Trusting God

(Psalm 71:1)

Mike Johnson

Psalm 71:1 says, “In You, O Lord, I put my trust; let me never be put to shame.”  This psalm was written by an aged man who had trusted God, not an idol or false deity, throughout his life.   However, even in his old age, he faced enemies waiting to devour him like vultures.  In this prayer, he expresses his appreciation for all that the Lord had done for him in the past.  He makes requests of God with complete confidence that He will be with him.  He knew that God would continue to be his deliverer as long as he lived, and even in the later stages of his life, he would declare the message of God’s goodness to others.  With this verse in mind, we will examine the concept of trusting God.

The Hebrew word found in verse 1, translated as “trust” (NKJV), is rendered by most translations as “take refuge.” Sometimes, it is used figuratively of God to take refuge under His wings.  Consider Psalm 36:7, “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!  Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings.”  In Ruth 2:12, Boaz told Ruth that the Lord would reward her “under whose wings you have come for refuge.”  Finally, Proverbs 14:32 says, in contrast to the wicked, “the righteous has a refuge in death.”  The psalmist trusted God and could go to Him for protection and refuge, as a baby chick would go to its mother.  (Note also verse 5.)

Today, some people are hesitant to trust in God.  Perhaps this is because they have not seen Him.  Some people may have more difficulty trusting someone they have never seen.  Also, many do not know much about God.  It is harder to trust someone we do not know.  Finally, some may have trust issues due to past experiences.  Thus, a person might ask, “Why should I trust anyone?”

If one person says to another, “Trust me.” He may respond by saying, “Why should I?”   It can be helpful to have some reasons to trust another.  Consider four reasons to trust God.

1. God never lies or fails to keep His promises. People often do not do what they say they will.  A person may make a promise and fail to keep it, which is never the case with God.  Consider Numbers 23:19, which says, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent.  Has He said, and will He not do?  Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” In Deuteronomy 7:9, we are told, “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.”  We can count on God.
2. God cares for His creation.  In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus tells His followers not to worry.  He speaks of His care for the birds of the air, the beauty of the lilies, and the grass of the field.  He points out that if God takes care of these, even more so, He will take care of his people (33).  Also, in Matthew 7:7-12, the Lord points out that an earthly father gives good gifts to his children.  Then He says (11), “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” Romans 8:28 tells us, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”  Then verse 35 says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” The fact that God cares for us is another reason to trust Him!
3. God has proven Himself to be trustworthy. Throughout the Scriptures, we can read of the trustworthiness of God as he fulfilled His promises.  To Abraham, in Genesis 12:1-3, we read of the land, nation, and seed promise.  God would give Abraham’s descendants a land, and they would become a great nation.  He also promised that all nations of the earth would be blessed, which was related to Christ’s coming.  God fulfilled these promises.  In 1 Kings 8:56, Solomon said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised.  There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses.”  The Lord has proven Himself in our own lives, the lives of others, and the lives of the people we can read about in the Bible.
4. God is sovereign.  Holman Bible Dictionary defines God’s sovereignty as “The biblical teaching that God is the source of all creation and that all things come from and depend upon Him.” God is in control. He is the creator of the universe, and He rules over all.   God is omniscient (has all knowledge) and omnipotent (has all power).  Psalm 24:1 explains, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.”  Psalm 103:19 says, “The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.”  In Jeremiah’s prayer to God, he said, “Ah, Lord God!  Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm.  There is nothing too hard for You” (Jer. 32:19).  In daily life, we may be unable to trust certain people to do a particular task because they lack the knowledge and ability.  For example, we would not trust our plumbers to perform brain surgery on us.  Likewise, we may be unable to trust our physicians to wire our house.  However, we can completely trust God in everything because God is sovereign!

In conclusion, as the psalmist, we should trust the Lord.  God is dependable, and He cares for us.  Further, the Lord has proven Himself to be trustworthy, and He is sovereign.  People may ask us to trust them, which may or may not be a good idea.  However, we can always have confidence in God!