Recently, my son told me about a boy he goes to school with whose house had police officers outside early one morning. As he talked, I could tell it really affected him. He said this boy is carrying so much hurt, and hearing about it made my son deeply emotional and empathetic. The home this boy has lived in his whole life—the place that should have been his safe place, his refuge from the world—has instead been hiding things no child should have to face.
He has now witnessed not one, but two overdoses in the basement of that home. Right beneath him, in the place where he should have felt sheltered from hurt, harm, and danger, there was darkness. He is carrying fear, pain, and resentment—toward his mother for bringing that darkness into the home, toward his grandmother for the addiction that affected his mother, and toward a world that feels unsafe and unstable.
On top of that, he is still just a teenager. He is dealing with the normal challenges of growing up—hormonal changes, social pressure, insecurity, and the awkward transition from boyhood toward manhood. But layered on top of all of that is trauma: an imprisoned father, an addicted mother, and an addicted grandmother. His only steady support seems to be his great-grandmother, who is in her 90s.
And yet, because he has watched how his mother and grandmother treat her, he has learned some of those same behaviors. He does not always treat her with dignity, respect, and honor. At times, he treats her as though she owes him. I do not say that to condemn him, because I do not believe he fully understands what he is doing. So much of what he knows has been taught by observation. Fear has become normal to him. But it does not have to stay that way.
Psalm 5:11 says, “But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you” (ESV). As I meditated on this verse, I wanted to slow down and really understand what it was saying. Most years, I read through the Bible from cover to cover, and if I am honest, verses like this can sometimes pass by with only a quick thought like, “Yes, that is true.” But this time, I wanted to sit with the words. So I went to Strong’s Concordance and looked at the Hebrew behind the main words in the verse. Some of the smaller words are listed in the appendix, but the main words opened the verse up in a beautiful way.
In the ESV, the verse begins, “But let all who take refuge in you rejoice.” To take refuge—or, as the KJV says, to trust—carries the idea of running for protection. It gives the picture of someone fleeing behind a rock, a shield, or a safe covering because danger is pursuing them. Since David is speaking to God, he is describing God as that protective place. All who run to Him for shelter are invited to rejoice, which carries the idea of brightening up and becoming visibly glad. In other words, when we are under God’s care, we can breathe that deep sigh of relief. We can sing, shout, and cry out praises because joy is finally able to rise up and ring out.
Then David says, “let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them.” The “them” is everyone who has taken refuge in God. I love the picture this creates. There is movement from both sides: we run to God, and God spreads His protection over us. It reminds me of a child running behind a parent when another child is chasing him. The child knows where safety is, and the parent becomes both a covering and a defense. That is the kind of protection David is describing.
The last line says, “that those who love your name may exult in you.” The word love carries the idea of strong affection and attachment. And God’s name is not just a label. It includes His reputation, memory, honor, authority, character, and renown. So to love His name is to love who He is, what He has done, how He acts, and what He is like. Then, those who love Him may exult in Him. That word gives the picture of joyful celebration—almost like jumping for joy because the danger did not win. The person who ran for refuge has been protected, and the relief on the inside spills out as praise on the outside.
As I thought about this verse, I kept thinking about my own life too. I have had many financial difficulties. There have been times when I had no idea how the electric bill, rent, or car insurance would be paid. I had three boys and one on the way, and I was trying to provide for them while working constantly—outside the home at the hospital and inside the home caring for my boys, cleaning, doing laundry, cooking, mowing, and doing all the everyday things that still had to be done. I was exhausted then, and honestly, I still know what exhaustion feels like. But every time things seemed darkest, God provided exactly what I needed when I needed it. And when—not if, but when—He provided, I praised Him as my Provider and Protector.
He has protected me physically, but He has also protected me emotionally. I have walked through things I would not wish on anyone—things that would make even the strongest person break down. There were times I did not feel safe in my home. In fact, there were times I did not feel safe anywhere, and that led me into some very dark thoughts. It felt like the adversary was pursuing me relentlessly. But because I remembered Jesus, I ran to Him with everything I had. And when I ran to Him, the enemy had to relent. God is stronger and more powerful than anyone or anything. There is no rival close enough to overtake Him. He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent—all-powerful, all-knowing, and always present.And that is why I believe this boy can run to God too. He can bring God his fear, his anger, his confusion, his pain, and everything he does not know how to say out loud. He can rest in the only One who can keep him safe for eternity. This present life is temporary. We live in the already of Christ’s finished work through the cross and resurrection, but also in the not yet as we wait for His glorious return. The war has already been won, even though the battles still feel very real. One day, Jesus will return, renew all things, and fully remove the hurt, harm, and darkness that have caused so much pain. Until then, we keep running to the One who covers us, guards us, and turns even our trembling refuge into rejoicing.
Gotta go fill up my cup…..
Coffee with Candee 