“Because He hath set His love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known My name He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him My salvation.” (Psalms 91:14-16)
God loves those who love Him. and loving Him bears responsibility on our part. We are to obey Him in all things, and when we do, His blessings are bestowed upon His faithful children. Conversely, if we rebel against His commandments we fall under condemnation for we are then in a rebellious state. When we are rebellious, we are wilful, obstinate and choose to do things our way in the place of His way. He loves man, but obedience to Him is commanded.
“The love of God is the first duty of man, and this springs from just views of His attributes or excellencies of character, which afford the highest delight to the sanctified heart. Esteem and reverence constitute ingredients in this affection, and a fear of offending Him is its inseparable effect.”
~ American Dictionary of the English Language – Noah Webster 1828
“God grants to the person who loves Him, namely:
“Deliver him” from evil. Individually, each needs some kind of deliverance.
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me.” (John 14:1)
“The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him.” (Nahum 1:7)
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalms 46:1)
“I will set him on high.” Exalt him. Honor him. God smiles on those who love Him.
“For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great His mercy toward them that fear Him.” (Psalms 103:11)
“He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him.” Prayer is a privilege not everyone enjoys for spiritual reasons. Only the person who loves God has the Divine promise that God will answer – not always as He asks, but ever in the way that is best.
“Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations; And repayeth them that hate Him to their face, to destroy them: He will not be slack to him that hateth Him, He will repay him to his face”
(Deuteronomy 7:9-10)
“I will be with him in trouble” There will be trouble, but God will be with him when it comes.
“Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.” (I Peter 5:7)
“With long life will I satisfy him.” This is very understandable. The life prescribed by true religion – calmness, moderation, temperance, faithful industry and freedom from excesses – contributes to health and longer days.
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to destroy: I Am come that they might have life, and that they might have it ore abundantly.” (John 10:10)
“Show him My salvation.” The previously mentioned blessings are temporal, but this one is spiritual, reaching beyond the grave, for now and forever.
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:16)
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
Romans 10:9
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not wiling that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” II Peter 3:9
Eileen Light
And how do we know when we love God?
1 John 5:2-3—By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.