The Danger of Trusting ‘Feelings’! Psalm 44:9-16

Text: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart (essence of being); and lean not unto thine own understanding (feelings?)  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”

Proverbs 3:5-6.

Good morning, sensitive Christian!  By God’s grace, and throughout our varied and often chequered experiences in life, you and I have become quite sensitive; quite perceptive; and deeply aware of how we are to assess situations and evaluate the circumstances we encounter.

Praise God that you and I have gained understanding of life by the varied experiences we have had.  However, as sincere and serving Christians, we must beware of not permitting our ‘natural feelings’, or ‘ human perceptions’ to detract from the facts of our God-given faith! 

God’s Word alone is our clear Authority for all things pertaining to Christian faith and the daily practice of that wonderful gift of God.  (Psalm 119:105)

Verses 9 to 16: Throughout verses 9 to 16 of Psalm 44, we find the Psalmist falling into the trap of relying on his feelings; his human perceptions – and by doing so, coming to wrong conclusions which only serve to detract from and undermine his faith in God.  Christian, beware!

God-breathed (inspired) Scriptures clearly teach us that the Lord will never leave us, or cast off ‘His people’.  Yet, leaning on his own understanding, and trusting what he is feeling at the time – the Psalmist makes his erroneous complaints to God:

Verse 9. “But Thou hast cast off, and put us to shame.”  God’s Word teaches us that He will never leave us nor forsake us; that He will in no wise cast us out.  Feeling cast off by God, flies in the face of His own Word on the matter!  Only believe.  We who are saved Christians must fully trust, at all times, in the revealed and inspired Word of God.

“...I will never leave thee; nor forsake thee.  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my Helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”  (Hebrews 13:5-6)

“All that the Father giveth Me (Christ Jesus) shall come to Me; and him/her that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”  (John 6:37)

Verse 9.  “...And goeth not forth with our armies.  God does not promise to ‘go forth’ with our carnal and puny human armies!   If redeemed by Christ’s Blood, we are called to go forth in His Name, and be an integral part of HIS army, the Church.  The Lord God is not going to wage any war based on fallen, and all too often greedy and selfish human demands.  We are called to go forth as part of His Spiritual army, inspired by His infallible Word; led and directed by His Holy Spirit.  When we do so, we are always fully assured of Victory in Christ.  Hallelujah!  Worthy is the Lamb, Christ Jesus!  In Him we have the Victory!

“These things have I (Christ Jesus) spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."  (John 16:33)  

Verse 10. “Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy.  The only time ‘the enemy’ can force you and I as Christians to ‘turn back’ in retreat, is when we go against ‘the enemy’ – the world, the flesh, and the Devil – in our own puny and natural strength!  Flesh will fail us every time!

Verse 11.  “And hast scattered us among the heathen.  Yes, we have been ‘scattered among the heathen’, but in a most Divine and positive manner and for the highest Eternal purpose!  We who are Bible-believing Christians are strewn like ‘salt’ among the nations of the world in order that we might be witnesses for the risen Christ Jesus and reach His ‘elect’ souls with the Gospel message of Salvation through His Sacrifice alone!  Glory to God for His wisdom!

“But ye (regenerate souls) shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”  (Acts 1:8)

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:19-20)”

“And they (Christ’s disciples/apostles), continued daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God and having favour with the people.  And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”  (Acts 2:46-47))

Verse 11. “And hast scattered us among the heathen.  All this is ascribed to the Lord, as being allowed by Him, and even appointed by His decrees.  It is well to trace the hand of God in our sorrows, for it is surely there.”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 211)

Verse 12. “Thou sellest Thy people for nought. Referring to the siege of Jerusalem by Titus, Eusebius says: ‘Many were sold for a small price; there were many to be sold, but few to buy.”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 211)

Verse 13. “A scorn and a derision to them that are round about us. To be a derision to both strong and weak, superiors, equals, and inferiors, is hard to bear.  The tooth of scoffing bites to the bone.

Verse 14. “Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.  The world knows not its nobility; it has no eye for true excellence: it found a cross for the Master and cannot be expected to award crowns to His disciples.”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 211)

While the Psalmist is experiencing very real sufferings, as here described, yet he is allowing what he sees with his physical eyes to blind him to what he should be seeing with the eyes of his God-given faith!  

The world and the Devil will gang up with our own puny flesh to fool us into seeing only the troubles and oppositions all around us daily, while seeking to blind us to the victory we have in Chris Jesus.  We must always use our Spiritual vision to fight our way through to the foot of the Cross.  There it is that we shall always find relief, and strength anew to go forth in the service of King Jesus Christ.  Praise and all glory to His Victorious Name!

Thought: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart (essence of being); and lean not unto thine own understanding (feelings?)  In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”  Let us lean wholly on the facts of our faith.    (Proverbs 3:5-6)