When We Cannot See the Way
"Thy way
was in the sea, and thy paths in the great waters" (Psalm
77:19).
You will notice that the above
words are taken from one of the eleven Psalms bearing the name of
Asaph. You will also know that "Asaph the seer" (2
Chron. 29:30) was one of David's leaders of music; he was both
choir-master and composer of words and music as well. But in this
Psalm we meet the choir-master in doleful mood. He has lost his
song and his music.
Asaph is deeply and heavily
depressed; he is having a bad time. As he looks out on the
situation (whatever it was), and contemplates his predicament, he
goes deeper and deeper into the Slough of Despond, and begins to
ask questions about God Himself - His mercy, His faithfulness,
His kindness. The lights are all out along that street, and there
is - apparently - no way out.
But, as is always the case with
a true servant or child of God, there comes a point at which a
reaction sets in.
The Sun will be found shining
again and the song will return; but, as in the natural, so in the
spiritual, the new day is first heralded by faint streaks of
dawn, declaring that the turning-point between night and day has
been reached. Verse 10 seems to be that point of crisis: "I
said, This is my infirmity". 'This is really not the Lord.
This is not the beginning and the end of the story. This is
myself! I am making God after my own miserable image. I am
reducing God to my own temperamental complexion.' We, too, may do
that sort of thing, and indeed we often do. It may be very real.
But, however real, we must always take account of our "infirmity",
our constitutional or temperamental or dispositional limitation.
But even before that lifting of
the eyes from the earth to a larger horizon, Asaph had taken a
step toward the sunrise. "I call to remembrance my song in
the night" (v. 6). By that, he did not mean that he would
call to mind the fact that he had been more cheerful in the past,
and would remember that he had sung even in the night. It was not
just the fact that he had sung.. it was what he had sung.
There was a night - either literal or spiritual - when, his eyes
being held waking (v. 4), he had composed a song for the choir.
What was the song about?
Well, what is all the trouble
about? The focal point of, and the key to, the whole
situation was this matter of a "way" (vv. 13,19). No Way!
Asaph was saying, 'In my song
in the night I portrayed Israel's dilemma and predicament at the
Red Sea. Behind them the pursuing army of Pharaoh. On either side
desert and mountains. Before them the deep and dark waters of the
sea straddling their path. There was no way! The question was:
'Where can God place His feet? There is no way, even for God.'
"Thy footsteps were not known" (v. 19).
'Then', says the leader of
song, 'I said that, sea or desert or mountains notwithstanding,
God knows no embarrassment; He has to make no detours: He goes
straight on and through, and the sea is as if it were not.'
"Thy way was in the sea, and thy paths in the great
waters." The Israelites knew no way for His feet, but He
knew! The song that Asaph had once composed for others, now
became the way of deliverance for the singer-poet himself. How
often our 'doubting castles' have to be broken out of by applying
to ourselves lessons that we have passed on to others - by
believing our own beliefs! To call to remembrance - "I will
remember" - may be the first streak of light for a new day.
How often has this same issue
of a 'way' arisen in the history of God's people, God's servants,
and God's work! And Heaven - only Heaven - has had the answer. A
prophet was confronted with such a situation, and his servant
cried: "Alas, my master, how shall we do?" (2 Kings
6:15). But Heaven had the answer. So it was with a king -
Hezekiah - when a mighty host compassed the city and cut off
every way. Heaven had the answer! (2 Chron. 32:21,22).
We are told that, just before
the Church goes out, the nations will have no way out. In Luke
21:25, the Lord Jesus speaks of nations being "in
perplexity". The most literal meaning of the word is
'without passage', 'having no way through'. How appropriate are
those words to our time! But then the Lord said: "When these
things begin to come to pass, look up... your redemption draweth
nigh" - i.e., 'your way out is near'.
It may be the sea of
tribulation in the nations; it may be mighty waters of testing
for the Church but -
"Thy
WAY was in the sea, and thy PATHS in the great waters".