Young Lions Lack Food

 

In a certain area of Mexico there are hot springs and cold springs found side by side. And because of this convenience and natural miracle the local women often bring their laundry, boil their clothes in the hot springs and rinse them in the cold springs. A tourist watching this commented to his Mexican guide “they must be truly thankful to God for generously supplying such abundance of clean hot and cold water. The guide replied “the people are not grateful, there is much grumbling because God forgot to supply the soap” (Rev. Duraimony Dickson 2021)

Psalm 34 was written by David when on the run for his life. He composed this psalm after he escaped from the Philistines at Gath and sheltered in the cave of Adullum (1 Sam. 21:10-22:1).  The Psalm is a humble reflection, thanksgiving and adoration to the God who had listened to his fearful pleas and delivered him out of his crisis at Gath. The Psalm outlines God’s incredible goodness to those who take refuge in Him.

In Psalm 34:8-9 David says “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. David calls us to take actions “taste and see; take refuge in God; be holy and fear the Lord”. Christianity is not a passive drift but active swimming from earth to the heavenly shore

There are many things to be done so that here on earth we can enjoy the abundant life that Jesus came to give us (John 10:10) and also be assured of entry to heaven after death (James 2:17). Psalm 34:9 says “Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. God has given a wonderful promise to the holy people who fear him- they will lack nothing. This is a conditional promise.  

In Psalm 34:10, David gives us an analogy to further the point that he is addressing in verse 9. He compares “the young lions” and “they who seek the Lord”. In this verse David illustrates the difference between those who rely on themselves and those who rely on God. Even the strongest animal suffers want for a time, but they that seek the Lord never lack anything.

The young lions do lack and suffer hunger. We do not know why David used the lion as an illustration in this psalm. Were there lions prowling around the camp at Adullam and did the psalmist take their growls as typical of vain attempts to satisfy the soul?  The lion is the strongest beasts of prey; the emblem of power and strength.  The young lions in all the vigor of youth are fierce, cunning and strong.

Because of their violent effort and supreme strength, lions are expected to be the most capable of providing for themselves. But, in spite of their sharp teeth, strong claws and lithe spring, they lack and suffer hunger. Possibly David also has in mind, young lions who are dependent on the older lions for food. The old lions may at times be unable to acquire food for their young.

The figure ‘lion’ may be a metaphor for those who are strong, oppressive and violent. A fierce struggle for material good is the true description of the sort of life that a good number of people live today. They struggle and scheme and spring at the prey. The strong young lions sometimes suffer hunger.  In the same way the crafty men with all their shrewdness often suffer from dissatisfaction and emptiness.

You can amass a lot of wealth and still suffer from dissatisfaction and emptiness. Solomon did (Ec. 2:1-4), he said “I wanted to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.  I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself. I made gardens and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made reservoirs to water groves of flourishing trees.

I bought slaves; I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I amassed silver and gold for myself. I acquired singers and a harem as well—the delights of a man’s heart. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. Yet when I surveyed all what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless.

In Ecclesiastes 5 he says” Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep (vv 10-13).

Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart (vv.19-20).  God supplies the need for the simple minded believers, who dare not act as the greedy lions of earth. To please and to trust God is more rewarding than the practice of the craftiest men.

Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.  Deuteronomy 4:29 says that if we seek God with all our heart and with all our soul, we will find Him. Deuteronomy 16:10-11 says “Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always (Deut. 16:10-11). David devoted himself to seeking the lord. His success was due to his tremendous faith and a heart after God’s very own (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22).

In Psalm 63 David says “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you … because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night”.

His prayer was “teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.  I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever (Ps 86:11-12). God blessed the nation because of him. Towards the end of his life (1 Chron.23:1) David told the Israelites “is not the Lord your God with you? Has he not given granted you rest on every side? Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God” (1 Chron. 22:18-19).

We need a heart like David’s, one that is actively and passionately in full pursuit of God. King Uzziah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord...He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success (2 Chron. 26:4-5). King Rehoboam did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the Lord (2 Chron. 12:13-14).

If we seek God, he will supply for us a thoroughly satisfied heart. He says, “I love those who love me; and those who diligently seek me will find me” (Prov. 8:17). Psalm 37:4 says “Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. In Psalm 23:1David has expressed this concept of God’s unending provision before, “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want”.

God is able to meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). He is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need (2 Cor.9:8). He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Eph.3:20). God does not  withhold anything good from those who walk uprightly  (Ps. 84:11).

God is the creator of the universe and the owner all silver and gold (Haggai 2:8). He owns every beast of the forest, cattle on a thousand hills and everything that moves in the field (Ps 50:10-12). He causes his sun to rise and sends rain (matt 5:45). The present Life is a gift from him (Ps 3:5; 139:16) life after death is a gift from him, I Sam 2:6). Good health is a gift from him (Deut 7:15). He gives wealth and possessions and the ability to enjoy them (Deut. 8:18, Ec. 5:19).

A God with such limitless resources will not allow his faithful servants to suffer want. The promise in Psalm 34:9-10 binds him to supply necessaries. God is fully able to provide for his children. Everything that is good for his children in this world and in the next will be granted (Ps. 84:11). And, if anything is withheld, certainly it is not because God could not grant it, but because He sees some good reasons why it should not be granted.

 We are often not the best judges of what will be for our good; but God is an infallible Judge in this matter and He will certainly bestow what is best for us. Those whose first and main end in life is to seek the Lord will not want as long as God is in the heaven. Men may call them fools, but the Lord will prove them wise. They shall win where the world's wise lose and God shall have the glory of it.

Do you ever stop and thank God for what he has done for you or do you dwell on what he has not. Is your life filled with praise like David’s or murmuring? Because of murmuring God told the Israelites “You grumbled in your tents and said, “The Lord  hates us...no one from this evil generation shall see the Good Land" (Deut.1:27,35). Be careful lest you murmur and get locked out of heaven.