"Then only are we qualified to receive help from God when we are brought to own the insufficiency of all creatures to do that for us we expect Him to do." - Matthew Henry
The Preacher's Homiletic Commentary made this statement - "The troubles of human life upon earth are many and sometimes severe."
But, please note that in Psalm 9:9, the LORD says He will be "a refuge in times of trouble." In Psalm 37:39, He says that He will be your "strength in the time of trouble." In Psalm 46:1, He says that He will be "a very present help in trouble." And, lastly, in Jeremiah 14:8, He says that He will be a
"savior thereof in time of trouble."
Then, we read in Psalm 91:15, that Jesus promises to "be with you in trouble." In Psalm 9:13 and 31:7, He says that He will "consider your trouble" and "know your soul in adversities." In Psalm 138:7, He says that He will "revive you" when you "walk in the midst of trouble." In Psalm 27:5, He says that - "in the time of trouble" - He will "hide you in His pavilion" and "in the secret of His tabernacle." And, lastly, when you "cry unto Him in your trouble" (Psalm 107:6,13, 28), He will "deliver," "save," and "bring you out of your distresses."
"Trouble" - whether it is personal, social, material, or spiritual - is a common human condition. The common human instinct is for man to cry out to the Supreme Being for help. And we see this perfectly demonstrated in Psalm 60:11 when David prayed to the LORD - "Give us help from trouble."
It is interesting to note that not only does mankind cry out for help when in trouble, but even the irrational creatures seem to do so. One such example is the hare. When the greyhound is almost upon her, she abandons all hope through her own efforts and begins to scream convulsively for help.
Following this argument, David in Psalm 60:11 finishes off by offering the common human experience, which states - "...vain is the help of man." Man is not capable of giving an effective or permanent deliverance from trouble. If he affords any alleviation, it can only be temporary.
The Family Bible Notes said - "God is the only effectual helper in trouble, and to Him alone men should look as their deliverer."
Once again, Psalm 60:11 says - "Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man."
"Give us help from trouble."
As already implied, this is the common cry of mankind.
Can you hear it? Are you crying out as well?
Unanimously, man is crying out to God - "Help us in our distress...help us against our enemies...give us succor out of our troubles which have come upon us and overwhelmed us...save us from incursions from without and divisions within... preserve us from those who are at war with us... and give us deliverance from all difficulty or distress. Our trouble is great; help us from it."
Are you facing trouble of some sort? Is this your cry? Are you calling out to God at this time or to man?
"...for vain is the help of man."
So many have not yet come to this conclusion. They have not yet learned this lesson.
Adam Clarke made this statement - "We have done all we can do, and have trusted too much in ourselves; now, Lord, undertake for us."
Is this your confession? Have you been trusting too much in yourself or in the "arm of flesh"?
What about the statement quoted earlier from the Family Bible Notes - "God is the only effectual helper in trouble, and to Him alone man should look as their deliverer"?
So many are still depending on themselves or leaning on the "arm of flesh." (2 Chronicles 32:8) Is that you?
What will it take for you to come to the realization that - "vain is the help of man"?
"Vain" is the salvation or deliverance of man. In other words, it is useless and deceptive - to say the least.
First of all, man may not have the ability or inclination to help you in your present difficulties. Or he may promise you assistance and then desert you in your "hour of need." Any effort of his to help can only be a feeble one.
You must depend on God alone. You must look to Him alone. He alone can guide, comfort, pardon, and save.
Can every man have the confidence that when he calls on God He will answer?
Job 27:9-10 implies that there is one who is not heard when he calls on God in the time of trouble - "Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?"
Job 27:8 (the prior verse) lets us know that Job is referring to the "hypocrite." He is the one who is a very neat imitation of a Christian. He professes to know God. He professes Christianity but takes no pleasure nor perseveres in it. He reckons it a task, drudgery, or weariness to pray. He takes no delight in the "Almighty" but delights in the profits of the world and the pleasures of the flesh - more than God. He professes to love what he does not love - namely God. His natural inclination is to withdraw his thoughts from Him and give himself up to worldliness.
"Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?"
The answer is - No!
God has told us in His Word that He hears not the prayers of those who "regard iniquity in their hearts" (Psalm 66:18)...set up idols there...turn away their ear from hearing the law...or live a lie. He hears not the cry of those who live in hypocrisy.
Here in this verse of Scripture, Job spells it out that the "hypocrite" like all mankind will face "trouble." And like mankind, he will need God in his "time of trouble." However, in his times of prosperity, he had no time for God. Now in his "times of trouble," God will have no time for him.
God knows that the "hypocrite" is not coming to Him to repent of his sins but only to be freed from his "troubles." As soon as the "trouble" is over, he will go back to his wayward ways.
Job outlines very succinctly the "marks" of a "hypocrite." They are as follows: he does not "delight himself in the LORD" and he has no prayer life. This is evident by his inquiries - "Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?"
The question you must ask yourself today is - Am I a "hypocrite"?
First of all, let me ask you - are you truly and sincerely "delighting yourself in the Almighty"? Is your supreme happiness in Him? Do you find great pleasure in contemplating His Word, His ways, His kingdom, etc.? Or do you "delight" in the things of this world and happen to be a "lover of pleasure more than a lover of God" (2 Timothy 3:4)?
Secondly, do you have a prayer life? Do you spend time every day in prayer? Are you a constant caller upon God? Or do you live in total neglect of the spirit of prayer? In your time of prosperity, is it true that you slighted the Lord - prayed not at all or were cold and careless in your prayers?
Since the restraining of prayer is one of the first and surest indications of a departure from God, does this concern you?
The Pulpit Commentary offered this comment - "When affliction falls upon the humble and righteous one, He Whom he has sought to know and obey proves to be a reality to him. But the hypocrite has made God to be a sham. He has not known or obeyed him, or acted towards Him as though He were a reality. To him, indeed, there is no God. How can he call on Him in trouble Whom he has denied in health?"
In closing, we leave you with this quote from Matthew Henry - "Troubles in the world often surprise those that are most secure of an uninterrupted prosperity."
"Troubles" will come your way. You cannot avoid that fact.
However, when they come, be sure that they find you "delighting yourself in the Almighty" and with a strong and consistent prayer life!
Whatever you do, do not let them find you "playing the hypocrite" - for the God you slighted in your "good times" will not be there for you in your "bad times" - that is, unless you repent!
May God Bless His Word,
Connie
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. (Isaiah 54:17)
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