Morning, January 24

Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings

"Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler."

  Psalm 91:3

   God delivers his people from the snare of the fowler in two senses.
   From, and out of. First, he delivers them from the snare--does not let
   them enter it; and secondly, if they should be caught therein, he
   delivers them out of it. The first promise is the most precious to
   some; the second is the best to others.

   "He shall deliver thee from the snare." How? Trouble is often the means
   whereby God delivers us. God knows that our backsliding will soon end
   in our destruction, and he in mercy sends the rod. We say, "Lord, why
   is this?" not knowing that our trouble has been the means of delivering
   us from far greater evil. Many have been thus saved from ruin by their
   sorrows and their crosses; these have frightened the birds from the
   net. At other times, God keeps his people from the snare of the fowler
   by giving them great spiritual strength, so that when they are tempted
   to do evil they say, "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin
   against God?" But what a blessed thing it is that if the believer
   shall, in an evil hour, come into the net, yet God will bring him out
   of it! O backslider, be cast down, but do not despair. Wanderer though
   thou hast been, hear what thy Redeemer saith--"Return, O backsliding
   children; I will have mercy upon you." But you say you cannot return,
   for you are a captive. Then listen to the promise--"Surely he shall
   deliver thee out of the snare of the fowler." Thou shalt yet be brought
   out of all evil into which thou hast fallen, and though thou shalt
   never cease to repent of thy ways, yet he that hath loved thee will not
   cast thee away; he will receive thee, and give thee joy and gladness,
   that the bones which he has broken may rejoice. No bird of paradise
   shall die in the fowler's net.