Deuteronomy 33:27, commentary and pictures

The eternal, self-existent One from everlasting to everlasting is Himself the dwelling place and refuge of His people, with everlasting strength and love beneath to uphold and carry them while He drives their enemies out before them. That refuge is found in Jesus Christ as a personal Saviour and Father, not a distant force, who encircles the humble with His arms, is afflicted in their affliction, and gave Himself to die to prove His holding love. The promise belongs to those who trust fully, lean the whole weight upon Him, surrender the broken self without compromise, and walk in obedience and holiness, for whenever arms are stretched to Him in faith His arms are placed around and underneath. Beneath those arms the afflicted, sick, sorrowing, tempted and dying find unfailing support, healing, rest and peace, with fear of death taken away and strength given for work and witness even under opposition. Jesus will place those same everlasting arms underneath to carry His people through the very near time of trouble and the judgments upon the earth, shielding from all harm those who have made sure their feet are in the narrow path.

Moses' Closing Blessing

The verse is the closing general benediction of Moses after he blessed the tribes individually, given by inspiration in a powerful prophetic address as his last instructions to Israel. In those closing words he dwells on the majesty of God as Israel's refuge upheld by everlasting arms who thrusts out the enemy before them, and on the excellency, safety, and happiness of Israel as a people saved by the Lord, which would ever continue if they would obey God and take hold of His strength. It sets forth God's care for Israel and the exalted position they may occupy if they live in obedience to His law, with the eternal God as refuge and the everlasting arms underneath, thrusting out the enemy from before them with the command to destroy them.

It belongs with the wider blessing that there is none like God who rides the heavens and the skies to help, that strength will match each day, and that Israel dwells in safety alone in a land of corn and wine with dew from heaven, happy as a people saved by the Lord who is the shield of help and the sword of excellency. The eternal God Himself is Israel's dwelling place, home and refuge for those who trust fully in Him, and His everlasting arms are underneath to uphold them with everlasting strength. It was given to Israel of old as assurance of God's willingness to save completely those who trust Him, riding the heavens to help them because there is none like Him, and promising that as He delivered them from Egyptian bondage so He would work mightily to establish them in the Land of Promise and place them at the head of the nations. He drives enemies out before His people and commands their destruction, giving Israel safety alone in a fruitful land.

Deuteronomy 33 was put into verse to be taught to the children of Israel and sung with musical instruments as they traveled through the wilderness. Singing this cheered the journey with praise and rejoicing rather than murmuring, relieved monotony, and gave lessons that were entertaining, profitable, instructive, and encouraging to youth and entire families. The verse is part of Moses' final blessing of Israel in which Simeon is not mentioned.

Moses himself learned this refuge during forty years of training in the wilderness as a keeper of sheep after his thorough civil and military education in Egypt, and after fleeing Egypt to become a humble shepherd no longer planning a great work by his own powers. As he led flocks through mountain wilds and valley pastures, caring for the weak, nursing the sick, seeking the straying, bearing with the unruly, and tending lambs and the old and feeble, he was drawn nearer to the chief Shepherd and became closely united to the Holy One of Israel, learning faith and meekness, patience, humility and self-forgetfulness in faithfully doing as unto God the work committed to his charge. He disciplined his mind to seek after God until the mists beclouding his mind were expelled, recognized God's personal nearness and presence in his surroundings with all nature speaking of and filled with the Unseen One, and knew God as a personal God whose presence became increasingly real. As he meditated upon God's character he grasped more and more the sense of His presence, and found face-to-face communion as with a friend with the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness shining into the heart and into the chambers of the mind, finding safety in the everlasting arms as refuge and home.

Eternal Refuge Described

The eternal God is the eternal, self-existent One, the everlasting God from everlasting to everlasting, embracing past, present and future, who always has been and is a person. He Himself is the dwelling place, home and refuge of Israel, a refuge for those who trust fully in Him. That refuge is upheld from underneath by everlasting strength, with everlasting arms placed beneath to uphold and protect His people.

