"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.
