Trusting God brings us into His rest.
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you;
He will never allow the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22
“Cast your burden on the Lord {release the weight of it}
and He will sustain you {uphold you}; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken {slip, fall, or fail}.” Amplified Bible
“your burden” = your lot assigned to you. Challenges, issues within your family.
“Cast” – to throw, hurl, or fling away from you. Releasing the weight of the burden.
We often live with a heavy heart and a burdened mind. God is inviting us to a better life that is experienced by putting our trust in Him.
Noah Webster said that trust is a resting of the mind.
Hebrew 4 tells us those who believe or trust God will enter His rest.
Ill. One of the ways I know I am truly trusting in God and not just trying to trust Him, is my soul is resting in God’s faithfulness. If I say I am trusting God but still worrying – then I have not cast my burden on the Lord. It is more than words – it is weight that lifts off of me and brings my soul rest.
The problem is more than likely still there. You may still have to deal with it – but the heaviness is lifted from your soul. You continue functioning and doing what you have to do, but the stress of the burden making your life difficult is not weighing heavy on you.
I know what it is like to say you trust God, yet you are still weighed down with many cares, still worrying, still afraid, and still miserable. I think the best thing to do is to be honest with God and yourself. He already knows the truth and will help you.
“Lord, I know I am supposed to trust You with my burden. I want to, but I have not been able to totally trust you with this. You know it and I know it. Will You please help me release the weight of my burden upon You. Show me how to put my trust You. In Jesus’s name.”
ill. In Mark 9 a father sought healing for his son. He told Jesus he believed, but he needed help for his unbelief. He was honest and he received his miracle.
- We all are learning to trust God with some burden. It should not be hard because God is 100% trustworthy. But it still hard sometimes for us to trust Him. God knows this and is working with us to help us trust Him.
Ill. Like the man carrying a backpack of heavy rocks on his back and walking down the road. A man with a horse and wagon offers in him a ride. He gets on the wagon and keeps the backpack on. The driver of the wagon says, why don’t you take off that heavy backpack? The man says, ‘O, no I couldn’t do that. You were nice enough to give me a ride and I couldn’t ask you to carry my burden too! It makes no sense to trust the Lord with your salvation but not be able to trust Him with your burden.
This is like trusting the Lord but staying weighed down with burdens and cares.
Ill. One thing that might help is take some time and make a list of some times you have experienced God’s faithfulness in your own life.
- God took care of us when . . .
- God protected us when . . .
Why not make a list either mentally or write them down now like this:
My weights/burdens that are weighing heavily on me:
1. Concern for a family member.
2. Financial issues.
3. Your health issues.
4. Care for a loved one.
5.
“Cast your burden on the Lord {release the weight of it}
and He will sustain you {uphold you}; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken {slip, fall, or fail}.” Amplified Bible
Take a few moments and just talk to God about this and ask Him to help you now to release the weight of this burden off of you.
You will know that you are trusting God when your mind is able to rest and you have confidence that God has got it. How will God help you? We don’t know all the ways, but He delights in surprising us as we put things into His hands and safekeeping.
According to scripture we are in partnership with God:
“God is faithful (reliable, trustworthy, true to His promise, and can be depended on); by Him you were called into companionship and participation with His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.” I Cor. 1:9 Amp.
A relationship with God is more than reading the Bible every morning.
He gave us the Holy Spirit who is called the Helper. He expects us to call on Him for help.
There are things in your life you feel responsible to “fix” but you have no idea what to do about them. There may be relationships to fix but you don’t know how to do it. Here is where you cast your burden on the Lord like this:
“Father, I put my relationship with ________ into Your hands. I commit it to You and ask that You make it what You want it to be. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
It is not wonder people are stressed out. Unless they know how to trust God and release the weight of their burdens on Him, they will wear out eventually.
Mental exhaustion affects physical health. The mind needs the rests so the body can rest and heal.
“Come to Me all ye that labor and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest.” Mtt. 11:28
What did Jesus do when He had a situation that would be classified as “trouble”? We have many examples of how He handled such situations. He prayed to His Father. Even when He felt abandoned by God while He was on the cross He prayed, “Father, into Thy hands I commit My Spirit.” = He trusted God.
God expects us to trust Him and learn to trust Him more!
What if God does not do what I am trusting Him to do for me?
A perfect example of this is Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane.
