The Lodestar

The Hebrew word “trust” suggests a person throwing himself face down, lying flat, as a symbol of total surrender. This is not admitting defeat but believing the person we prostrate before is capable of helping us. So, this word denotes “confidence,” as the writer of the Book of Job understood: “Behold, if the river is turbulent, he is not frightened; he is confident though Jordan rushes against his mouth” (Job 40:23). Some English translations may render it as “feel secure.”

The psalmist affirms that there is no circumstance in which we should not trust the Lord. He can handle everything we can and cannot do. He is all-powerful. Trust is handing over our lives to him, admitting this truth.

The psalmist elaborates on falling before the Lord; trusting the Lord means pouring out all that burdens our hearts before him. Sometimes, our hearts are like heavy water jars that we carry around. The Lord invites us to lighten our burdens, pouring out the heavy concerns as we fall prostrate in his presence.

Adversities in life, sin, guilt and shame may slow our pilgrimage on earth. The writer of Hebrews encouraged his readers, weighed down with persecution, fear and self-defeat, to drop all that baggage and fix their eyes on Christ the Lord.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:1—2).

Stay confident in the Lord's power and grace, entrusting all worries to the Lord as Paul did: “I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me” (2 Tim 1:12).

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