Psalm 123

Psalm 123

One of the greatest difficulties in my life as a disciple is that of being distracted. I don’t think it is so much a matter of A.D.D. as it is an undisciplined mind and poor concentration. This Psalm has two powerful lessons for people like me. In verse 1 the author says he will ‘lift up my eyes.' The word ‘lift up’ was no casual glance.  It literally means "to carry or bear" and was used to describe how a sacrificial animal carried the guilt of the one offering the sacrifice. This is an intensely focused stare. 

In verse two there are two related concepts. First the servant watches the master to learn how. From sewing to playing guitar to word work demonstrations, it is a much better way to learn than verbal or written instructions. How we ought to live is better understood in careful observation of the life of Jesus. Second, this is about careful attention to the smallest gestures of the master. At a meal, a finger wave may mean 'bring a drink,' or a flat palm could mean 'clear the dishes.' These gestures are so small others don’t notice, but the attentive servant sees and obeys.

“Lord, help me have the capacity for detailed observation and obedience to You. AMEN."

Psalm 122

Psalm 122

The word ‘duty’ has come to have an almost negative connotation. We think of our ‘duty’ to pay taxes, sit on a jury, renew our licenses, or go to church. Such an understanding is unfortunate. I have a duty to show tender affection to my wife. But that ‘duty’ is also my delight and thrill.

We sometimes treat or think of our time with God’s people as a duty that is a chore or a drudgery, but it is actually a delight. This Psalm is loaded with beautiful images and illustrations, but for now let's look at three ways life in the church is a delight. In verse 3 we see ‘a city that is compact.’ This means every part supports every part. Houses support the walls, walls support the market, etc. In the church, every part/person is supporting and supportive. In verse 4 we see ‘to give thanks.’ Thanksgiving may be the single best thing we can do for our mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Praise or thanksgiving is the language of the church. In verse 5, ‘judgment,’ it is only in the church that we circle everything around the beauty of God’s justice in the cross.

“Lord, thank you for the delight of being part of the church. AMEN.”

Psalm 121

Psalm 121

Everyone, even the strongest saint, needs to hear words of encouragement. Not so much “you are great” but rather “our God is great.” Some scholars believe this psalm was originally a spoken and reply psalm. Verses 1-2 were recited by one person. Verse 3 would be from a priest or leader, and verse 4 would be said in reply. Note in verse 4 the care of the Lord is large and general. But verses 5-8, spoken by the leader, show His care is personal and more individual. It is almost as if the speaker says, “I know God will take care of the big picture,” and the leader replies, “Yes, but He will take care of you as well.”

Many times we can feel great confidence in God's control over the big picture stuff. He will keep the universe and the galaxies on course. He will work out the events of world history and national politics. But are we sometimes a little shaky about our lives and homes? We are strong in verse 4, the big picture stuff, but God is also caring about the little stuff in our lives. Count the times “you” or “your” is used in this poem.

“Lord, give me confidence in Your care for me personally. AMEN.”

Lessons my pigs taught me about sin

As you may know, I have a hobby of growing and selling pigs. It is a great source of protein, good exercise, often humorous, occasionally frustrating, and can be an insight into spiritual matters. 

A few weeks ago we had a hot and dry spell. Temps were normal for late summer but very hot for spring. Every day I would make sure my pigs had fresh, clean water. I went to significant trouble and expense to make sure that their watering supply would be sufficient and available.

Hogs are reported to be among the most intelligent animals on or off the farm. It is true that they have a high degree of intelligence for short-term problems, but they are painfully short-sighted. Frequently I would come in at the end of the day to discover that my hogs had turned their water supply over so they could have a mud hole in which to wallow. I’m not sure how they did it. I would make sure the barrel was on solid ground and would ratchet strap it to a tree. At the end of the day the ratchet strap would be off, and the water would be poured out; the barrel would be down the hill, and they would be desperately thirsty. Smart enough to know how to get short-term satisfaction but not smart enough to be able or willing to examine the long-term cost.

That is the way sin works in our lives. We figure out how to find short-term satisfaction but fail to count the cost of our willful moment. That is the nature of sin. The short-term satisfaction, thrill, or pleasure is all we seem to be able to think about. We fail to consider all that the short-term delight will cost us. By the way, lecturing the pigs on how foolish they are and how troublesome they can be and how if they would make better choices, we would all be better off didn't work. Doesn’t work on people either.

