.......and healed them and delivered them from their destruction.
Earlier in this psalm, the writer tells us starting in verse seventeen that “Some were fools through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities suffered affliction.
18 They loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.
19. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
20. He sent out his word and healed them and delivered them from their destruction.
21. Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!
22. And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!
I love verse 20 and spend most of my time meditating on that truth. Hebrews 13:6 goes right along with this. The Lord is my helper ~ boetheia ~ I cry and He runs in response to that cry, which serves to remind me that He has sent out (past tense) his word (which is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, who is the word made flesh) and healed us and delivered us from destruction.
No matter what circumstance I may be facing there is a word that holds my deliverance. There is wisdom that flows from the mouth of God. There is no temptation that comes our way, according to 1Cor. 10:13, that God is not faithful to make a way of escape so we are able to bear it.
The deal is, I’ve got to find the way and Jesus is the Way, the truth and the Life. My part is to separate myself to find it and hear it. It starts with the logos, the written word and then moves to the Rhema, the word the Holy Spirit breathes into me, that is MY WORD for MY DELIVERANCE When it comes, my part is to believe it. This is where most of us stumble. We don’t take the time to find the word of our deliverance, or if we do find it, we don’t receive it. James tells us in chapter 1:21 that we must receive the word with meekness so that it gets into our hearts and saves our souls. We might believe it for a while and if things don’t change, we cast off our confidence in it.
BUT GOD is not a man that he should lie. He DOES hasten over His word to perform it. Our one vital necessity is to attend to it and make sure we keep believing it. Having done all to stand, stand. Be stedfast, immoveable.
Yet in all the greatness of verse 20, the following verses serve to remind us this is the declaration of the one who is receiving, attending and believing the word that has been sent.
O that men would praise the Lord for His great Love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and sing joyfully about his glorious acts.
He has sent out that word. O that men would praise the Lord for His great love and the wonderful things He has done. He has healed us and delivered us from destruction. Let us offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and sing joyfully about His glorious acts.
A good day to check our hearts and establish them with our praises.