He knew that he believed in a God that changeth not, just as we believe
that the Lord Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever,”
{64} and the result was the assurance that He who had helped him thus far
would help him to the end. He knew that his God would not change, and
therefore he was happy and confident though he was in “a dry and thirsty
land.” {65a} His joy did not depend on circumstances, but on God, and
being confident in His unchanging grace he could be happy anywhere. He
used to delight in the Sanctuary, and we read in verse 2 how he had there
seen in his own soul God’s power and glory. But the same Lord who had
helped him in the Sanctuary would help him also in the cave, and
therefore he was not an unhappy man even in the wilderness, but he said,
“Because Thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise
Thee.”
And this was no new principle in his mind, for we find him acting on it
when he was quite a youth. It was the principle that carried him into
the conflict with Goliath, for when Saul dissuaded him from the attempt,
he said, “The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out
of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this
Philistine.” {65b} Thus the recognition of past help ought to lead to
confident trust. If we have found help actually given, if we have reason
to believe that God is helping now, we may boldly look forward into the
future, and be perfectly confident that He will help to the end.