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'Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall
never suffer the righteous to be moved' (Psa. 55:22).
There are two reasons for being moved that are brought to our notice
here. One is unrighteousness. There is no peace for the wicked. Figures
such as the troubled sea that cannot rest are often found in Scripture.
Righteousness, on the other hand, is like a rock beneath our feet, after
floundering in mire and quicksands. The second reason given for 'slipping',
as the word 'moved' might be translated, is the foolish endeavour to carry
our burdens apart from the Lord.
In Psalm 15 we have six positive and six negative qualities, the
possessor of which, the Psalmist says, 'shall never be moved'. The reader
who wishes to 'search and see' will find the following of service:
Verse 2.
Three
positive
qualities.
Verse 3.
Three
negative
qualities.
Verse 4.
Three
positive
qualities.
Verses 4,5.
Three
negative
qualities.
Psalm 16:8 reads: 'I have set the Lord always before me; because He is
at my right hand, I shall not be moved'. This Psalm speaks of resurrection,
and has a bearing upon the passage in 1 Corinthians 15 which we must consider
presently.
Again, in Psalm 21:7 we read: 'The king trusteth in the Lord, and
through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved'. There is also the
magnificent Psalm which opens with the words: 'God is our refuge and
strength, a very present help in trouble' (Psa. 46:1). The earth is removed,
the mountains are carried into the sea, the heathen rage, the kingdoms are
moved, the earth melts. Yet, in the midst of such overwhelming confusion, we
read: 'God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved' (Psa. 46:5). It
is encouraging to those who are naturally timid to see how the Psalmist's
trust and confidence grow by experience:
'He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defence; I shall not be
greatly moved' (Psa. 62:2).
'He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defence; I shall not be
moved' (Psa. 62:6).
At the first venture of faith the Psalmist's expression is 'I shall not
be greatly moved'. After having experienced something of the Lord as his
rock and defence, the Psalmist omits the qualifying word and says, 'I shall
not be moved'.
We must now look at some New Testament illustrations. Let us turn
first to Paul's words as his first great ministry drew to a close. Facing
the future, with its bonds and afflictions, he says:
'But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto
myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry,
which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the
grace of God' (Acts 20:24).
Do we feel as we read these words, that such a condition is beyond us?
Let us remember that the unmoved state of the first sentence is largely the