Underneath are the everlasting arms means that God's everlasting strength, goodness and love are beneath His people to uphold, support, sustain, protect and carry them. It is the image of a secure holding, an everlasting support and continual defense to which a person can cling and hold fast. That arm never fails but bears up under every affliction, so that leaning trustingly upon it means growing stronger and stronger in the truth and pressing without faltering toward the kingdom. Clinging to that unfailing mighty arm while walking and working humbly keeps a worker in the appointed place and makes him a blessing to the working forces around him.

He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee and shall say, Destroy them means that God drives enemies out from before His people and commands their destruction. By His sustaining strength He exercises His power to drive away their enemies.

Israel's Deliverance Assured

The eternal God is a dwelling place and refuge for those who trust fully in Him, upholding them from underneath with everlasting strength, riding the heavens to help them because there is none like Him. It was given to Israel of old as assurance of His willingness to save completely those who trust Him, that as He delivered them from Egyptian bondage and slavery so He would work mightily to establish them in the Land of Promise and place them at the head of the nations of earth. He rescued them to bring them to Himself and draw them to Himself, holding them in His everlasting arms and surrounding them with His everlasting care. He prepared for them a good land as a refuge from their enemies, where they could live under His protection. In response to such goodness and mercy they were to worship no other god, and to exalt His name and make it glorious and honored on earth.

So upheld and defended by Him as shield and sword, His saved people dwell in safety alone. He drives out the enemy from before them and decrees their destruction, commanding that they be destroyed. He thus gives them safety alone in a fruitful land with corn and wine and dew from heaven.

It is the closing general benediction of Moses after blessing the tribes individually, given by inspiration in a powerful prophetic address as His last instructions to Israel, dwelling on the majesty of God and setting forth His care. It sets forth the excellency, safety, happiness, and exalted position they may occupy as a people saved by the Lord. That safety and continued excellence would ever continue only if they would obey God, live in obedience to His law, and take hold of His strength.

Christ the Personal Saviour

The refuge is Jesus Christ speaking to those living in perilous times who keep the mind stayed on God and trust fully in Him. He leads and guides step by step, knowing the power the enemy holds over those who do not trust fully and the depths of darkness into which Satan would cast the soul. He presents Himself as refuge and hiding place who preserves from trouble and surrounds with songs of deliverance, as the exceeding brightness of the Father's glory inviting all to come and follow so they will not walk in darkness but have the light of life.

God is a personal Father who meets the needs He implanted in human beings, having ordained adaptation of means to end and supply to need and having created the soul with capacity for knowing and for loving which He does not leave unsatisfied in the struggle with sin and sorrow and pain. He is not an intangible principle, an impersonal essence, a mere abstraction, nor pitiless law and force that never hears the cry for help. He is an almighty arm that holds people up, an infinite Friend that pities, a warm hand to clasp and a tender heart to trust, revealed as even so in His word.

The everlasting arms are the arms of Jesus encircling the humble in heart, placed around and underneath whenever a person stretches out arms in faith to Christ as a personal Saviour. When a sinner comes, Jesus comes to meet him and clasps him in personal embrace, giving shelter and help against Satan's power. That embrace is refuge against Satan, who plays the game of life for the soul, and through prayer and faith and looking to the lifted Jesus for life Satan shall not conquer but shall be expelled. Those who seek the Lord in meekness and lowliness and break self before God are thus held in view of what is soon to come upon the earth, and He speaks to them and cares for them and will not leave them to perish by the hands of the wicked in the day of the Lord's anger. The eternal God loves the weak and will not thrust them away, so the believer is to remain in those arms of the Saviour in restful quiet and not worry out of them, resting there by believing that whatever the Lord has said He means and believing every word of promise, for when heart and flesh fail His grace is all-sufficient as a constant unfailing Friend.

