THE TRUSTING HEART

“TRUST in Him at all times, you people; POUR OUT your HEART before Him; God is a refuge for us” – Psalm 62:8

Allied to the Upright and Steadfast Heart is the TRUSTING HEART: “TRUST in Him at all times, you people; POUR OUT your HEART before Him; God is a refuge for us” (Psa.62:8). The Passion translation puts this so beautifully: “Join me, everyone! Trust only in God every moment! Tell him all your troubles and pour out your heart-longings to him. Believe me when I tell you – he will help you!” This means that, as Believers, God’s Presence is all around us and is truly all we need. His life is what will bring us strength. Therefore we are to TRUST ONLY in GOD, not in anyone or anything else – “men of low degree,” “men of high degree” or increased riches (vv.9-10).  We must trust God only and every single moment – in good moments or the bad ones – always!

It’s important to underline the two important commands and a promise in this compact verse.

The first command: TRUST GOD at ALL TIMES! If only we could imagine what life would be like if we truly trust God at ALL times! We would experience perfect peace, avoid all anxiety, and be in harmony with His Will continually. Trusting God means giving up our own control and yielding to Him. Because of the human sin nature, this is hard to do and a continual struggle in the lives of many Believers. David trusted God, knowing “that power belongs to God” as well as Mercy (vv.11-12). By the same revelation, we can!

The second command: POUR out our HEART before GOD. This implies an emptying and humbling of self; full surrender to God! He not only wants us to trust Him, but also to pour out our heart to Him. He already knows every trial and trouble we’re facing, but He desires for us to come to Him and talk to Him about everything, because “He will help”! God can help us whether we talk to Him or not, but He can’t help us if we aren’t open to the idea or when we still assume a posture of pride and stubborn self-sufficiency. Life would be so much easier if we let go of the “I can do it” attitude, put our arrogance and wilfulness aside, pour out our heart to God, and ask for divine help. Trusting God includes letting Him know that we need His help above any other; that we trust Him alone!

The Promise: God is our Refuge – our Shelter and Protection from danger or trouble. With all the challenges, suffering, trials, and difficulties in this earthly realm, we should be extremely grateful that God provides the refuge from them all. This concept of trusting God as our refuge is repeated consistently throughout the Bible as if God knows we need to hear it repeatedly: “O Lord my God, in You I put my trust; save me from all those who persecute me; and deliver me” (Psa.7:1); “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psa.46:1); “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler” (Psa.91:4); “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him” (Pro.30:5).

Viewed from another perspective, Psalm 62:8 gives believers a beautiful picture of prayer. It instructs us on godly prayer from an undivided heart, the kind of prayer God rewards. Such prayer stems from continual trust in a trustworthy God; one that’s focused and founded on the God of salvation, whom David extolled as “my rock and my salvation…my fortress” (v.2). It is honest prayer offered in integrity of heart; one which pours out the whole heart before God, knowing Him as Saviour and resting in the refuge of His mercies. The consequence of fixing one’s heart to trust in God is to pour out the same heart in prayer. For David, trusting in God was praying to God. True prayer requires the whole heart to be engaged. God’s solidity led to David’s constancy in trust.