Originally posted: 12/22/2019

“As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress…” (4:9).

How could David make such a declaration? Wasn’t he in the midst of the ugly business of war, in the throes of violence and bloodshed? Isn’t that distress to the utmost? But David’s strong conviction of God’s faithfulness left the outcome in His capable hands and left no room for vengeance and murder. David would choose to trust Him Who Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress, even with his enemies.

Consider Him Who Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress

This verb tense used, has redeemed, is the present perfect tense and speaks of an action that began at an undetermined time in the past and continues on into the present. When David spoke of Him, who has redeemed my life from all distress, it was a declaration of God’s faithfulness to him in all his yesterdays, todays, and tomorrows.

David’s confidence in God’s redemptive plan was founded in his nation’s history, his own daily experiences and in the Word of God. When life and circumstances seemed to scream in contradiction to what he knew, David placed his faith in Him Who Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress.

David knew:

• He Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress in the past.
  • God spoke further to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord; ³ and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, Lord, I did not make Myself known to them. ⁴ I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned. ⁵ Furthermore I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. ⁶ Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. ⁷ Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians,” (Exodus 6:2-7).
  • Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
    For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
    ² Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
    Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary, (Psalm 107:2).

• He Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress and continues to do so each and every day.
  • In my distress I called upon the Lord,
    And cried to my God for help;
    He heard my voice out of His temple,
    And my cry for help before Him came into His ears.
    ¹⁶ He sent from on high, He took me;
    He drew me out of many waters.
    ¹⁷ He delivered me from my strong enemy,
    And from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.
    ¹⁸ They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
    But the Lord was my stay.
    ¹⁹ He brought me forth also into a broad place;
    He rescued me, because He delighted in me, (Psalm 18:6, 16-19).
    

• He Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress and will do so in all our tomorrows.
  • But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol,
    For He will receive me, (Psalm 49:15).
  • As for me, I shall call upon God,
    And the Lord will save me.
    ¹⁷ Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur,
    And He will hear my voice.
    ¹⁸ He will redeem my soul in peace from the battle which is against me, (Psalm 55:16-18).

How do we respond to Him Who Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress?

Didn’t David know distress at the time he spoke of Him who has redeemed my life from all distress? From ALL distress… really? But David understood the only thing that is of eternal distress is being separated from Him. When we belong to Him by faith, we can surrender all of the past injustices and mistakes, current hurts and failures, and the unknowns and fears of tomorrow into His loving hands; for He Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress.

• When we place our faith in the sacrifice of His shed blood on the cross and are saved by grace, we can trust our past with Him Who Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress
  • In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace ⁸ which He lavished on us, (Ephesians 1:7-8).
  •  even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), (Ephesians 2:5).
  • For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins, (Colossians 1:13-14).

• Let us seek to grow in our desire, joy and love for Him Who Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress as we trust Him to work in us each and every day.
  • So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure, (Philippians 2:12-13).
  • and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, (1 Peter 1:8).

• May we live in full assurance and peace as we face all our tomorrows because we know we belong to Him Who Has Redeemed Our Life from All Distress.
  • In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory, (Ephesians 1:13-14).
  • Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, (Philippians 4:6-7).

Let’s Grow Together!