Remember that the Lord has chosen the righteous for his own, and he hears me when I call to him. Psalm 4:3, GNT

 

Uncle Hennie was a farmer in the Swartrant area of Namibia. Being farmers, he and his wife were looking forward to having a son who could one day take over the farm when it was time for them to retire. Their first baby was a girl and this continued until they had six daughters.

 

Many years later someone asked him which of the girls he loved most. Uncle Hennie, whom I knew very well, was a God-fearing man and his answer suited his outlook on life. He told the person “the one I love best is the one that needs me most at that moment.”

 

To me, this answer from uncle Hennie is a very important reminder in our lives that although God always loves us, I think when we are caught up in a crisis and need him very much, he loves us in a special way. Reading the book of Psalms, we find this to be the absolute truth.

 

Psalm 4 was written as an evening song. David looks back on the past and remembers the many times that God was with him in his times of need, like the night when King Saul trapped him in a cave. Maybe he also remembered the day in the palace when Saul tried to kill him with a spear. There were numerous other moments in his life when he needed God.

 

David’s experience was that God was always there to help him in his time of need. In this Psalm he says with absolute certainty: “Remember that the Lord has chosen the righteous for his own, and he hears me when I call to him.” Sometimes we might feel that God is not hearing us when we call to him for help, but we should never doubt him. He always hears us.

 

Prayer: We thank you Father that you are always there when we need you and that you love us unconditionally. Amen

 

 

Besef tog dat die Here wonders gedoen het vir dié wat aan Hom getrou is. Die Here hoor as ek na hom roep. Psalm 4:4, 1983-vertaling

 

Oom Hennie het in Namibië se Swartrant geboer. Soos dit maar met 'n boer gaan wou hy en sy vrou baie graag 'n seun hê wat die plaas en die boerdery kon oorneem wanneer dit vir hulle aftreetyd word. Toe word 'n dogter gebore. Toe nog 'n dogter en so aan tot daar later ses dogters was.

 

Op 'n dag vra iemand vir hom vir wie van die ses dogters hy die liefste is. Ek het oom Hennie as 'n baie diep gelowige mens geken en sy antwoord het gepas by wie hy is. “Man” sê hy vir die persoon: “ek is die liefste vir die een van hulle wat my op daardie oomblik die nodigste het.”

 

Wat 'n wonderlike antwoord en wat 'n wonderlike wete, veral ook vir ons op geestelike terrein. God het ons altyd lief, maar ek wil glo dat wanneer ek in die nood is, Hy my op 'n baie spesiale manier liefhet. Lees 'n mens die Psalms, kom die gedagte baie dikwels voor, veral ook by Dawid.

 

Psalm 4 is waarskynlik geskryf as 'n aandgesang. Dawid kyk terug na ander tye toe hy in die nood was en God hom bevry het. Dink maar aan die keer toe hy deur koning Saul in die grot vasgekeer is, of in die paleis toe Saul hom met 'n spies wou deurboor. Daar is talle ander gevalle wat ons kan noem.

 

Dawid se ervaring van God is dat Hy hom altyd uit noodsituasies gered het. Daarom kan hy in hierdie psalm met absolute sekerheid sê: “Besef tog dat die Here wonders gedoen het vir dié wat aan Hom getrou is. Die Here hoor as ek na hom roep.” Soms voel dit nie vir ons so as ons na God roep nie, maar dit is absoluut waar en dit verander nooit.

 

Gebed: Baie dankie ons Vader dat U altyd daar is wanneer ons U die nodigste het. Amen