“THE GOD WHO HELPS”

"When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place."

Psalm 118:5

Anyone can go through a tough time. Trials are no respecter of men: whether you're rich and famous or an average joe, you can be overwhelmed by problems. But who we call in times of distress is essential to our deliverance. If we call on the wrong person, things might get worse. But if we cry out to the right one, we can expect help. The question is, who are you going to call?

Today's verse is a portion of the Jewish Hallel, a liturgical prayer consisting of Psalms 113-118. The Jews recite the Hallel on festivals such as the Passover, Yom Kippur, and Hanukkah. It is a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to the God of Israel.

We may not know who wrote this psalm, but the background resembles the scenes from the restoration of Jerusalem's walls and gates in Ezra and Nehemiah's era. It was one of the times when Israel's enemies tried to stop the re-establishment of Israel as a nation.

The writer urges the people of Israel to give thanks to the Lord for His enduring goodness and love. He remembers a difficult time in his life when he needed deliverance and cried out to the Lord. Instead of trusting in men and princes, the writer relied on the Lord.

The Bible vividly portrays how God delivered Israel from slavery to Egypt. He used Moses to perform supernatural acts, which ultimately led Pharaoh to allow the Hebrews to leave Egypt. For the first time in 430 years, the people of Israel were free from their cruel slave masters. The psalmist recalled this part of his nation's history and built his confidence in God. True enough, the Lord delivered him and brought him to a "spacious place."

Just like Israel, you and I were once slaves to sin and headed for destruction (Romans 6:23). But God, being rich in mercy, heard our prayer of deliverance and gave us His undeserved grace. His dearly beloved Son became our ransom, and His death gave us life.

But the Christian life isn't a fairy tale. We can experience tough times, such as loss of livelihood, sickness, relationship problems, persecution, and temptations. Great deals of troubles can overwhelm us to the point of desperation. These times are crucial, and for the most part, we don't even know what to do, and that's normal—we're only human beings with limited knowledge and resources. But these are the moments when we need to remember how good God has been to us and cry out to Him for rescue. We might be pressed down, but not destroyed—and help is on its way.

Just as how Israel cried out to God and received their salvation, you, too, need to call no one else but the Lord, who is rich in mercy and grace. If He is gracious enough to save you from your sins, He sure can deliver you from your present trials.

Pursue the Saviour today!