In our Post 9/11 world we have developed different systems to express the perceived level of danger for the population. Some countries express these in colors, or numbers, or with labels. Whatever the particular system used, the current threat level is articulated. It is then up government agencies and citizens alike, to act and react accordingly.
The writer of our Psalm feels under attack. It could be that David is the writer and it is during the time when King Saul is trying to kill him, before he becomes king in his place. Saul had put a contract on David’s head. There were rewards waiting for the one who would kill David. So it is understandable that David wants to stay below the radar. He values his life and doesn’t want to become an easy target.
Someone warns David of the impending danger. They tell him to flee. This happened several times in David’s life. But fleeing requires leaving the relative safety of the known and moving into the unknown. It can be easy to stay put when danger approaches. Once you move, you may draw attention to your presence. Our eyes are naturally drawn to movement, to changes in the environment.
And David has taken refuge in the LORD. Is there a safer place to be? I think we can be in right relationship with the LORD and still need to move to a safer place. Just because we are a Jesus-follower does not mean that physical danger and threat can’t reach us. David is told to change address. Sometimes we need to change address in order to stay safe.
But what was the danger? David faced arrows. You might think that arrows aren’t as bad as all that. But there were two threats from the bow and arrow. First is what we would call the sniper archer. He is extremely accurate with the bow. If you were in range, you were in danger. And once an arrow hits, you slow down, making yourself a sitting duck for the next shot.
The second threat from arrows comes when many archers fire into the air at one time in your direction. They aren’t going for accuracy. When you have several hundred arrows raining down on you from the sky, it can be very difficult to avoid getting hit. They are moving exceedingly fast, and an arrow coming at you is visually a very small object to see. And because these arrows can be fired from a much greater distance, it would take the victim by complete surprise. You could be in the safety of your back yard and in come the arrows.
The one hope our writer has is the LORD’s care. He knows that nothing escapes His knowledge. The enemy may get away with it in the short run, but ultimately the LORD’s justice will catch up with them. His surveillance system has not gaps in coverage. He sees every text message and chat session. He listens in on all our communications. He even knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts.
The wicked face this same scrutiny. They won’t get away with their actions. Judgment is being stored up for them and one day it will rain on their heads. Our struggle, and the writer’s struggle, is the time between judgment out there in the future and the present moment. We must learn to trust Him even more during the intervening moments. This can be extremely difficult when the treat to our lives and family is real. But this is exactly what we need to do.
The Arnold Journey 