Assurance of His Protection

19 MARCH

The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Psalm 110:2

SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Psalm 2

It is astonishing that though the whole world has united to oppose Christ's kingdom, the church has continued to spread and prosper. David here encourages the godly not to be dispirited by the foolhardy attempts of those who presume to introduce discord and disorder into the kingdom of Christ, for God will use His invincible power to maintain the glory of His sacred throne.

When our minds are agitated by various commotions, let us confidently rest, knowing that no matter how much the world rages against Christ, they will never be able to hurl Him from the right hand of the Father. Moreover, because He does not reign on His own account but for our salvation, we may rest assured that we will be protected and preserved from all ills under the guardianship of this invincible King.

Doubtless our condition in this world will include many hardships, but God's will is that Christ's kingdom should be encompassed with many enemies, His design being to keep us in a state of constant warfare. Therefore it becomes us to exercise patience and meekness, and, assured of God's aid, boldly to consider the rage of the whole world as nothing. 

This passage also tells us about the calling of the Gentiles. If God had not told us about the extension of Christ's kingdom to the Gentiles, we could not today be regarded as His people. But since the wall is broken between Jew and Gentile (Eph. 2:14), and the gospel promulgated, we too have been gathered into the body of the church, and know that Christ puts forth His power to uphold and defend us.

John Calvin

FOR MEDITATION: Although believers are troubled by worldly enemies or by internal discord and disorder, we can be assured that the church of Christ will be restored to peace. We can look to heaven, confident that God will not allow evil to triumph but will uphold and defend His bride. How does this comfort us here and now?

365 Days With Calvin 

Selected and Edited by Joel R. Beeke

Triumphing in Praise

16 MARCH

Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto Thy holy name, and to triumph in Thy praise. Psalm 106:47

SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Acts 2:40-47

This psalm was composed during the sad and calamitous dispersion of the people of Israel. It was necessary for the people to be completely humbled to prevent them from further murmuring against God's dispensations. Seeing that God had extended pardon to their fathers, who were undeserving of it, he aimed to inspire their children with the hope of forgiveness, provided they carefully and cordially sought to be reconciled to Him. This was especially the case because of God solemnly remembering His covenant with them. Through faith they might draw near to God, even though His anger had not yet turned away.

Moreover, God had chosen them to be His peculiar people, so they could call upon Him to collect into one body their dissevered and bleeding members. For, according to the prediction of Moses, "If any of Thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will He fetch thee" (Deut. 30:4). This prediction eventually came true when the widely separated multitude was gathered together and grew in the unity of the faith. For polity, yet they were grafted with the Gentiles into the body of Christ, which was a more preferable gathering.

Wherever they were, the children of God were united with each other and to the Gentile converts by the holy and spiritual bond of faith. Together they constituted one church that extended over the whole earth. They came together to fulfill the purpose of their redemption from captivity, namely, that they might celebrate the name of God and employ themselves continually in praising Him.

John Calvin

FOR MEDITATION: The psalmist asks for deliverance for the people of Israel so that they might give thanks and triumph in praising God. This is a great lesson for us to remember when we ask the Lord for blessings: our ultimate motive should be His glory, not simply our comfort. What means can we use to learn this transforming lesson more profoundly and consistently?

365 Days With Calvin

Selected and Edited by Joel R. Beeke