“Those Who Put Their Trust in Him” – Helaman 12:1

As he begins his lament about the unsteadiness and inconstancy of human beings, Mormon reiterates a core gospel principle: God is steady. God is constant. We can always rely on Him. Here is how Mormon put it:

The Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him.

Helaman 12:1

Some form of the phrase “put their trust in him” appears 13 times in the Book of Mormon. King Benjamin taught that salvation would come to those who put their trust in the Lord (Mosiah 4:6). Limhi promised his captive people that if they would put their trust in God, he would deliver them out of bondage (Mosiah 7:19, 33). Alma testified to his sons Helaman and Shiblon that anyone who put their trust in God would be “supported in” and eventually “delivered from” “their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions,” and that they would be “lifted up at the last day” (Alma 36:3, 27, Alma 38:5).

Nearly all occurrences of this phrase in the King James Version of the Bible are in the Book of Psalms. For example:

• “Blessed are all they that put their trust in him” (Psalm 2:12).
• “O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me” (Psalm 7:1).
• “In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.” (Psalm 71:1).

The Hebrew word which is translated “put their trust” or “put my trust” in these passages is chasah (חָסָה), which means literally “seek refuge” or “seek shelter.” Most other biblical translations use the word “refuge” in these passages:

• “Blessed are all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 2:12, NIV).
• “LORD my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me” (Psalm 7:1, NIV).
• “In you, LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame.” (Psalm 71:1, NIV).

I like the imagery of taking refuge in him, especially in light of Alma’s testimony that God will not only deliver us from our afflictions but will also support us in our afflictions. “Refuge” suggests to me that the affliction doesn’t disappear but that its effects have been neutralized.

Today, I will put my trust in God, believing that He will support me in all of the challenges I face and that He will ultimately deliver me.