“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but (always) Yours be done.” Luke 22:42
Sometimes we don’t know what God’s will is about something. A good way to think and pray is:
“Lord, I want what You want for me, even if I don’t know what that is!”
Getting our own way is highly overrated! Only God’s will ultimately satisfies us.
When we are young we think getting what we want is the most important thing in life. But as we grow older hopefully we learn to say, “I want God’s will more than I want my own will.’
God’s will is better than our will! We are created with free will and we can run our own lives for what we want, but thankfully we have another option, and that is to trust in the goodness of God. Isaiah said it this way:
“Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end. .” Isaiah 9:7
The more we let God govern our lives, the more peace we will enjoy.
Trusting God brings us into His rest.
So, what does it mean to rest with Jesus? How is trust seen in rest? Why did God rest?
- God introduced Rest - Rest is God’s idea and is a key element of life.
- Rest expresses faith - Rest demonstrates faith in God for outcomes.
- Rest with Jesus - Going with Jesus, He gives us rest.
- Jesus and Worry - Jesus encourages us to trust God for our needs.
- Mary & Martha - Example of a person driven by anxiety.
- Freedom in Jesus - Jesus gives freedom concerning how we rest.
Rest is not an allowance because we are so weak, but is a part of our make up introduced from the beginning in creation. Here is Exodus 20:8-11 (the 4th commandment.)
- What did God ask of the people of Israel in this command?
- What is the basis of the command?
- What does it mean that the day is blessed and holy?
Exodus 20:8-11 8 "Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.9 You have six days each week for your ordinary work,10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you.11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.
Moving from the Old to New Testaments there is a shift from absolute commands to guiding principles, that need to be taken seriously. Let us look at Hebrews 4:1-3 which brings this up in a New Testament context.
- What is the link in this passage between faith and rest?
- What does God do for us to be able to rest?
- What does it mean for you to rest in faith?
Hebrews 4:1 God's promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it.2 For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn't share the faith of those who listened to God.*3 For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said,
"In my anger I took an oath: 'They will never enter my place of rest,'"*
even though this rest has been ready since he made the world.
Jesus encourages a lifestyle of rest when we walk alongside Him, sharing His burdons.
- Who is Jesus, in position and character, to offer rest?
- To whom does Jesus make His appeal?
- How do we enter the place of rest with Jesus?
Matthew 11: 27 "My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
28 Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."
Pressure will drive us to work because we don’t believe that all can be done in the time. This brings us to the key question: Do I trust God for all my needs? Here is a text that Jesus spoke in Matthew 6:25-34
- What does Jesus mention that could bring worry?
- What is the basis for not worrying?
- What connection is there between being at rest and not worrying?
- Jesus gives a promise with a condition. If we fulfill the condition, we can depend upon the promise. What does it mean to seek first God’s Kingdom?
Matthew 6:25 "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing?26 Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are?27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? .... Why do you have so little faith? 31 "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?'32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.33 Seek the Kingdom of God* above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. 34 "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today.
Here is an example of two sisters in a tight spot and a surprising evaluation from Jesus concerning their choices. Luke 10:38 - 42
- What were the motivations of Martha and Mary?
- What drove Martha?
- What attitude was exposed by the pressure she was under?
- If Jesus is relaxed about what is driving us, can we find rest as Mary did?
Luke 10:38 38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord's feet, listening to what he taught.40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, "Lord, doesn't it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me."
41 But the Lord said to her, "My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details!42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her."
A situation where I had to trust God and take rest rather than bow to pressure to work
Many Christians take a day of rest a week. This is called the Sabbath rest. Now we are no longer under law. Rather it is a principle of God. If we stray far from it we are likely to do damage. Here is a passage Romans 14:5-8 which helps us understand the freedom we have from forms such as the Sabbath.
- What different opinions about days are presented in this text?
- What are the key principles about how we are to treat God and these days?
- A helpful question is - Can I give thanks to God? This is a key indicator of how my heart sits with any proposed activity.
- A key principle is - Am I living for the Lord? How about your life?
