Poet Emily Dickinson compared hope to a bird:  “Hope is the thing with feathers  That perches in the soul,  And sings the tune without the words,  And never stops at all,  And sweetest in the gale is heard;  And sore must be the storm  That could abash the little bird  That kept so many warm.”  Even in the midst of great hardship, Dickinson suggests, hope will provide warmth and comfort. Exodus 2 marks the birth of hope for the Israelites, and it begins with a tiny baby hidden in a basket. Baby Moses would grow up to become God’s chosen deliverer. If Pharaoh had had his way, Moses would not have lived much past birth. But he survived thanks to the courage of his parents and sister, Miriam, who hid him in the small basket and sent him down the Nile River. God guided the basket into the hands of an Egyptian princess who not only adopted Moses but, ironically, hired his real mother to take care of him (vv. 8–10). The deliverance of the deliverer sets the tone for the rest of the book! Then the narrative takes an unexpected turn. Moses, age 40, murdered an Egyptian overseer. As the news spread, Moses fled for his life and ended up in Midian, living as a desert shepherd with a wife and family. Interestingly, his extended family included a father-in-law named Reuel, meaning “friend of God.” (Jethro was apparently a title, not a personal name.) Moses’ sense of exile is seen in the naming of his son, Gershom, when he commented, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land” (v. 22). When would God’s people be free? The time of deliverance had nearly arrived. The chosen deliverer was alive and safe. “God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob” (v. 24). The stage was set.

The book of Exodus is one of the most important historical narratives in Scripture. It includes adventure, rescue, supernatural confrontations between good and evil, and the mass liberation of a people from slavery. In these pages, you’ll meet a hero (Moses) and a villain (Pharaoh). You’ll see God work miracles and wonders as we witness the birth of a nation. Key themes of Exodus include God’s love and faithfulness, the Law and covenant, obedience, holiness, redemption, and worship. Exodus is the second book in the Old Testament, following Genesis where a dying Joseph made this prophetic promise: “God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” (Gen. 50:24; see also Gen. 15:13–14). Here we see that promise fulfilled! The book’s author was probably Moses (see Ex. 24:4). While the exact date of writing is uncertain, the date of the Exodus itself is often placed at 1446 b.c. Between Joseph’s death and the first chapter of Exodus, much had changed. When Jacob and his extended family first arrived, the group numbered just 70 people (Ex. 1:5). Four centuries later, the Israelites had exploded in population to about two million people—603,550 men counted in a later census (Ex. 38:26), plus women and children. Their status had also changed. They had come at Pharaoh’s invitation, now they were in slavery (vv. 12–14). But God was present, even in this hard situation. When a fearful Egyptian king ordered newborn Israelite males to be killed, the Lord raised up two women of faith, Shiphrah and Puah. Knowledge of the promises to Abraham had clearly been passed down, for these women “feared God” and saved lives (v. 17). And the Lord blessed them (vv. 20–21).

In February, Ryan Osmun went for a hike at Zion National Park in Utah. While freeing a fellow hiker trapped in quicksand, Ryan’s own leg became stuck. It took twelve hours before park rangers could get to the scene and rescue him. In yesterday’s passage, Psalms 38–39, David described in vivid detail a difficult situation he had faced. This experience led to his internal struggle, reflected in Psalm 39. In the first ten verses of Psalm 40, David gave thanks for answered prayer. We can feel his relief in verse 2 as he declared, “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet upon a rock.” Like a man who has been rescued from quicksand, David finally felt free. Notice that he does not hesitate to give God the praise for what He has done: “I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, Lord​” (v. 9). David’s experience helped him recognize that God is not primarily pleased by external obedience, but by obedience that comes from the heart (vv. 6–8). When we give sacrifices and offerings to God, our motives matter. It is the combination of sacrifice with the right attitude that makes it valuable (see Jer. 6:20; Amos 5:22). David also recognized that the sacrifices outlined in the Mosaic Law pointed beyond themselves to the sacrificial work that would be done by Israel’s Messiah, Jesus (Heb. 10:5–10). At the end of the psalm, David’s celebration over his rescue turns back to a plea for help. Once again, he has found himself in another difficult situation. He prays, “You are my help and my deliverer, you are my God, do not delay” (40:17).

