The Lord will perfect what concerns me. {Ps 138:8 }
Most obviously the confidence which the psalmist here expressed was a divine confidence. He did not say, “I have grace enough to perfect what concerns me — my faith is so steady that it will not stagger — my love is so warm that it will never grow cold — my resolution is so firm that nothing can move it”; no, his dependence was on the Lord alone. If we indulge in any confidence which is not firmly resting on the Rock of Ages, our confidence is worse than a dream, it will fall on us, and cover us with its ruins, to our sorrow and confusion. All that nature spins time will unravel, to the eternal confusion of all who are clothed in it. The psalmist was wise, he rested on nothing short of the Lord’s work. It is the Lord who has begun the good work within us; it is he who has carried it on; and if he does not finish it, it never will be complete. If there is one stitch in the celestial garment of our righteousness which we are to insert ourselves, then we are lost; but this is our confidence, the Lord who began will perfect. He has done it all, must do it all, and will do it all. Our confidence must not be in what we have done, nor in what we have resolved to do, but entirely in what the Lord will do. Unbelief insinuates, “You will never be able to stand. Look at the evil of your heart, you can never conquer sin; remember the sinful pleasures and temptations of the world that come on you, you will be certainly allured by them and led astray.” Oh! yes, we would indeed perish if left to our own strength. If we had to navigate our frail vessels alone over so rough a sea, we might well give up the voyage in despair; but, thanks be to God, he will perfect what concerns us, and bring us to the desired haven. We can never be too confident when we confide in him alone, and never too much concerned to have such a trust.
The above commentary comprised my morning devotion today, written by Charles Spurgeon. It referencedalso 2Ch 19:1-20:37 The passage in Chronicles is one of the most uplifting and encouraging passages of OT scripture. It reveals that in those battles of life that we must face, particularly those in which we have no power or strength to fight, such as that battle over sin, the battle is the Lord's. He promises us victory. This is not just a positional victory where our victory is merely imputed unto us...a victory recorded in heaven while on earth the Midianites and Edomites walk all over us, no. This is a practical experiential victory where we must leave our comfort zones, and face the enemy head-on. Our confidence is not in our own strength or power, nor in our own righteousness. The result also is not our righteousness. But it is a righteousness in which we have been clothed and arrayed...a righteousness that reflects true glory and light and joy. And it is as we step out in faith; as we by fronting up to the enemy with confidence and faith in a God who cannot lie...a God who promises to fight our battles for us...then victory is assured.
The Levites did not challenge Jehosaphat by charging him with legalism. They did not make remarks such as "Oh, so you think you are perfect do you?", or comments such as "Your righteousness is like filthy rags, you will never win this battle until you are in heaven". No, God's promise, and Israel's confidence was for victory today. So much so that after the battle, all Israel needed to do was pick up the spoils.
