Morning, January 24
Go To Evening Reading
“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.