Would it be better to win a silver medal or a bronze? In 1995, psychologists from Cornell University studied the reaction of Olympic silver and bronze medalists. They found that bronze medalists were significantly happier with their achievement than silver medalists. The reason is that silver medalists compared themselves with those who won gold, while the bronze medalists were happy to have medals at all. In Psalm 39, David is desperately trying to find the right perspective on life. He was in the middle of a challenging situation. He was suffering because of sin (vv. 8, 11). In addition, he was surrounded by wicked people (v. 1). So, after a sustained period of silence, David embraced two realizations that helped him gain a glimmer of hope. First, David realizes life is short. He says “You have made my days a mere handbreadth” (v. 5). A handbreadth in ancient Israel was the width of four fingers, the smallest measurement available. He then shifts the image to compare life to a vapor, or breath (v. 5). In language foreshadowing Ecclesiastes, he describes how the pursuit of wealth and brevity of life are meaningless (v. 6). David realizes what matters most is his relationship to the Lord, “But now, Lord​, what do I look for? My hope is in you” (v. 7). Second, David realizes that his sin has estranged him from God. “I dwell with you as a foreigner, a stranger, as all my ancestors were” (v. 12). He mourns deeply over his sin and longs for God to hear his cry (v. 12). While this psalm does not come to a full resolution of these difficulties, David is well on his way toward restoration.

After experiencing a crushing political defeat and breaking off an engagement to be married in 1841, Abraham Lincoln was in a dark place. He later talked about how he had contemplated suicide, but refrained because he “had done nothing to make any human being remember that he had lived.” His desire to do something of lasting significance gave him the motivation he needed to persevere through difficult times. In Psalm 37, David instructs us on how to have a life of lasting significance. He encourages the reader to “Trust in the Lord​ and do good . . . Take delight in the Lord​ . . . Be still before the Lord​ and wait patiently for him” (vv. 3, 4, 7). Trusting in the Lord means knowing and obeying the word of God. As David puts it, “The law of their God is in their hearts” (v. 31). We are to embrace a life of obedience (v. 27). If we do, the Lord​ will “uphold” us and our “inheritance will endure forever” (vv. 24, 18). By contrast, the wicked are in a perilous position. It may look like they are flourishing and succeeding in life, but “like the grass they will soon wither” (v. 2). The wicked plot against those who follow God and oppress the poor and vulnerable (vv. 12, 14). They will not escape justice: “the Lord​ laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming” (v. 13). David is very honest about the struggle we feel when what we see in the world around us doesn’t match up with what we believe. It may look to us like the wicked are winning. However, David tells us not to be anxious about their momentary success. We are to wait patiently for God to act at the right time and in the right way.

In his masterpiece, Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis wrote perceptively about pride. He said, “As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.” In a similar way, the wicked have a skewed view of themselves and of God. The psalms often paint a contrasting portrait of the righteous and the wicked. The main difference is not that one is sinless and the other sinful. In fact, the righteous often openly confess their sin to God. Rather, the main distinction between the two is that the righteous fear God and recognize their dependence upon Him; the wicked do not. Psalm 36 focuses on the contrast between the wicked and God. Because the wicked do not fear God, they look to themselves as the most important reality in the universe. This leads them to flatter and deceive themselves (vv. 2–3). Their willful self-deception results in failure to “act wisely or do good” (v. 3). Instead, they become busy plotting and scheming against others (v. 4). In marked contrast, the Lord’s attributes of love, faithfulness, righteousness, and justice are celebrated (vv. 5–6). They are as important and as impressive as the “heavens,” “skies,” “highest mountains,” and “great deep” (vv. 5–6). Instead of plotting the destruction of others, the Lord preserves “both people and animals” (v. 6). The Lord provides food, shelter, and protection to all who take refuge in Him (v. 7). The proper response to the Lord’s remarkable care and provision is one of humility, gratitude, and trust. This sense of dependence on God is beautifully stated in verse 9: “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.”

“Out of the frying pan and into the fire” describes the experience of getting out of one difficult situation only to land in another. In 1 Samuel 21, David was on the run from King Saul. He went to the last place anyone would expect to find him, the Philistine city of Gath. However, officials there identified him as David, the man who had killed thousands of Philistines in battle. In response, David feigned insanity, and was able to get away. Reflecting upon that experience, David wrote Psalm 34. In 1 Samuel 21, it looks like David got out of a difficult situation using only his wits and acting skills. However, David knew better. He confessed, “I sought the Lord​, and he answered me . . . This poor man called, and the Lord​ heard him” (vv. 4, 6). He understood that his rescue was the result of answered prayer. This psalm illustrates the truth that there is no contradiction between faithfully using our talents and skills and being fully reliant upon the Lord. In a difficult situation, David prayed to the Lord and tried to work out a plan for escape. Upon his deliverance, he recognized that the Lord should get the credit. After this remarkable answer to prayer David urged others to trust in the Lord. Verses 8–14 contain ten imperatives calling the congregation to “taste and see . . . come and listen” (vv. 8, 11). He encourages the faithful to “fear the Lord​” (v. 9), to trust fully in Him. Having a proper fear of the Lord calms our hearts from other fears (v. 4). It is important to note that having a proper fear of the Lord does not make us immune to trouble (v. 19). But it does mean we can trust that God is with us and hears our prayers.

