“….I was brought low, and he helped me.”–Psalms 116:6
One of my favorite songs is “He Lifted Me”. It reminds us of God’s help for the fallen. Due to the nature of the world and the needs of man, disappointments are common. We are born with certain appetites and the world is shouting in our ear, like a merchant selling his wares, “Try this” or “Try that”, but we keep coming up empty. The world is long on promises but short on provisions. So we might well expect to be disappointed. But the Christians greatest disappointment is with self. We feel as Paul described in Rom. 7. We have the desire, our goal is high, but we keep coming up short–and it hurts. We earnestly strive to do well, but we keep failing. We labor to ascend, but we fall– we are “brought low”.
One of my favorite songs is “He Lifted Me”. It reminds us of God’s help for the fallen. Due to the nature of the world and the needs of man, disappointments are common. We are born with certain appetites and the world is shouting in our ear, like a merchant selling his wares, “Try this” or “Try that”, but we keep coming up empty. The world is long on promises but short on provisions. So we might well expect to be disappointed. But the Christians greatest disappointment is with self. We feel as Paul described in Rom. 7. We have the desire, our goal is high, but we keep coming up short–and it hurts. We earnestly strive to do well, but we keep failing. We labor to ascend, but we fall– we are “brought low”.
Our text tells us two things–his troubles—“I was brought low”, and his testimony—“He helped me”. Commenting on this, James Smith wrote: “The circumstances of the Christian often vary — and it is no uncommon thing for his frames and feelings to vary with his circumstances. On this account, many of the Lord’s people are either elevated — or depressed, but seldom enjoy a calm, peaceful, and settled state of mind. Their depression is great — or their joys are high. But even this is overruled for their good, and is sanctified to the humbling of the soul, and the preserving it from self–importance and pride. What a mercy it is to have a God to go to — let our frames and feelings be what they may. What a mercy to have one who will sympathize with us, and of whom it is said, “Like as a father pities his children — so the Lord pities those who fear him.” This was David’s encouragement, and lay at the root of much of his experience, and led him to say, “I was brought low — and He helped me.”
Dear friend, this God is our God, and just as He helped the Psalmist He will help you. Regardless of the nature or number of your trials we serve a God who is able to help. His help might not come in the form we expect nor in the time we desire, but help always comes to those in God’s will. If He doesn’t do what we think is best it because He has something even better in mind.–HDS
