COV LIFE BLOG

Psalm 12 – The Trustworthy Word of the Lord Brings Strength Amidst Worry

“You preachers are always talking about God hearing us when we pray, and God coming and helping us, and protecting us and judging the wicked. How in the world can you know that this is true? Anyone can say things like that.” That is a common question, and the answer is in our psalm. I don’t give you words that you might like to hear. That is not my criterion in speaking to you. They might be deceiving, flattering words, and they will be of no help to you or anyone. I have told you what this psalm says. It is only the word of God that can help you or me or anyone. Why is that so? The answer is in the sixth verse, “The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.”
 
Refined precious metals last for many centuries. Do you see the application of David here? He was surrounded by words spoken by deceivers, words spoken by braggarts, words spoken by liars, words spoken by flatterers, hurting, dangerous words. They will perish with those who speak them, but God’s words endure because they are totally pure. You know the process; a refiner refines the silver ore removing all the dross. But in this instance he refines them once again – the already refined silver. He again removes those tiny particles of dross that are still there. Then he repeats the whole process again, and once again. In fact he refines it seven times until he has utterly flawless silver. It is completely unalloyed and unadulterated. That is the nature of the Bible that you have before you. It is as holy as God can make it. “The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.” Jesus said, “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” That word is utterly pure so you can trust its every joy and tittle, and that is the only reason why you must respond to it. Obey it, because it is pure and true, and so you will find rest for your souls.
 
Imbibe these pure words of the Lord into your life. Put Scripture in your heart and mind. Fill your life with it. Inject it into your veins. Sniff it up your nostrils. Eat it up. Breathe it in. Drink it down. Fill your pores with it. It can do you no harm at all because it is purified completely Take a passage like the opening verses of Ephesians 2 and chew on those verses; say them, sing them, shout them, preach them to yourself until your heart is filled with the awareness of the marvel of the grace of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.. Read Galatians 2:19-21 and personalize that passage for yourself. Put your name in the place of the pronouns. Hold on to those promises. When you come to passages of the Bible that seem harsh and perplexing then say to yourself that whatever these mean they do not undermine the fact that “The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.” Remember whatever happens in this new year what these words say about the Scripture will be constant. Go forth in Bible strength.

Geoff Thomas

---

SCRIPTURES FOR THIS SUNDAY
Read Psalm 12. As David proclaims the trustworthy word of God, are you convinced of its truth? How do the things that cause you to doubt compare to the authority grounded in the unchanging nature of God? How can you find fresh strength in God’s word?

SONG FOR THE WEEK
Rock of Ages by Augustus M. Toplady