“Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men.”
This is one of the many passages in the Bible that comfort us against the evil in the world. In fact, all of the Bible is a comfort because faith in God is the opposite of fear of evil.
“Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go”: We can always go to Jesus for refuge from whatever difficulty we are facing. We just have to recognize that fact. Even when we have sinned, Jesus doesn’t condemn us.
God didn’t condemn Jonah. Jonah was a strange, almost amusing character. He was opinionated and prejudiced, and not afraid to tell God what he thought (of course, God knows, but most of us lie to ourselves and so to God).The book of Jonah tells how the whole city of Nineveh was saved because of Jonah’s reluctant preaching:
“But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. He prayed to the LORD, "O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live."
But the LORD replied, "Have you any right to be angry?"
Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. Then the LORD God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine. But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the vine so that it withered. When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, "It would be better for me to die than to live."
But God said to Jonah, "Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?"
"I do," he said. "I am angry enough to die."
But the LORD said, "You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?" Jonah 4 Jonah’s attitude was so wrong, but God gently explains and even gives Jonah an example to prove His point. Who wouldn’t want a Lord, Father, Friend like that!
When the Psalmist asks Jesus to fulfill the role of “rock of refuge”, he is putting his faith (total trust) in Jesus for everything. It is suggested that this psalm was written by King David in his old age. Evidence for this is given later in the psalm:
“Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.” Psalm 71:20-21 David knew God well enough to know that his many trials were allowed by God for his good. God had also given him much honor and comfort that could only come with many trials. David’s faith was grounded on experience.
“give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress”: David is affirming God’s sovereignty. God can give the command to whomever and it will be done. If David states again that God is his rock and fortress against any evil.
“Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men.” David had a great deal of experience in regard to being faced with wicked, evil, cruel men. King Saul, his father-in-law and the former king of Israel pursued him for years although David was completely innocent of any wrongdoing. He had done all he could to support Saul and had even spared his life twice because he recognized that Saul was given his position by God: “But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD’s anointed…” 1 Samuel 26:11 God delivered David from Saul without David’s help; Saul was eventually killed in battle.
Through all of his trials, David reached this conclusion: “…goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will ell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:6 David expected "goodness and love".
Prayer and obedience is what is needed to deliver us from evil. God even promises to deliver us from our own evil intent. He promises to never give us more than we can bear:
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13
Why would Jesus tell us to ask: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Matthew 6:13 unless He was able and willing to answer. We just need to talk to God and do what He says to be delivered from evil, knowing that whatever evil is allowed will turn out to be for our good and His glory.