Romans 14:5 In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable.6 Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God.7 For we don't live for ourselves or die for ourselves.8 If we live, it's to honor the Lord. And if we die, it's to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord
This shift in the understanding of rest as dependence on God and consideration of His provision, love, and care in contrast to our pursuit of independence, identity, and purpose through work has important physical implications, as we have noted, but has ultimate critical spiritual implications as well. The fallacy of the Law is the idea that through hard work and personal effort I can keep the Law and earn my salvation, but as Paul explains in Romans 3:19-20, it is not possible to keep the Law. The purpose of the Law was not to provide a means of salvation, but so that “the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight since through the law comes knowledge of sin” (Heb 3:19-20). Our works cannot save us (Ephesians 2:8-9). While we think we can be free and independent from God, we are dependent and slaves to sin (Romans 6:16). Independence is an illusion, but dependence on God results in life and freedom through righteousness (Romans 6:18-19). Resting in the Lord means placing your faith and identity in His provision, physically and eternally (Ephesians 2:8).
Scriptures About Resting in the Lord
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matt. 11:28-30
“And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Ex. 33:14
“…for he gives to his beloved sleep.” Ps. 127:2
“Be still, and know that I am God.” Ps. 46:10
“He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Is. 40:29-31
“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Ps. 4:8
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” Ps. 91:1
“Repent therefore, and turn back…that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord…” Acts 3:19-20
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. ...” Ps. 23:1-6
"Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.” Ecc. 4:6
“From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.” Ps. 113:3
“A heart at peace gives life to the body…” Prov. 14:30
“You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” Is. 26:3
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus...the God of peace will be with you." Phil. 4:6-7, 9
“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” Is. 54:10
“The Lord gives strength to his people, the Lord blesses his people with peace.” Ps. 29:11
“For He Himself is our peace…” Eph. 2:14
“…the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.” Rom. 8:6
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42
“The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Num. 6:24-26
How to Find Rest in the Lord
Resting in the Lord means depending fully on His provision and plan even while the world swirls around us in constant chaos. In Mark 4, the disciples have been following Jesus and listening while He taught large crowds about faith and dependence on God using parables. Jesus used the parable of the sower to explain how distraction, fear, persecution, worry, or even Satan can disrupt the process of belief and acceptance of the gospel in our lives. From this time of instruction, Jesus moves with the disciples to application by falling asleep on their boat during a terrifying storm. The disciples, many of whom were seasoned fishermen, were terrified and woke Jesus, saying, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38). Jesus responds by rebuking the wind and the waves so that the sea becomes calm, asking the disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:40). It is easy to feel like the disciples on the Sea of Galilee in the chaos and storm of the world around us. We may know the right answers and recognize that Jesus is present with us in the storm, but we fear that He doesn’t care. We assume that if God truly cared about us, He would prevent the storms we experience and keep the world calm and still. The call to rest is not just a call to trust in God when it is convenient, but to recognize our complete dependence on Him at all times and that He is always in control. It is in the storms that we are reminded of our weakness and dependence and through His provision that God demonstrates His love. Resting in the Lord means stopping our attempts at independence, which are futile anyway, and trusting that God does love us and knows what is best for us.
Why Is Rest Important for Christians?
God established the pattern of night and day and the rhythm of work and rest before the Fall, creating a structure of life and order in which work provides purpose in practice but meaning through relationship. After the Fall, our need for this structure is even greater as we seek to find our purpose through our work and in our independence from a relationship with God. But beyond this functional recognition lies the eternal design in which we yearn for the restoration and redemption of our bodies “to be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). These small patterns of rest (Sabbath) provide the space in which we are free to reflect on the gift of God’s provision of life, purpose, and salvation. Our attempt at identity through work is but a snapshot of our attempt at identity and salvation as independent from God. We cannot earn our salvation, but it is through grace that we have been saved, not of ourselves, but as a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). We rest in God’s grace because the work of our salvation has been accomplished at the cross (Ephesians 2:13-16). When Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30), He provided the final word on the work for redemption. The seventh day of creation provides a reminder of a perfect relationship with God, resting in a reflection of His work for us. Christ’s resurrection established a new creation order, shifting the focus from ending creation with rest on the Sabbath to resurrection and new birth on the first day of the week. From this new creation we wait for the next Sabbath, the final rest in which our representation as God’s image-bearers on earth is restored with a new heaven and new earth (Hebrews 4:9-11; Revelation 21:1-3).