The arms underneath are God's goodness and great love holding up the afflicted believer, proved by giving Jesus to die for them and shown in the work of redemption. In every affliction God Himself is afflicted, and Jesus is afflicted with them in all their afflictions, sharing their suffering while He sustains them. He is touched with pitying tenderness toward their suffering and lives to make intercession, so the one He sustains is precious in His sight and of value to Him, and He is kind in mercy and grace. The helpless soul under doubt is therefore to lift the eyes to Him, keep looking to Jesus where light was last seen, keep the mind dwelling on His goodness and love, and cast itself upon Him. The weak and suffering can rest in God like a tired child in its mother's arms, committing soul and body to Him without doubting His love and faithfulness even when pain clouds the mind, simply resting without trying to think, laying perplexities and troubles at His feet and leaving them there, and thus receiving courage and faith against unbelief and despondency.

Conditions for Protection

The promise belongs to those who love and trust fully, depend fully, cleave constantly, lean the whole weight on Him, hold fast the beginning of confidence firm to the end, and rest securely in Jesus trusting the goodness, mercy and love shown in redemption. Whenever a person stretches out arms in faith to Christ as a personal Saviour, the everlasting arms are placed around and underneath to comfort, sustain and bear up. This clinging to the Life-giver strengthens faith, gives a fresh and constantly growing experience in the knowledge of God and of Christ, keeps so close that no power can shake off, and leads with the believing family to a crown of immortal life. His care reaches such trusting ones with grace to endure permitted afflictions, for trials discipline and purify to fit for heaven, and Jesus knows every pain and gives grace so faith fails not. The one thus upheld is dear to God's heart, loved by Him, and will not be left to perish.

Christ gathers to His bosom with everlasting arms every soul that falls upon the Rock and is broken. This gathering comes upon full and unreserved surrender and self-renunciation, with clean work and no halfway compromise to preserve dignity, casting the whole broken self on Christ, opening the door of the heart, fully acknowledging and rejoicing in the light, and putting the bars behind. Then He gives safety, freedom, and healing from the wounds and bruises Satan has made. Then He brings into the soul all the heavenly agencies and attributes that make a faithful workman that needeth not to be ashamed, strengthening and preparing for spiritual conflict, overcoming enemies, and bringing into the light under the Lord's Captain. Every soul so saved must be holy and pure in this world, making sure work for eternal life by letting love come into the heart and putting the heart into the work.

God throws His everlasting arms about those who give themselves unselfishly to His work and never swerve in the least from principle, and proves to them a mighty helper. This means keeping strong traits of character under the control of His Spirit rather than leaning to own wisdom or becoming giddy on the wave of popularity. So upheld they come off conquerors with a triumphant song to sing in the city of God.

The Lord Jesus will place His everlasting arms underneath His people and carry them through the very near time of trial before them, the time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation, when they are brought into strait places as never before. To receive it they must awake from the state of the sleeping virgins, make sure feet are in the narrow path, gain an experience they have not yet had, turn away from unimportant things to God, and ask Jesus for His sustaining arms as a very present help in need. The self-crucifixion needed for that earnest test when it comes must be done now, not then, for afterward it does no good. Self is to die every day and every hour, while there is work to do and use to be made of every entrusted capability, by emptying and thoroughly cleansing the vessel of impurity and being made holy unto God before the destiny of souls is decided. Then when the test comes in earnest the everlasting arms will be around them, and the angels of God will make a wall of fire around them and deliver them from the enemy.

When they walk continually in God's light and meditate day and night upon His character, the eternal God upholds them with His everlasting arms. Being thus borne up they see His beauty, rejoice in His goodness, and glow with a sense of His love. With the power and light God imparts they comprehend more and accomplish more than they ever before deemed possible.

