11 Psalm 91 Keep me safe from secret traps

Psalm 91 Study 11 Keep me Safe from Secret Traps We read in Psalm 91:3, "The Lord will keep you safe from secret traps and deadly diseases." (CEV) In this study we will meditate on this part of the verse mentioned above, where the Lord assures us that He is able to keep us safe from falling into secret traps. If we were to define 'traps' they are positions or situations that are covertly set up with the intention to catch one unawares. These traps which are nets or enclosures, are used by hunters, usually hidden from view and with the motive to catch a bird or an animal. The word of God assures us from Psalm 91:3 that the Lord is able to deliver us from such a snare of the evil one, whose goal is to set a trap to ensnare our souls. We will explore from the bible as to how we can identify these cunning or subtle traps that the enemy sets up for us, so that we can with God's help be safe, and not fall prey to them. The trap that King Saul fell into We read in 1 Samuel 18:7, "They sang: Saul has killed a thousand enemies; David has killed ten thousand enemies!"(CEV) As Saul and David were returning home after an astounding victory, the crowds were present to give them a rousing welcome. Saul as the King of Israel and David as a warrior who had won a great victory over the Philistines, came together peaceably. The Psalmist describes it this way in Psalm 133:1, "Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!" (ESV) As these two men entered the town the women came singing and dancing to greet them with these words, 'Saul killed a thousand and David has killed ten thousands.' When Saul heard this refrain, he was disturbed and the song bothered him greatly. It is recorded in 1 Samuel 18:8, And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, "They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?" (ESV) Saul was displeased when he heard this song and it also made him very angry. He began to deliberate the thought that now that the people had attributed ten thousands to David, and ascribed only thousands to him that the kingdom too would soon be passed on to David. Saul and David were unified when they came from battle, but a simple song that was sung by the women, proved to be a trap for King Saul and he not being aware of it, got entangled in it. Saul and David could have accomplished much together, and David did not have the vicious thought or desire to secure the throne from King Saul. Satan will usually set a trap for people when they are living together is unity, just as it happened between Saul and David. There have been many who have been in harmonious friendship for many long years, which was pleasing to those around, and most certainly to the Lord. However, some have fallen into the snare set by the enemy, and their love for each other has been replaced with hatred. These divisions take place in the family, in the church, work place, in the political scenario and the reasons for these are that people are unaware of these pitfalls that Satan has cunningly devised. If we are not wary of these ploys, we will most certainly be caught in them. * Saul was jealous and suspicious of David We read in 1 Samuel 18:9, "And so he was jealous and suspicious of David from that day on." (GNB) From that onwards Saul began to eye David with intense envy and suspicion. After this incident, if we study the life of Saul, the rest of it was spent entirely on him trying to harm or kill David. God had chosen Saul who was an ordinary man to be the King of Israel, but wistfully Saul fell into the trap of hatred and jealousy. He lost his zeal for the Lord and for the kingdom, when his mind was diverted solely towards destroying David. If we observe any kind of break in relationships, often they are related to jealousy and suspicion. There are many people who like Saul are constantly devising schemes for the downfall of those whom they hate. They will gossip, speaking ill of the one they hate and spread rumors to malign their reputation. We may not like Saul connive to physically kill those we dislike, but if we deliberately plan to slander them, we too have fallen into the trap of the evil one. If a bird or animal is caught in a hunter's net, they are left to his mercy, and he will choose to do what he wishes to his prey. Many believers too have sadly fallen into this snare of hatred, jealousy, irritation or anger towards others. When this happens, we become tools in the hands of the devil for his wicked schemes, instead of being useful vessels in the hands of the Lord to build His kingdom. David too had a trap set up for him We read in 1 Samuel 24:4, "They said to him, "This is your chance! The LORD has told you that he would put your enemy in your power and you could do to him whatever you wanted to."" (GNB) As Saul relentlessly pursued after David to take his life, David along with his men hid in a cave. Interestingly, when Saul entered that very same cave, David's men advised him that this was his chance to get even with Saul. They also encourage David that it was the Lord Himself who had handed over Saul into his hands, and that he could therefore do to Saul whatever he wished to do. This was David's response in 1 Samuel 24:6-7, "and he said to his men, "May the LORD keep me from doing any harm to my master, whom the LORD chose as king! I must not harm him in the least, because he is the king chosen by the LORD!" So David convinced his men that they should not attack Saul. Saul got up, left