Our temptation today is the same temptation offered to Adam and Eve in the Garden, will we trust in God’s provision and care for us, resting in dependence on Him, or will we attempt to control our lives in futile independence, grasping for meaning through our busyness and effort? The practice of rest can seem like an intangible luxury in our chaotic world, but our willingness to relinquish control in the structure of the day and rhythm of the week to a loving Creator demonstrates our dependence on God for all things, temporal and eternal. We may acknowledge our need for Jesus for eternal salvation, but until we also relinquish control of our identity and practice in our temporal practice, then we don’t truly rest and put our trust in Him. We can rest in the Lord when the world is upside down because He loves us and because we can depend on Him. “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength” (Isaiah 40:28-29).
A Prayer to Rest in the Lord
Lord, I pray you would calm my anxiousness. Father, you say in Philippians 4:6-8, to be anxious for nothing, but when I tell my requests to you, you will give your peace. And yet, I still get anxious. God you are JehovahRapha, the God who heals. And you are Jehovah Jireh, the God who meets needs. Help me to meditate on your truths, so I don’t get anxious.
Help me to rest in You, Lord. To remember you are sovereign and in control of everything. And even when things get difficult, Lord, you are bigger than any problem I could possibly have.
Father, sometimes I can’t rest because what I face looks impossible. And yet, you tell me in Luke 18:27 the things that are impossible with men are possible with you. In fact, you love it when you work out the impossible. Then there’s no question who did it. It had to be you.
God, You tell me in John 14:1 that I should not let my heart be troubled. Father, help me to keep my mind on you and how big you are when my circumstances start to weigh me down,
You are God Almighty. The one who hung each star in place. The one who knows them each by name as it says in Isaiah 40:26. Lord, you are the one who never gets tired. You give strength when I am weary. When I feel weak, you will give me power. Help me remember that your power is unending.
It is in this context that we read the words of verse 1: “Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.” The Greek text literally says, “Let us be afraid.” The point is to say: “Therefore, let us be alarmed at the prospect, given this decisive age of opportunity and testing, that any of you should not press on to salvation.”
We see a couple of emphases here that are central to the overall message of this book. First is the demand for perseverance under trial. That is what the author means by saying “lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.” The metaphor is an athletic one, and the idea is that of finishing the race. Perseverance is an essential element of the Christian life. Indeed, running the race to the end is the hallmark of genuine, saving faith, while falling away is the mark of a spurious faith that does not lead to salvation.
The second emphasis is that of corporate or mutual responsibility. We saw this a few verses earlier in Hebrews 3:13. Here we have the same point of view: “Let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.” Notice that the subject of the sentence is plural—it is “us” who must be careful—while the object is singular—lest anyone fall away. This is the attitude we need in the church today, one that says: “Yes, I am my brother’s keeper. I have a stake in the spiritual affairs of others here and a responsibility not merely for my own salvation, but for theirs as well.”
Salvation as Rest
The matter the writer of Hebrews has in mind here is nothing less than the eternal salvation of our souls. He has been referring to this with a term we have not yet discussed in detail. Consistently, and drawing his terminology from Psalm 95, he describes salvation as the “rest” offered by God.
What does he mean by this kind of language? The first way to answer is by looking at the context, namely, the exodus of God’s people from Egypt to the Promised Land. As one commentator explains: “The concept of rest in the context of the promise to the Exodus generation had the connotation of entrance into Canaan (the Promised Land), where Israel would experience relief from turmoil and security from their enemies.”
In what sense does this apply to the readers of Hebrews? the meaning is spiritual. It is our souls that will be supplied and kept safe. Jesus offers our souls the same benefits offered to Israel in the Promised Land: bountiful provision and complete security. Indeed, the language Moses used for the Promised Land may be directly applied to our spiritual blessings in Jesus Christ: “A land flowing with milk and honey. . . . A land of hills and valleys, which drinks water by the rain from heaven, a land that the LORD your God cares for. The eyes of the LORD your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year” (Deut. 11:9–12).
God’s Sabbath Rest
All of that is clearly implied by the reference to the exodus wandering and the offer of rest. The writer emphasizes this by repeating the quote from Psalm 95 in verses 3 and 5: “They shall not enter my rest.” The point is not just to reiterate the failure of the unbelieving Israelites, but to emphasize the reality of the rest that was provided and remains offered to this day.
