God’s Deliverance
The psalmist says of the Lord, “You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling” (Psalm 116:8). This statement encompasses three aspects of deliverance mentioned in a number of other Scriptures. Through faith in God we find deliverance from:
- Destruction. In the past, God rescued those who put their faith in Christ from eternal death and ruination (cf. Ps. 56:13; 68:20).
- Disappointment. In place of tears of discouraged hopes for the future, God gives joyful anticipation to the sorrowing heart (cf. Isa. 25:8; Rev. 7:17).
- Disability. In the present, God bears us up and strengthens us to overcome times of stumbling, weakness and fallibility (cf. Mic. 4:6-7; 7:8; Jude 24).
It will be seen that these three can be related to the three tenses of salvation. Paul says God “delivered us from so great a death [past], and does deliver us [present]; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us [future]” (II Cor. 1:10.) Those who have trusted Christ as Saviour have: 1) Deliverance from sin’s penalty and from certain destruction (past); 2) Deliverance from sin’s presence and the sorrow it brings to look forward to (future); 3) Deliverance from sin’s power in their daily lives (present).