the cave, and started away." (GNB) David was categorical that he would do no harm to Saul, for David realized that this was a trap that the enemy had set for him. Circumstances were extremely favorable to David if he wished to take revenge on Saul, but David chose to dissuade his men from doing any wrong to Saul. It was this amazing character of David that I believe God approved of, and also the reason why Jesus was pleased to be called the 'Son of David'. David chose to not take revenge and honored the anointing that King Saul had received from God. We must be aware that we too will may find opportunities to get even with those who have wronged us. When there is enmity between brothers, the thought that is foremost on their mind is how they can put the other one down, and defame them in any possible way. Instead like David we must be willing to be silent, and let the Lord vindicate us in His time. Joseph escaped the trap that was set for him It is recorded in Genesis 39:20, "And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison." (Webster) Joseph was a young man who landed up in prison in Egypt. This was not the place that Joseph should have been in. He was the favorite son of his father Jacob, and back home he should have led a comfortable life. When Joseph was at home with father and brothers, he had dreams. In his dreams it was revealed to him that his brothers who were elder to him would submit to him with reverence. When his brothers heard of these dreams they were filled with hatred towards Joseph. I believe that this too was a subtle trap of Satan that Joseph's brothers were not conscious about. Instead of being united, they allowed the evil one to bring division amongst themselves. The hatred that Joseph's brothers had for him was so intense, that they sold him as a slave. Not only did they sell him, they even lied to their father that some wild animal had mauled Joseph to death. Joseph ended up as a slave in the house of Potiphar in Egypt, where Potiphar's wife falsely accused him, which was why he landed up in prison. As Joseph languished in prison, he had every reason to turn bitter. He could have contemplated on the cruelty of his brothers, his father's love and the false accusation that was framed against him. This was a situation where a trap was laid for Joseph to harbor bitterness in his heart against his brothers, against his master and his master's wife, and even against God. For instance, let us say there are two ladies who sing melodiously in a choir, and they are good friends too. All that a divisive person needs to do is to praise one over the other. They have by so doing created ill-feelings between both the women. If we allow hatred to grow in our hearts, it will like it did to Joseph's brothers lead us into numerous sins. We must be watchful and understand the will of God if we desire to escape these snares that the devil sets up for us. There are so many entanglements today that could cause husbands to hate their wives or vice versa, parents to dislike their children or children to be antagonistic toward their parents and we must be alert to escape these schemes of Satan. God raised up Joseph and He forgave his brothers In due course God raised up Joseph right there in Egypt to be the ruler next only to Pharaoh. The God who gave Joseph the dreams as a young man, also fulfilled those dreams. When the land where Joseph's father and brothers dwelt in was struck with famine, they had to go to Egypt as there was food available there. The brothers of Joseph who reached Egypt were unable to recognize that the Egyptian ruler who stood before them was their own brother and they bowed down to pay obeisance to him. When Joseph revealed to his brothers on their second visit that he was indeed their own brother, they were filled with dread that Joseph would be angry with them and would take revenge on them. Here are the words of Joseph to his brothers in Genesis 50:19-21, "And Joseph said to them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spoke kindly to them." (Webster) We may wonder as to how it was possible for Joseph to speak kindly to his brothers who had done so much of evil to him. Joseph knew that the trap set for him by the devil was to be bitter, to hate, take revenge and he was also endowed with the authority to do so. However, Joseph perceived that the hand of God was with Him, and that God had in His wisdom turned the evil done to him for the good of his entire family. As children of God let us get rid of all bitterness, hate and anger from our hearts. Let us not give Satan a foothold in our lives to trick us into the snares that he sets for us. There is much division today, in families, amongst siblings and even in the church. There may be real hurts that we carry that people have meted out to us, false accusations, slander or treacherous plots to ruin us. It is time to seek God who is able to change all the evil that is aimed at us so that it will eventually work out for our own good. When Saul harbored hatred towards David, an evil spirit tormented him and the Spirit of the Lord left him. David and Joseph on the other hand, were willing to let go of all their hurts and bitterness to allow the Lord to vindicate, and turn things for the good of many. Let us therefore like them decide to forgive everyone who has hurt us in any way, and be set free from all the snares of the evil one, with the help and strength of the Lord Jesus for only then the peace of God will rule our hearts and minds.