The writer of Hebrews adds another Old Testament reference to expand his definition of the salvation rest. Here the citation is from the creation account at the beginning of Genesis: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works” (see Gen. 2:2). The point here, and it is a weighty one indeed, is that the rest God offers to us in salvation is nothing less than the very rest he himself has enjoyed since the completion of his creation work.
To enter God’s eternal Sabbath rest, therefore, means to enter into saving relationship with such a God. When God becomes our Savior, we become part of that kingdom in which he so utterly and sovereignly rules over us and for us. His work in our lives is established, even as the writer of Hebrews says of God’s work in creation, “His works were finished from the foundation of the world” (Heb. 4:3).
This means that if you have put your faith in this saving God, if you have trusted his gospel in Jesus Christ, you now can rest. You can stop worrying about whether or not you will have a place in heaven. You can stop fretting about whether you will endure as a Christian. And you can stop being afraid of what the world will do to you. Through faith in him you enter into his rest.
The Way into God’s Rest
Hearing the offer of such a rest, we can understand the urgency with which the writer of Hebrews speaks about faith in Jesus Christ. The question is: How can I enter into this wonderful rest? The answer is, by trusting the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. Verse 3 tells us, “We who have believed enter that rest.” Who are the people who are saved, the people of God who enter into his rest and enjoy a saving relationship with him? It is those who believe the message of the gospel they have heard.
What this means is that you must rely for your salvation not on what you have done or might do—which can lead only to condemnation because of sin and failure—but on what Jesus has done. Hebrews 4:10 puts it this way: “Whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.” You no longer trust your own works but rest upon God and his finished work of salvation.
What a difference it makes to rest upon the Lord Jesus and thereby to enter God’s rest. This brings peace with God and produces inward joy. That is all the more reason to trust in the Lord during this present day of opportunity, when the promise of entering God’s rest still stands. For it will not profit any of us to hear without believing, without stretching out on him who came to save, calling us into God’s eternal Sabbath rest.
It begins with an attitude of humility. We can't rest when we feel we have to be in control. We can't relax when we have to feel like we're in charge.
"My heart is not proud, O LORD,
my eyes are not haughty;1
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful2 for me." (131:1)
Resting in God begins with humility -- and perspective. He's not talking about squelching normal curiosity and inquiry. But there comes a point of obsession where we must understand. That attitude is part of the urge to control everything. There are some things beyond my knowledge. Therefore, those things that I can't fathom, that I can't understand why, I must be willing to let them go in order to rest in God.
I Have Stilled and Quieted My Soul (131:2)
The second verse describes the psalmist's participation in settling down in trust and rest.
"But I have stilled3 and quieted4 my soul;5
like a weaned6 child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me." (131:2)
You'd think that there's nothing more peaceful than a little babe nursing. But that's not the imagery here. It's a weaned child that is our image. If you've observed breast-feeding, you've know that the tiny little baby can become a tyrant when he's hungry. He'll start fussing, reaching for his mother, and won't quit until he gets the milk he needs. But the demanding baby isn't forever. Children were probably weaned by age three in most cases, perhaps sooner.
As much as the mother may enjoy the intimacy of breast-feeding, a weaned child moves one more step toward maturity. He is no longer so demanding of his mother. He doesn't have to satisfy his own needs instantly -- at least quite as fast! That's what David means here. When we are at rest with God, we are like a weaned child with his mother, in contrast to a still-nursing child.
If we are like weaned children with God, we're beginning to move beyond the place of acting out of "selfish ambition or vain conceit" (Philippians 2:3-4). Rather, with the Apostle Paul we can say, " I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances" (Philippians 4:12). We have moved to a place of trust.
Hoping, Trusting in the Lord (131:3)
This short psalm concludes with a note of hope:
"O Israel, put your hope in the LORD
both now and forevermore." (131:3)
To hope (yāḥal) carries the ideas of "tarrying" and "confident expectation, trust."7 When we are expectant of God to act on our behalf, then we can rest in that confidence. Our attitude is not one of insistence, but one of trust.
This little psalm carries a big message.
| Q1. According to Psalm 131, just how does David quiet his inner person before the Lord? What are the elements mentioned in this psalm? https://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=678 |
Psalm 23 - The Lord Is My Shepherd
Our next psalm of resting and trust is the 23rd Psalm, probably the most popular and beloved psalm in the entire Psalter. As I've asked people why they like it, they tell me that it is comforting, peaceful. In short, it speaks of a rest and confidence in God that the sheep experiences with a good shepherd.
