Who Has Your Confidence

[cavell]

"It is better to trust in God than to put confidence in men. It is better to trust in God than put confidence in Princes" Psalm 118 v 8/9

What am I reading here?

It is better to trust in God that to put confidence in men. To place your trust in ordinary folks like myself, for instance.

Do not do it, trust only in God.

It is better to trust in God than to put confidence in Princes. To place your trust in those who have had a good upbringing, education, have achieved a good standing in society.

Do not do it, trust only in God.

So what are we left with?

TRUST NO MAN

I meet people today, young and older who have been 'taken in' in so many ways, by having trusted in the corrupt society in which we live.


Trust No One

Seems rather blunt........but safe today

[cavell]

Here's something else interesting about Psalms 118:8

Psalm 118 is the middle chapter of the entire Bible.

Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the Bible.

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible.

The Bible has 594 chapters before Psalm 118 and 594 chapters after Psalm 118.

If you add up all the chapters except Psalm 118, you get a total of 1188 chapters.

1188 or Psalm 118 verse 8 is the middle verse of the entire Bible.

Is this central verse not also the central theme of the entire Bible?

[cavell]

It is better to trust in God than man.

Certainly there are some men that are trustworthy, but they have these qualities because they have been given this of God. They are still created beings and the possibility of falling always exists, until Christ returns.

God on the other hand is the eternal, never changing Creator. He is and will always be holy, just, righteous, loving, and faithful.

You can take what he says and trust in it forever.

Amen

[footprints1973]

Hmmmm, it says it is BETTER to trust God than man...doesn't really say ONLY trust God, NEVER trust Man, right?

Man is imperfect, we all fall short. But God is always perfect and trustworthy.

Laura

[GraceSeeker]

Hmmmm, it says it is BETTER to trust God than man...doesn't really say ONLY trust God, NEVER trust Man, right?



So, if you trust Man, it will always be true that you could have made a better. Sort of makes me think of those V8 commercials. Slap yourself in the head and say, "I could have had a God 118:8!"

[suzeequeue]

that's sound teaching brother cavell. thank you! i always appreciate your teachings (although i hardly ever post). it kind of goes along with "lean not on your own understanding but acknowledge Him in all things and He will direct your path." i'm not sure that's quite right, i didn't look it up just now.

i once told someone that the Bible teaches not to trust anyone but God, especially not to trust yourself, as you will always lead yourself astray, but when i searched thoroughly i couldn't find that exactly. in any event, i've found it to be true in my own life; if i venture forth without the Lord i am bound for failure.

thanks again:wave:. i enjoy your posts.

[cavell]

that's sound teaching brother cavell. thank you! i always appreciate your teachings (although i hardly ever post). it kind of goes along with "lean not on your own understanding but acknowledge Him in all things and He will direct your path." i'm not sure that's quite right, i didn't look it up just now.

i once told someone that the Bible teaches not to trust anyone but God, especially not to trust yourself, as you will always lead yourself astray, but when i searched thoroughly i couldn't find that exactly. in any event, i've found it to be true in my own life; if i venture forth without the Lord i am bound for failure.

thanks again:wave:. i enjoy your posts.


Thankyou for your post here.

So easy to say nothing....or 'nowt' HaHa in these barren regions of Yorkshire

God Bless

[ActingDude17]

It's saying if you had a choice to trust God or man, trust God.

We can trust both.

[contriteheart]

I think the level of trust is important here.

To trust is to have confidence in, trust, rely on, hope in something or someone. But there can be different levels of those qualities.

For example, when we eat at someone's home, we trust that they are not going to poison us. We trust that people who design elevators know what they are doing. We (hopefully) trust our spouses not to cheat. We trust our doctor is not trying to kill us when he cuts us open during surgery. We trust that a commercial aircraft pilot is going to do his best not to crash. Those are all levels of trust.

I believe this Psalm is not saying we should not trust in man at all. I believe that it is talking about ultimate trust. God should be our ultimate trust, our ultimate hope, the ultimate One on whom we rely. With that trust in its rightful position, we can then (wisely) entrust ourselves to the care of other human beings.

Israel had a history of not placing their ultimate trust in God, but in things like alliances with other nations. We, also, can place ultimate trust in other things - like money.

I believe this Psalm is challenging us to place our ultimate trust, our ultimate and supreme hope - not with man (who often falls and fails), but with God.