Shelter in Final Crisis

Those sent with the cross can go forward in faith and courage in the name of Jesus with confidence in their Leader because troublous times lie ahead when the judgments of God are abroad in the land and calamities follow one another in rapid succession. Soon God will rise out of His place to shake the earth terribly and to punish the wicked for iniquity, and then He will stand up in behalf of His people with protecting care. When judgments and calamities come upon the earth He throws His everlasting arms about them to shield them from all harm.

The Lord Jesus will place His everlasting arms underneath His people and carry them through the time of trial right before them, the very near time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation, when they will be brought into strait places as never before. To receive that upholding they must awake from the state of the sleeping virgins, make sure their feet are in the narrow path, gain an experience they have not yet had, turn away from unimportant things to God, and ask Jesus for His sustaining arms. The promise belongs to that crisis as assurance that the God of all grace is a very present help in time of need, even while destroying angels are already permitted to bring disaster and destruction in their path.

In view of what is soon to come upon the earth, Jesus speaks to the humble in heart, to those who seek the Lord in meekness and lowliness of mind and break self in pieces before God, encircling them with His everlasting arms and holding them with care. He will not leave them to perish by the hands of the wicked in the day of the Lord's anger. Even when the path of duty looks dark and unsafe the everlasting arms are around and beneath His people, though not always discerned, and for that reason faith must be exercised. The way He chooses may seem dark, yet it is the surest way to light, and in the midst of apparent disaster and defeat His providence is working out His purposes, so that standing under that broad shield of Omnipotence gives refuge and strength to do a mighty work for God amid opposition, reproach, and persecution, rising above the storm into the sunlight of heaven.

Comfort in Affliction and Death

God's everlasting arms of love stay beneath in affliction even when feeling forsaken, holding by strong power so as not to perish without His love. His care reaches those who love and trust Him and gives grace to endure permitted afflictions, with strength that never fails and unchangeable love enduring as God's throne. The afflicted can therefore trust without fear and lean on His strong arm, upheld and borne up under every trial with sustaining support and assurance as a refuge to trust completely.

The eternal God is a refuge for the afflicted, weak and suffering, with unfailing support underneath that lets heart and mind rest like a tired child in its mother's arms. The afflicted can commit soul and body to Him without doubting His love and faithfulness even when pain clouds the mind, simply resting without trying to think, laying perplexities and troubles at His feet and leaving them there. They are to look to Jesus where light was last seen, dwelling on God's goodness and great love proved in giving Jesus to die, casting the helpless soul on Him as one precious in His sight. In all their afflictions He is afflicted with them, touched with pitying tenderness, sharing suffering while sustaining, living to make intercession, giving courage and faith against unbelief and despondency. In sorrow and bereavement Jesus compassionately supports the grieving and gives rest, peace and consolation, compassionately binding wounds, so that distress and loss should bring nearer to God.

Christ as Great Physician holds His everlasting arms under the sick to sustain, cure, heal and uphold. The sick are to bring their cases to Him with hope and courage and link up with Him, while angels are present and physicians and helpers do everything they can. He Himself combats disease, including disease brought on by an imprudent, sinful course, and as Sin-bearer He alone can successfully fight it. The same upholding was sought in prayer for Lucinda during her sickness.

The eternal God gives His real presence and communion and the comfort of the Saviour's love in sickness, suffering, distress and loneliness when there is no human helper. He holds His chosen one up from underneath and loves her, giving personal comfort and sustaining support in mental affliction and religious mania even to insanity, and bringing comfort and blessing in sickness and trouble with lasting strength underneath to strengthen. When the burden is heavy as a cart beneath sheaves He hides in His protection and holds up with everlasting arms underneath, and knowing this gives rest and peace flowing as a river with assurance He is always present.

Jesus loves the believer in the hour of death, and the everlasting arms are beneath to uphold, hold and sustain as he dies. They bring peace and assurance when strength fails and speech is nearly gone, and the promise is to be spoken personally to one who knows death is near to comfort with certainty of divine love and support. Enfolded in arms of infinite love, the heart finds rest nowhere else; sitting at Christ's feet and learning of Him makes religion beauteous and gives comfort in feebleness. Fear of death and terror of the last enemy are taken away because Jesus has brightened the tomb by His sacred presence.

