Written by :   Zac Poonen Categories :   Woman Knowing God Man
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Here are five Psalms that teach us how we can always be secure in God's presence.

Psalm 15 describes the qualifications for a man to live in God's presence. He must speak the truth in his heart. He must honour those who fear God. (In the church of God, we do honour people - but not as in the world, because they are rich or famous, but because they fear God.) Go through this psalm slowly and examine your heart in its light, for it says that those who live like this "will never be shaken" (Psalm 15:5). Many things are going to be shaken in the world soon. But this man will never be shaken.

Psalms 16. In verse 8, David says, "I have set the Lord always before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will never be moved". This verse was quoted by Peter, as referring to the Lord Jesus (Acts.2:5). We are to follow Jesus' example and set the Lord before our face always in everything that we say or do. Then He will be at our right hand to support us too. In God's presence, there is"fullness of joy", and at His right hand there are eternal pleasures (Psalm 16:11). Joy and pleasure are found in their purest form only in God's presence where they are eternal. Earthly joys and pleasures are shallow and short-lived.

Psalm 31. We read in verses 19 and 20: "How great is God's goodness to those who fear Him, who trust in God publicly before the sons of men. You will hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of men. You will keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues" That is the best place for us to hide ourselves - in His presence - from all the wagging tongues of our enemies around us.

Psalm 91 proclaims the blessedness and security of the one who lives in "the secret place of the Most High". For us, that secret place is the wounded side of Jesus. Living in "the shadow of the Almighty" implies that God is going in front of us, and we are walking in His shadow (verse 1). The safest place in the whole world is the centre of God's perfect will. The Lord promises to deliver us from both our enemies - Satan (the trapper) and sin (deadly disease) (verse 3). He will save us from obvious sins (daytime dangers) and from subtle, deceptive sins (night-time dangers) (verses 5 & 6). Even if 11,000 Christians around us do not believe in a victorious life, He will keep us from falling into sin (verse 7). We may have to face many afflictions, but in them all, no evil will ever befall us (verse 10). He has appointed angels to care for us, as long as we walk in His will. Satan (the lion and the serpent) will always be crushed under our feet (verse 13). God will answer our prayers and set us on high and give us length of life so that we do not die until we have finished our appointed task (verses 15 & 16).

Psalm 139 describes the fact that God is everywhere and knows all things. We are in God's presence everywhere we go (verses 7 to 12). That is what makes our life so secure. His foreknowledge has also planned every day of our earthly lives right from the day we were born and written it down in a book (verse 16). God will show us that plan one page at a time. If we live in that plan, we will have no regret when we come to the end of our earthly lives.