In 2019, Time magazine ran an online poll asking participants, “What are your major sources of happiness?” The top four answers all involved relationships. Having and maintaining healthy relationships with children, friends, and family were considered key components of happiness for most people. In Psalm 32, David highlights the importance of another relationship as a key to happiness. He declares “blessed” or “happy” are those whose “transgressions are forgiven” (v. 1). The first two verses of this psalm reflect a profound understanding of the nature of sin and forgiveness. David uses three different Hebrew words for sin, here translated as “transgressions . . . sins . . . sin” (vv. 1–2). The first term reflects intentional, or high-handed sin. The second word is the most general term for wrongdoing either intentional or unintentional. The third term references the guilt associated with sin (v. 2). These three terms for sin are matched by three metaphors for forgiveness. The verb “forgiven” literally means “to carry” (v. 1). That is, our sin is like a burden we cannot bear. Someone must carry it for us. Second, David declares blessed the person whose sins are “covered” (v. 1). Finally, sin is pictured as a debt that is canceled (v. 2). In sum, the blessed person is not the one who never sins. Rather, they are the kind of person who has sinned, but whose burden of that sin has been carried off by God. In verses 3–5, David recounts a time when he tried to hide his sin. This led to a crushing sense of guilt and shame (v. 4). Finally, he confessed his sin to God and received forgiveness and relief (v. 5). He instructed others to follow his example. Joy and peace are to be found in the confession of sin and receiving of forgiveness.

We all need a safe place where we can escape the fears and anxieties of the world. Young children who enter a new and intimidating situation will often hide behind their parent and grab onto their leg. Their parent is their safe place, or refuge. As adults, we choose different things to help feel secure. Our home or a favorite hobby can become a place of refuge. Psalm 31 has two main movements. The first 18 verses contain a prayer of trust and petition. The second half celebrates an answer to that prayer. In the first section, the themes of trust in God are interwoven with desperate cries for help. David looks to God as his safe place, or his refuge. “In you, Lord​, I have taken refuge . . . be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me” (vv. 1–2). David found the Lord to be faithful and declared his steadfast trust in Him (v. 5). Because of this deep level of trust, David is able to beg God for help. Here, he shouted commands at God, “turn your ear to me, come quickly . . . deliver me . . . save me” (vv. 2, 15–16). David was the object of slander from enemies who wanted to take his life (vv. 11, 13, 17–18). That kind of public humiliation coupled with the threat of violence made David run to the Lord as his refuge. The tone of the psalm changes dramatically in verses 19–24. David’s prayer has been heard. The Lord is his secure refuge. David declares, “In the shelter of your presence you hide them from all human intrigues” (v. 20). This deliverance motivates David to call all of God’s people to praise the Lord: “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord​” (v. 24).

In the early 1970s, Charles Colson rose to political power as Special Counsel to the President of the United States. But all of that came crashing down when he was indicted in the Watergate scandal. After being sent to prison, Colson came to faith in Christ. Of that experience, he wrote, “My greatest humiliation—being sent to prison—was the beginning of God’s greatest use of my life; He chose the one thing in which I could not glory for His glory.” David’s life followed a similar pattern. In Psalm 30 David recounts a time when he found himself in significant distress. He described being in the “realm of the dead” and on his way down “to the pit” (v. 3). Most commentators believe he experienced a serious illness. Upon reflection, David realized his downfall was due to his arrogance. Pride had been his downfall. He cried out to the Lord for mercy, and the Lord answered his prayer (v. 2). What is most interesting in this psalm is one of the reasons David asked God to heal him. He told the Lord, “What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you?” (v. 9). For David, life and death were more than just physical states. To be truly alive meant to live in right relation to God. For David, life consisted of praising God. Death is described as a state where there is no longer any praise. There is no such thing as true life without praise. This is why David was so overjoyed at the Lord’s answered prayer. The Lord turned his “wailing into dancing” so that “my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord​ my God, I will praise you forever” (vv. 11–12).