The eternal God with His everlasting arm encircles every soul however feeble that turns to Him for aid, as source of strength and stronghold in every trial whose hand is stretched forth mightily to save when cried to for help. No trial excuses loosening hold on Him, and all worth and greatness of this life is derived from connection with Heaven and the future immortal life. In trial believers can rest quietly in His care, bring sorrows and burdens to Christ in prayer, trust Him to provide strength and guidance for each day, wait patiently, and be patient and quiet rather than worry or complain. Trusting means resting in those arms with all weakness and imperfection, asking earnestly for help and trusting Him to do what cannot be done, for Jesus helps the helpless and strengthens those who feel utterly weak, sustaining beneath troubles so the trusting will not sink. Worry draws away from that trust and gives the enemy opportunity to tempt and discourage.

His arms sustained through deep grief and demanding work, giving strength not one's own and bringing peace and joy even when feeling powerless. His sustaining care gave courage and strength during a difficult journey and brought travelers safely home. The everlasting arms are round about to uphold and keep even when not realized or appreciated, which is reason never to become discouraged but to hold fast and make sure of eternal life. God puts everlasting support underneath in every place and whatever position, giving encouragement and strength to all looking to Jesus as Author and Finisher, with all heaven pledged to give this help through baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, fitting with the best education for the life above to win heaven and shun hell. His care gives perfect peace and trust and confidence and rest in Christ, with inward assurance of being kept from accident and harm while traveling by night and in changes of travel, a peace and joy lasting through the night into the morning to be expressed in words and life.

When temptation comes the eternal God is a refuge with everlasting arms underneath as support, and fleeing to the secret place of the Most High is always open. Even when not on the knees, silent petitions can constantly ascend for strength and guidance, and God will uphold from beneath and cheer by His care. When hearts and strength fail under temptation, care and darkness, Jesus holds up, surrounds, gives assurance and hope, supplies grace, imputes righteousness and saves from sin. In aggressive hand-to-hand warfare fought at every step against the enemy and the alluring bait of fallen angels, He puts arms beneath to hold from hastily joining delusion and being fascinated and ensnared, holding and using and leading when willing to be led. When pressed hard and calling earnestly, Christ is present to aid, placing His victorious arm beneath and raising a standard against Satan.

Youth whose steps are ordered by the Lord have assurance that everlasting arms encircle to protect from evil, even though the path to eternal day is not always outward peace and prosperity and at times looks dark and thorny. This calls for earnest faith and learning to trust in the shadow as well as in the sunshine. Children leaving sin and folly find arms extended to receive, shelter them and protect from Satan's power. Faithful mothers who fear and trust Him find Christ sustaining through burdens and cares.

God's infinite arm is to be firmly relied on to do His work to His acceptance. That reliance means not bearing the whole burden because the cause is the Lord's and He will take care of His own, working with calm trust instead of anxiety and worry. It includes trusting the risen Jesus ascended as Advocate before God's throne and faithful High Priest to whom requests may be brought, touched with human infirmities having been tempted as humans are, who loves and gives rest and peace. Unquestioning faith in Father and Son, with the mind of Christ, makes real this all-sufficient underneath support, safeguarding against annoyance and trouble and giving success.

The eternal God loves the weak and will not thrust them away; the individual is dear to His heart, loved, held beneath as personal refuge, and will not be left to perish. The believer is to remain in the arms of Jesus in restful quiet in His love and not worry out of them, not taking the burden or looking to self where there is only weakness and no Saviour. When heart and flesh fail His grace is all-sufficient, giving peace as constant unfailing Friend whose promises are to be gathered to the soul. His lasting arms are around and beneath those belonging to Christ, keeping His hand under them so the enemy will not overcome but victory is given and deficiencies made up. The promise calls to turn from discouragement and fix attention on Christ and His righteousness without carrying the burden of proving worth through painful self-condemnation.