The psalm is attributed to David, probably a reflection that drew on his years as a shepherd for his father's flock. The imagery is strong and compelling.8
The shepherd was often a younger family member, though sometimes individuals were employed to shepherd an owner's flock. A shepherd was expected to:
- Lead the sheep to watering holes and fresh green pasture when they had eaten off the grass in one place.
- Protect the sheep from dangers such as wolves, lions, and bears.
- Heal the sheep when they were injured and help during birthing.
- Rescue the lost sheep. If a sheep wandered off, the shepherd would look for it until he found it.
The Lord our Shepherd (23:1)
Psalm 23:1 identifies Yahweh as "my shepherd," from the verb rā`ā, "to pasture, herd, tend."9 Look at this psalm with me as one which invites us to rest in God.
"The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not be in want." (23:1)
The basic premise is that since Yahweh is my shepherd, then I shall never be in need for anything. "Be in want" isḥāsēr, "lack, have a need, be lacking."10
The Shepherd Provides Food (23:2)
The Shepherd helps the sheep find rest, pasture, and water to meet their physical needs.
"He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters." (Psalm 23:2)
"Leads" is nāhal, "lead with care, guide to a watering-place or station, and cause to rest there, lead, guide, refresh."11 Lying in green pastures is the image of sheep that are content in the abundance found for them by their shepherd. The quiet waters refer to the part of the stream where the water isn't rushing and dangerous, but easy and safe to drink from and be refreshed.
The Shepherd Provides Restoration and Refreshing (23:3a)
Verse 3a continues the parallelism begun in verse 2 of the shepherd's ministry of caring for the sheep:
"He restores my soul" (23:3a).
"Restore" is shûb, which we saw in Psalm 80:19 above. Here it means figuratively, "refresh, restore," literally, "repair."13 For a sheep, this might include rescue from danger and then getting the animal back into good health through rest and recuperation. For a person, it might include rescue from a messed up life, and the gradual restoration to wholeness through loving care. God is in the restoration and wholeness business. He wants you to be refreshed and renewed as you rest in him.
The Shepherd Guides in Righteous Ways (23:3b)
Now the psalm takes a moral turn.
"He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake" (23:3b).
"Guide" (NIV) and "lead" (KJV, NRSV) here is nāḥâ, "lead, guide," with the idea of conducting one along the right path.14 Notice the reason that he leads us in these particular paths -- "for his name's sake," that is, because the Lord's reputation and character require that he lead in righteous ways. We are tempted to get off the trail by taking moral short-cuts, but our Shepherd leads us in paths of righteousness.
Protection and Assurance in Fear (23:4)
When we are afraid, it is difficult to relax and rest. But the shepherd calms the sheep in times of danger, too.
"Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4)
The shepherd will sometimes need to lead the flock through uncomfortable places to get them to the next pasture. John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club and father of the American national park movement, was a shepherd when he was young. Early in the summer he would be given a flock and take it higher and higher into the Sierra to bring it to fresh, green pasture. Sometimes the trail between pasture in Yosemite Valley and Tuolumne Meadows might be terrifying to the sheep. They wouldn't know where he was going. If they had been people they would have second-guessed their shepherd: "Do you know where in the world you are going?" they might ask -- as we sometimes ask of God.
The "valley of the shadow of death" could be rendered "darkest valley" (NRSV, NIV margin). Ṣalmāwet, means "deep darkness," sometimes translated "thick darkness," "thick gloom," fromṣālal, "to be dark."15
What encourages and comforts the sheep in the fearful darkness of this mountain canyon is the sight of the shepherd's rod and staff. They are the elements of protection that will ward off the wolf. The sheep see the rod and they know that the shepherd will use it to protect them, even to the extent of putting his life at risk -- and they are comforted. Your Shepherd is committed to delivering you from your enemies and has indeed laid down his life for you in the battle for your soul.
The Gracious Host (23:5)
Now David strays from the sheep analogy, but Yahweh is still the subject of his thoughts:
"You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows." (Psalm 23:5)
The word for "table" (shūlḥān) means properly "skin or leather mat" spread on the ground.16 I imagine a sumptuous picnic set by a gracious host. Enemies are hiding in rocks around about, spying on the feast set for the guest by the host. But their malevolence doesn't ruin the party because of the host's loving attention. The psalm is about rest, about the host putting the guest at ease.
