How Psalm 34 Drives a Stake in the Ground

Pounding a stake in the ground can be a powerful declaration. There can be no more appropriate faith-filled boasting than to revel in God. It’s powerful because you’re declaring and establishing that your hope, glory, and delight are in the Lord.

If you’re facing loss or in pain, drive a stake in the ground by declaring your dependence. Drive a stake in the ground by boasting in God. Drive a stake in the ground by exalting God. Alone.

“My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!” Psalms 34:2-3

Recognizing that your boasting is in God and not in your own strength results in gladness of heart. Worship rises from a sincere heart, and you seek to magnify and exalt the name of the Lord your God.

Declaring your dependence is a healthy exercise. A stake in the ground. In good times and in tough times, we are fully dependent. The times of difficulty act as a magnet to rivet a heart to closer communion with the Lord.

“This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. …When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.” Psalms 34:6, 17

We cry out to God in surrender and dependence. Turning in faith to him, he hears and saves us. He delivers us from troubles. A bit of context may help here. We resolutely train our eyes on him, but we do not define the timeframe or characteristics of deliverance. Salvation and deliverance from troubles may only be received in eternity. But that’s the point. Temporal salvation alone would be short-lived. Eternal deliverance is a foundation worth pressing into and trusting. The temporal is given meaning.

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” Psalms 34:8

Give me a choice between temporal salvation and eternal deliverance, and I’m going with eternal deliverance every time. Perspective matters. When I come to fully understand the free gift of redemption that welcomes me into eternal relationship, I join the psalmist in proclaiming, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!” I also turn to others and testify that any man, woman, boy, or girl who takes refuge in him also will be blessed. I give a testimony! Drive a stake in the ground. However, time is of the essence. Refuge must be taken while it is still day. Taste and see now.

But again, salvation and deliverance may not meet our temporal definition. Life continues to unveil many difficulties. We are not immune. We live in a fallen world.

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” Psalm 34:19

Afflictions in the here-and-now may be many. But the Lord will make everything turn right. We call it New Heavens and New Earth for a reason. New. Restored. All wrongs made right. All pain assuaged. We run to the strong tower, and he will not disappoint. He wholly redeems. He absolves those who take refuge in him of their wages owed.

Drive the stake of Psalm 34 in the ground, and take refuge in, boast in, and magnify the Lord with me.

“The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.” Psalms 34:22