God has not abandoned the trusting; His arms remain beneath giving support and comfort, with charge of the case and of the afflicted one. Though there are still conflicts with the enemy, One stronger than the enemy is in charge, so fears, anxieties, doubts and unbelief are to be dismissed in calm trust relying on evidences given, for glorious triumph in God. His hand was beneath Brother Kellogg during severe trial, sustaining and keeping from being overwhelmed. Those waiting only on Him in entire dependence find unfailing support in sorrow and affliction, with assurance Jesus will not leave, loves with everlasting love, and is Friend in life and death; the more trusted, the more faith grows and love increases. Jesus knows every sorrow, grief, throb of pain and throe of anguish, will not let the trusting sink but sustains beneath troubles and gives grace to endure so faith fails not. All sorrows here are discipline for higher life, purifying and fitting for heaven through appropriated grace, and the God who lets not even a sparrow fall without notice will care for those who trust and love Him. A wife and mother suffering silently under abuse in a hard divided home finds Him her strength who will not let her sink, making patient endurance a missionary light to the neighborhood.

God holds His everlasting arm beneath those who live for Him, supporting through life's trials. His care brings rest under Christ's easy yoke and light burden; trials need not be removed, because faith looks beyond what is seen to eternal glory.

Strength for Work and Witness

The promise gives help and grace sufficient for every circumstance from Him whose word is truth, fulfilled to all who put their trust in Him. His everlasting arms encircle the soul that turns to Him for aid, and in His care believers may rest safely in trust even when afraid. Therefore no unfavorable surroundings, sacrifice, or opposition can excuse failure to obey the truth and witness for Christ, even corruption and danger as depraved and profligate as Caesar's household. He whose heart is fixed to serve God and is determined to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness will find opportunity to witness, and difficulties will be powerless to hinder him. In strength gained by prayer and study of the Word, looking to Jesus and willingly braving contempt and derision, he will seek virtue and forsake vice, stand uncontaminated in any station, and faithfully perform duty.

Men who serve God from principle lean securely upon the never-failing arm of Jehovah underneath when faith is severely tried. In times of discouragement and darkness they trust God and keep laboring in the dark as well as in the light, calm-thinking and not dependent on feeling or circumstances. Clinging to that mighty arm while walking and working humbly with God keeps a worker in his appointed place and makes him a blessing to the working forces around him, growing stronger in truth and pressing toward the kingdom. Surrendering to Christ opens the way for the Lord to work, so that those meeting very heavy discouragements can lean upon that Arm and be sustained even when others will not listen.

The everlasting arms underneath hold up to give strength to stay through the work, with peace in the heart, freedom, and full satisfaction. This is felt sensibly when the Spirit rests in large measure and the presence of the Lord is with both speaker and congregation, leading to prayer. Underneath, God imparts physical strength and mental clearness to speak His word with power when feeble, fearful, and unsure of duty yet moving forward trusting Him, filling the heart with love and blessing and giving renewed strength and courage even when weakness remains and deliverance comes in a way not discerned beforehand. In answer to earnest prayer for special help He wonderfully sustains with strength and a clear voice to a large company whose words can be distinctly heard. He gives bodily strength to rise and speak beyond natural ability after repeated influenza and in old age, sustaining through meeting after meeting of testimony and revival work with refreshment and invigoration every time and abiding afterward by the Spirit and power of God, enabling standing before the people again to call them to come, and giving strength to bear straight and decided testimony through a demanding meeting without weariness while trusting the Lord Himself to work out difficult matters of great issues and heavy burdens.

