GUARDED AND RESCUED

Ps. 34: 7 For the angel of the LORD guards all who fear him, and he rescues them. NLT

In the previous verses, the Psalmist reminds us that when we are focused on Christ we will not focus on our fears. Staying in close fellowship with Christ makes us feel safe and secure, free from fear. David continues his thoughts here by telling us that the angel of the LORD guards all who fear Him.

There is a sense in which we ought to fear God. We need to respect who He is in His holiness. God is certainly love, but His love is a holy love. He does not, He cannot, He will not, overlook sin. He will never tolerate sin in His presence and the sooner we accept this powerful truth, the better off we will be. We dare not take lightly that which God takes very seriously. Hell exists for those who live and die in their sin.

When we have a proper sense of fear of God, He keeps us safe. He watches over us and keeps us out of harm's way. Satan cannot fill a soul full of sin who is focused on the Lord. Satan may harass us but that is all he can do to us. When we live with a guarded soul against sin, we cannot be held captive by sin and its influences. When we sin, we immediately flee to our ark of safety, Calvary, and ask the Lord to forgive us, and He does.

The Lord rescues us from all that would destroy us. He rescues us from Satan and his demonic forces and he rescues us from our own tendencies to wander away from God. We are kept safe in the arms of Jesus when our hearts stay focused on Him.

The angel of the Lord is not described here, but often when the angel of the Lord is referred to, it is referring to the pre-incarnate Christ. While we cannot say for absolute certain that the Psalmist is referring to Christ here, the text seems to suggest he is. It is the Lord who watches over us and rescues us as we face opposition in our walk of faith.

The Lord is watching over those who fear Him, to stand guard over them, and to rescue them. Hallelujah, what a Savior!