Sheep of the Shepherd
Calamity, destruction, and hardship are nothing new to the people of God. It is important to try to gauge the reason for the calamity. The question that must be asked is: Are these circumstances as a result of God’s discipline upon the unfaithfulness of His people? In Psalm 79 the people of Israel have experienced the invasion of their lands, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the devastation of the Temple (79:1-4). Their experiences are the result of God’s discipline upon the sin of Israel. The psalmist prays to the Lord asking for His compassion and deliverance in the midst of their troubles (79:8). Brethren, in the midst of troubles, pray! Examine yourself to see if you need to confess your sins before the Lord, and ask for His forgiveness.
Brethren, trust the Lord when it comes to the injustices around you. The only thing that the psalmist can do is to cry out to God for help (79:5,9). Without any power, he prays God would bring justice upon the wicked (79:10-12).
The psalmist ends this great prayer with a confession of faith and confidence in God (79:13). He is their Shepherd and they are totally dependent upon Him. Even in the midst of God’s discipline His love and care for them remains. They are His people by covenant and they will not be forgotten. In great hardship they will give praise to the Lord. All generations will hear of their God, their Good Shepherd. Brethren, God disciplines His people to bring them to repentance and dependency upon Him. Know that even in the midst of difficult times God is still sovereign. Christ is our Good Shepherd (John 10:11) and we are His sheep.