The eternal God as refuge holds His servant up with everlasting arms underneath by sustaining power of the Holy Spirit to stand at the appointed position of trust and do the assigned work, even after being raised from a bed of sickness nigh unto death for that purpose and even when nearly all disregard that position and work and meet it with popular rebellion that insults the Spirit of God. He places His Spirit upon, sustains to bear testimony, strengthens for a long journey, keeps the mind in peace amid strife and confusion of tongues, gives a message to bear, shows many things, and appoints work to do in that place. So sustained amid opposition and illness, and while standing in trust under envy, evil-speaking, judging, rebellion among brethren, and ridicule, misrepresentation, and denunciation without inquiry from friends and fellow laborers, the servant remains at post speaking the words God gives until wrongs are expelled.

God goes with faithful workers when they leave one place to labor in another and holds them up with His arms beneath them, as after a hard battle ending in success Magan and Sutherland can go willingly to the Southern field with the Lord going with them and sustaining them as they follow on to know Him. He surrounds His people with His everlasting arms as a present assurance when responsibilities rest heavily and feel tremendous, given personally even in the night between one and two o'clock, bringing great blessing that leads to praising the Lord with heart and soul and rejoicing in the Saviour and in the heavenly Father for giving Christ to the world. This surrounding support gives courage and peace when weak, burdened, and unable to see what lies ahead, to take each step in faith.

Christ places His hands beneath the erring, trembling person struggling with evil and fighting against appetite and lifts that person up. The everlasting arms uphold hope for those debased by drink and tobacco below the level of beasts, so Satan is not allowed to quench the last spark of hope in them, for Satan is playing the game of life for the soul. Those who labor for God are to offer the same strengthening encouragement, speak strengthening and encouraging words, invite them to come to Christ, draw with God, and work in faith expecting souls to be won to stand on God's side. When sinners humble themselves before God His everlasting arms are placed around them and bring them close to Jesus for shelter and help against Satan, and when a sinner comes to Jesus, Jesus comes to meet him and clasps him in personal embrace as refuge. Satan shall not conquer but shall be expelled through prayer and faith, and looking to Jesus who was lifted up gives life and keeps God's work for the person from failing.

Laying the heavy night burden of God's work on the Lord brings true freedom, with inexpressible peace and joy filling the soul, and resting in His love while doing the work He gives keeps in perfect peace. The eternal God bears up underneath with His everlasting arms, lifting the burden off the soul, so that speaking the words of the Lord with authority leaves with Him all consequences and the confusion, contradiction of faith, feeling, and unbelief expressed by hearers. The God of all grace is with His people in every time of need, guiding them to their right place, shedding the light of His countenance upon them, strengthening and encouraging them in trouble with assurance and comfort, giving them the joy of His salvation, and aiding them in ways beyond their thought or expectation, so their right response is gladness and praise rather than murmuring about future disappointment.

The verse is present refuge around those who hold fast to the promises while laboring, sustaining with strength in taxing work of speaking and uniting in prayer for others to seek the Lord and take a firm stand, giving precious victories and causing refreshment instead of weariness. It gives help in every time of need as assurance to remain faithful to the Sabbath despite pressure to abandon it, drawing close to bless and encircle through trials the enemy brings, and sustaining and guiding in judgment. Leaning on the Everlasting Arm means depending on God for help, strength, and wisdom while faithfully carrying out one's work, for His care is constant to every hour so His people can trust fully, wait patiently, and expect salvation.

God's everlasting arms beneath express care and love, pictured in His servant's affliction and associated with peace and inexpressible happiness, holding in protecting love to rest in. The eternal God hears prayers for an afflicted servant and puts His arms beneath, having charge of the case and of the afflicted one, coming very near in great weakness and failing strength to uplift and comfort the feeble, with Jesus Christ Himself encircling in His arms and carrying the person and all burdens, giving peace as if almost in heaven. Though there will still be conflicts with the enemy, there is no need to fear because One stronger than the enemy is in charge, His hand beneath giving victory and not letting the enemy overcome. The afflicted must dismiss fears, anxiety, doubts and unbelief and calmly trust in the great yet merciful God who pities, loves and cares, relying by faith on the evidences given to gloriously triumph in God.