Reliance upon God or upon others. Dependence on God for help with spiritual and physical needs arises out of an awareness of human helplessness, though dependence may be wrongly directed. People may look to others for encouragement and support, but over-dependence is not commended.
Dependence arising from a sense of helplessness
Physical helplessness
Psalm 18:6 See also Psalm 107:4–6, Psalm 116:6; Mark 4:38 parallels Matthew 8:25, Luke 8:24; Mark 5:25–26 parallels Matthew 9:20, Luke 8:43
In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for His help reached His ears.
Spiritual helplessness
Isaiah 64:6; Mark 9:17–18 parallels Matthew 17:14–16, Luke 9:38–40; Romans 5:6, Romans 7:18
Dependence on God encouraged
God is to be trusted
Hebrews 4:16 See also Exodus 14:31; Deuteronomy 8:3; Psalm 4:5, Psalm 9:10, Psalm 20:7, Psalm 37:3; Proverbs 3:5–6; Nahum 1:7; John 15:4–5
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
God is a refuge
Psalm 46:1 See also Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 62:8, Psalm 71:1
For the choirmaster. Of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A song. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.
God can help those who depend on him
Hebrews 13:6 See also Psalm 118:6–7, Psalm 22:4–5, Psalm 33:18–20, Psalm 94:17–18
So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
God will help those who depend on him
Luke 11:13 parallel Matthew 7:11 See also Psalm 121:2–4, Psalm 145:18–19; James 1:5
So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
Examples of failure to depend on God
Numbers 20:12; Deuteronomy 1:32, Deuteronomy 9:23; 2 Kings 17:14; Psalm 49:6, Psalm 49:13; Isaiah 42:17
Dependence on God for physical help
2 Chronicles 20:12 Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah. See also 2 Kings 19:14 parallel Isaiah 37:14 Hezekiah; 2 Chronicles 13:18 the men of Judah2 Chronicles 14:11, 2 Chronicles 16:8 Psalm 22:9–10 David; Matthew 9:27–28 two blind men; John 2:3–5 Mary; 2 Corinthians 1:8–10 Paul
Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
Dependence on God for spiritual needs
Mark 10:14–15 parallels Matthew 19:14, Luke 18:16–17 Childlike dependence is necessary for those who would enter God's kingdom; John 3:27 See also Ruth 2:12; Luke 23:40–42, Luke 24:47–49; 2 Corinthians 3:4–5
But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and told them, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them! For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.
Dependence on God expressed in prayer
Psalm 5:2 See also Psalm 22:24, Psalm 88:13, Psalm 102:1, Psalm 119:147, Psalm 130:1–2
Attend to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I pray.
Examples of those crying out in dependence on God
Exodus 2:23 the Israelites in Egypt; Job 30:28 Job in his suffering; Isaiah 30:19 the people of Jerusalem; Lamentations 3:55 Jeremiah; Jonah 2:2 Jonah from within the fish; Luke 18:13 the tax collector in the temple; Acts 12:5 the church praying for Peter; 2 Corinthians 1:11 the Corinthians praying for Paul
Misplaced dependence
Dependence on surrounding nations
Jeremiah 2:18 See also 2 Kings 18:20–21 parallel Isaiah 36:5–6; Isaiah 31:1
Now what will you gain on your way to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates?
Dependence on false gods and religions
Psalm 40:4 See also Deuteronomy 31:20; Isaiah 42:17; Colossians 2:8
Blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, who has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.
Dependence on human strength and resources
Jeremiah 17:5; Romans 9:16 See also Psalm 33:16–17, Psalm 118:8–9, Psalm 127:1–2; Ephesians 2:8–9
This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes mere flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD.
So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
Dependence on sinful behaviour
The futility of misplaced dependence
Proverbs 25:19; Jeremiah 2:13 See also Isaiah 8:6–8, Isaiah 31:3; Hosea 10:13–14; Acts 12:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:11–12
Like a broken tooth or a foot out of joint is confidence in a faithless man in time of trouble.
“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns — broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
A proper dependence on others is commended
Human help can strengthen
Galatians 6:2 See also Ecclesiastes 4:9–12
Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Examples of a right dependence on others
Leviticus 21:3 a priest's support for an unmarried sister; Deuteronomy 15:11; Matthew 25:35–36; 1 Samuel 29:6 Achish found David to be a reliable soldier; Isaiah 8:2 Uriah and Zechariah were reliable witnesses; 2 Timothy 2:2 Reliable teachers are a blessing to the church.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.