91 echoes this attitude:

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.’”

This is how Boaz, the rich kinsman, blesses his widowed kinswoman Ruth, poor and lonely in a foreign land:
“A full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” (Ruth 2:12)

For in the midst of any storm, the safest place is not a fort or mountain hideout—it’s under God’s wings. They are broad enough for everyone—widows, warriors, wanderers, and anyone weary of trying to make it on their own. He is the God whose purposes cannot be thwarted. His strength outweighs the greatest opposition. Therefore, David goes on to say:

“I cry out to God Most High,
to God who fulfills his purpose for me.”

God’s purpose for him remained steadfast, even in the cave, even when it looked like his life was about to be snuffed out. God had commanded Samuel to anoint him king of Israel, when even his own family overlooked and ignored him. God called him out of the wilderness pastures where he shepherded his father’s sheep. He was called to shepherd Israel, to bring them into safety and security in the steadfast love of God. And therefore, God himself would fulfil his purposes.

Job came to the same conclusion during his long and painful trial. When God revealed his own unsearchable wisdom and power, Job answered humbly:
“I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2)

This is not a fair-weather truth only. It is universal and timeless. For our loving and mighty God never wastes suffering. In fact, our most painful seasons are often the very soil in which God’s purpose takes root and begins to grow.

David’s years of being hunted by Saul are a classic example. They were a training ground, when he exercised faith, humility, and patience. He learned the grace of forgiveness, when bitterness and vengeance were stripped away by faith in God’s justice. Thus, when Saul finally died, David lamented for him. Suffering in the will of God had softened and changed his heart, making him able to praise and grieve for his deadly enemy. God was shaping David to rule with kindness, righteousness, and justice.

God is at work in us too. Maybe we are hiding in fear, or fleeing from grief or failure or rejection. The truth remains: God fulfills His purpose for those who trust Him.

Amidst his trials, David saw God’s steadfast love and justice in action by faith. Verse 6 describes it:
“They set a net for my steps;
my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my way,
but they have fallen into it themselves!”

Looking ahead, he realized how the tables would be turned. His enemies would be taken in their own plots. This realization moves David to praise. Right there in the cave, he sings for joy.
“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast!
I will sing and make melody!” (Psalm 57:7)

This is the song of steadfast faith – not when the storm has passed, but in the midst of it. He says,
“Awake, my glory!
Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn!” (v.8)

Before the night is over, David begins his song. Joy leads, not to dissipation, but exuberant praise and thankfulness. It is just as James describes it later:
“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.” (James 5:13)

But the heart of David’s song is not his victory or his narrow escape. It is God’s faithfulness. He is the one exalted above the heavens. It is God who sends deliverance to his king in steadfast love, even when his fierce enemies surround him. Therefore he declares the greatness of God.
“I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.” (Psalm 57:9–10)

In his darkest hour, David’s eyes are bright because he sees, not the cave or his enemies or even himself, but the steadfast love and faithfulness of God. Hebrews encourages us with the same mindset:
“Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” (Hebrews 12:3). The suffering of Christ prevents us from feeling self-pity or giving up the fight. For though he was betrayed, scourged, and crucified in weakness, Jesus Christ won the greatest fight of the universe, and fulfilled the glorious plan of God’s complete redemption.

In our violent storms, tossed about in seemingly meaningless troubles, let us remember that God fulfills His purpose for those who trust Him. Our pain is not pointless. Our suffering works out his purposes. The God who calls us to his eternal glory is the One who keeps us going, and He will finish what He started.

Let us not measure God’s faithfulness by our circumstances. Let us measure it by the cross and the resurrection. Let us measure it by His promises. And realizing to the full the length and breadth and depth of his love, let us sing with steadfast hearts to God most high. For he is able to do what he has promised.

Let this be our prayer, our song, our confidence:
“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!” God bless.