When guests were welcomed in a Near Eastern home it was polite to provide a basin for them to wash their feet, they would receive a kiss, and the host would pour fragrant olive oil on their hair (Luke 7:44-46).
"My cup overflows," is a metaphor of abundance. The host doesn't just pour it almost full, but overfull -- it is figurative, of course, not literal. God's love for us and provision for us is not meager or stingy, but liberal and abundant. We can trust him. We can rest in his presence.
Eternal Life (23:6)
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever" (Psalm 23:6).
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me," is David's firm assurance of his future, since Yahweh is his Shepherd and Host. "Follow" is rādap, "be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute."17 In this context, enemies will not chase after him, but he will be pursued by goodness and mercy. What a positive, hopeful, wonderful promise. The psalmist is not a bitter pessimist, but a faith-filled, in-awe-of-God optimist.
"Forever" (NIV, KJV, NASB), "my whole life long" (NRSV), "for all time to come" (New Jerusalem Bible) translate two words: ´ōrek, "length" (from ´ārak, "to be long") and yôm, "day, time, year." Hebrew really has no synonym for "eternity" and "forever." But the phrase "to the length of days" found here can be used to express "a protracted period of time" and "in some contexts signify the everlasting afterlife."18
Verse 6a and b show the synonymous parallelism characteristic of Hebrew poetry. As is common, the second line of the couplet carries the thought a bit further than the first. The first line speaks confidently of this life, the second speaks of the life beyond this earthly life.
We are comforted by Psalm 23. With dangers and perils all around us, only in the presence of one who we believe really cares for us can we afford to rest. In a sense, our ability to rest is directly dependent upon the degree of our faith in the care of the Shepherd.
Rest, O sheep. Your Shepherd does indeed care for you and interposed his own life for the sheep (John 10:11) to give them eternal life.
| Q2. According to Psalm 23, how does the Lord our Shepherd quiet his sheep and give them confidence? How many ways can you find in this psalm? https://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=679 |
Psalm 16 - You Will Not Abandon Me to the Grave
Let's look at portions of a few more psalms of rest. David's "miktam" in Psalm 16 also considers the rest we look forward to, even in death. The psalm begins with a general plea for safety:
"Keep of me safe, O God,
for in you I take refuge." (16:1)
But the psalm concludes with a remarkable insight for David, one of life after the grave:
"9Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
10because you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
11You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand." (16:9-11)
Notice that David is able to "rest secure" physically in verse 9 because of his confidence in the bodily resurrection, that the termination death brings is not the end.
Verse 10 is quoted as a prophecy of the Messiah ("your Holy One") in Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:24-28) and Paul's sermon in the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:35).
How do you rest in the Lord at yourdeathbed or the bedside of one you love? With this confidence that death is not the end -- resurrection is! Look at his expectation of eternal life in verse 11:
- Joy in Yahweh's presence and
- Eternal pleasures at his right hand!
Psalm 3 - I Lie Down and Sleep
Psalm 3 is another psalm of David, penned "when he fled from his son Absalom" (2 Samuel 15-18). Even in flight for his life he senses the protection of God and is able to rest.
"3But you are a shield around me, O LORD;
you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
4To the LORD I cry aloud,
and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah
5I lie down and sleep;
I wake again, because the LORDsustains me.
6I will not fear the tens of thousands
drawn up against me on every side." (Psalm 3:3-6)
I think of that hymn, written by Cleland B. McAfee after two of his nieces died of diphtheria:
"There is a place of quiet rest,
Near to the heart of God,
A place where sin cannot molest,
Near to the heart of God."19
We Christians have a great hope -- in this life and beyond the grave! Since we have that confidence, we can rest in God. We can relax in his care.
Psalm 31 - Into Your Hands I Commit My Spirit
Psalm 31 is another psalm attributed to David, a musical psalm no doubt sung later in the temple: "for the director of music." Look at the place of rest that David finds amidst the machinations of his foes:
"3Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
4Free me from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
5Into your hands I commit my spirit;
redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth." (31:3-5)
Verse 5a was on Jesus' lips at his death:
"Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, 'Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.' Having said this, he breathed his last." (Luke 23:46)
How can a Christian be composed at his own death? By resting in faith in the promises of God. In this Jesus was the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2, NRSV).
