“As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: He is a buckler to them that trust in Him” (II Samuel 22:31).
This is the 30th verse (out of 50) in David’s great “song of deliverance,” evidently considered by God to be of sufficient importance to have it included twice (II Samuel 22 and Psalm 18) in His written word. Its testimony is greatly needed.
One of the most common excuses given by men for rejecting the God of the Bible is their opinion that His ways are unfair. Even Christians are prone to complain at the way God deals with them. But the fact that we may not understand God’s ways hardly gives us the right to pass judgment on them. He often reminds us in His word that His way is perfect and His word has been tried and proved, again and again. “For the word of the LORD is right; and all His works are done in truth” (Psalm 33:4). “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul” (Psalm 19:7).
We need to settle it in our hearts that, whether we understand them or not, God’s ways are always perfect. What He does is right, and whatever He says must be true by definition. His ways are always in the context of eternity, but we leap to judgment in terms of present inconvenience.
His perfect way is seen most fully in Christ, and His truth is heard most clearly in Christ, for “I am the way,” He said, and I am “the truth” (John 14:6). Yet Christ’s way was through the cross, and His truth was opposed by the father of lies (John 8:44). God’s way for us may also lead us into suffering and great opposition, but His way is always perfect and His word is tried and true. If we trust Him through it all He will be our buckler as He was for David. “Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him” (Proverbs 30:5). HMM