Psalm 31 also contains another passage expressive of resting in the Lord:
"14But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, 'You are my God.'
15My times are in your hands;
deliver me from my enemies
and from those who pursue me.
16Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love." (31:14-16)
The insight, "My times are in your hands," can help us with our trust issues, too. Times (`ēt) is found in the plural and refers here to the specific "appointed times" in our lives that are ordained by God for us. "The basic meaning of the word relates to time conceived as an opportunity or season."20
We're often in a hurry. Or the opposite: dreading the future and trying to repel it with every ounce of strength we have. Verse 15 does not express the fatalism of the song, "Que sera, sera, whatever will be will be...."21 Rather it demonstrates an active trust in the Living God who loves us and will order our lives in love according to his plan for us.
| Q3. (Psalm 31) What does it mean to say to the Lord, "Into your hands I commit my spirit" (31:5)? How does that statement bring peace to a person? How does the statement, "My times are in your hands" (31:15), bring peace to the troubled soul? https://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=680 |
Psalm 46 - Our Ever-Present Help in Trouble
The final psalm I want to consider under psalms of rest is Psalm 46, attributed to "the Sons of Korah," a school of temple singers. "According to alamoth" may refer to a song in the treble range, though we're not sure. See how the psalmist rests his soul in God in the midst of the commotion he describes:
"1God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah." (46:1-3)
In verse 1 he sees God, "an ever-present help in trouble." In verses 2 and 3 he pictures the trouble as a great earthquakes and cataclysms of mountains and ocean. The imagery expresses vividly the turmoil, agitation, confusion, chaos that we feel sometimes, where life seems to be spinning out of control around us. "Selah" probably directs there to be pause in the music at this point.
But in the middle of the turmoil, the scene shifts to a river, a stream that flows in the midst of the "city of God."
"There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells." (46:4)
It brings the same feeling as the "still waters" of Psalm 23:2. It is an image of refreshment, of life, of peace. We see this same fabled river pictured in Ezekiel 47 flowing out from under the threshold of the temple and flowing down to bring life to whatever it touches. In Revelation 22 it flows in the Heavenly City:
"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations." (Revelation 22:1-2)
The water of life is to refresh you, to sustain you in trouble. It is God's provision for you, though outside of the City of God there is clamor:
"5God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah" (46:5-7)
The psalm concludes recounting what God has done to bring peace.
"8Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields with fire." (46:8-9)
Then the psalmist speaks prophetically for God:
"Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah" (46:10-11)
We are to still ourselves before God, he tells us. Why should we be still? What should we know? That in spite of all the chaos round about, the One who is with us is God himself. He is the Authority. He is the Power. He is the Might. Nothing can withstand Him!
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Because He is with us we must still our fears and worries about our circumstances. He is enough! Because He is in the "City," the city is impregnable. Because God is with us, no one can stand against us. Because God is with us -- and more importantly, we are with God -- we cannot fail!
The ultimate source of peace in this troubled world is a clear vision of who God is and faith that He is completely in charge. Outside life may be full of confusion, but in God's presence -- in the City of God, in his Hiding Place, in the Shelter of the Most High -- there is peace. There is rest -- for you!
| Q4. (Psalm 46) How does the imagery of the river and streams in verse 4 function in Psalm 46 to speak peace to the harassed and harried person? Verse 10 tells us: "Be still and know that I am God." How does knowledge of who He is affect our peace? How should it affect our words? Why does He command us to "be still" as a result of this knowledge? https://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=681 |
| Q5. After you've studied the psalms in this chapter, what do you think it means to "rest" in God? How do you seek God's peace when you have a dozen things coming against you? https://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=682 |
| Exercise. For one of the psalms in this lesson -- or another psalm with a similar theme -- do one of the suggested exercises to help you experience the Psalms(www.jesuswalk.com/psalms/psalms-exercises.htm). These include such things as praying a psalm, meditating, reading to a shut-in, paraphrasing, writing your own psalm, singing, preparing a liturgy, and memorizing. Then report to the forum what the exercise meant to you personally or share what you've written with others. https://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=683 |
Prayer
Lord, we worry so much, "cumbered with a load of care." I pray that you would teach me more deeply in my heart to rest in you in faith and confidence. Help me to unload my fears at your feet. Help me to put my petty frets down before you and rest the weight of my life upon You. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
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