So what to do? In both cases, working with pigs and people (and myself), being kind, graceful, and gentle are the best solutions. In some cases it actually helps, but even if it doesn’t produce ideal results, it helps bring a little peace to our own souls.

Psalm 120

Psalm 120

This Psalm and those that follow are called the Songs of Ascent. While not sure what ‘ascent’ we are talking about, the best guess is that they were sung as pilgrims made their final approach to Jerusalem.

Rather than the privilege of living in Jerusalem, the ‘city of peace,’ this person is living in “Meshech.” Meshech refers to a region populated by semi-nomadic bandits. These were a people who, unlike most nomads, who follow flocks, were always uprooting their lives and tents to go plunder and pillage. We may be more familiar with the ravages of the Huns, drug cartels, or street gangs. We might get a sense of this poem with this: “I want to live in a safe town, sink roots, have a family, do honest work, and live in God’s peace. But I, unfortunately, live in the friction zone of a gang turf war. I want to live in God’s shalom, but everyone around me is bent on conflict. " There is a desire for justice for these people (vs. 2-9). In our world these people are still here. The best way to not become like them is to pursue peace.

“Lord, in a world of conflict, help me be an agent of Your peace. AMEN.”

Psalm 119:169-176

Psalm 119:169-176

Tav 

The poet/disciple pleads that God would seek him, the isolated and endangered sheep! 

The poet/disciple is not resting on his laurels or past adherence to the Lord and His word.  For 168 verses, he has declared his love for and commitment to the Word of God.  We might expect in the last refrain that he might lessen the intensity of his pleading.  The opposite is true.  In these last lines it is as if the poet/disciple is giving one final effort to appeal to God.  It is not uncommon that the person who is closest to the Lord is most profoundly aware of their need for His grace.  The person who believes himself to be a “pretty good Joe” is most profoundly distant from God.  

In the first four verses of this section, the poet/disciple expresses his desire to honor God with four vocal expressions.  In those four verses we see the word translated “cry” (v. 169) is more completely translated “song of joyful praise” and was used to describe a sort of victory cry that would sweep through an army. The word “supplication” (v 170) is descriptive of a pleading for mercy, favor, or help.  In the next verse (v. 171), the poet/disciple sings the praise or glory of God.  Then he talks about “singing” (v 172). Interestingly, this word is more accurately translated as “respond,” but its root word means “to dwell.” To us, a modern metaphor would be the poet/disciples say his default setting is to respond to life with praise for God.

The poet/disciple asked for the Lord’s hand to be his ever-ready help because the Lord’s salvation is his great desire.  He connects this to delight in the law and the precepts of God.  Many people will talk about wanting the blessing of God, and much is said and written about how to obtain the blessing of God.  But the Holy Spirit inspired the poet/disciple to say the means by which the hand of the Lord will work is the Word of the Lord.  The work of the Lord’s hand is not so that the poet/disciple can have all the things he wants.  Rather, the objective the poet/disciple seeks is the opportunity to offer praise to the Lord.  

The last verse of this lengthy Psalm is powerful and profound.  Having read this Psalm, we might expect that this is a man of great piety, and he clearly is, but his self-understanding is that he is a lost sheep.  The holier a person, the more profoundly aware they, in absolute terms, are unholy.  Those closest to God are the ones aware of how far and above all God is.  This is not the lost sheep of apostasy but the one who, in moments wanders off, but is aware of that wandering.  They are aware because they, consistent with the whole theme of this Psalm, “do not forget Thy commandments.”

“Lord help me to always return to You. AMEN

Psalm 119:161-168

Psalm 119:161-168

Shin 

The poet/disciple being persecuted by princes clings fast to God. 

There are two things that the politically powerful desire above all else.  They want to be loved and adored by their people, and they want to be the most feared by their enemies.  The poet/disciple is a disappointment to his princes.  While they persecute him without just reason, he reserves his awe/fear and his love for the Lord.  At best a ruler might make and enforce good laws, but it is for the Word of God that the poet/disciple rejoices as if he found a great spoil. The prince is never more than a steward of power, but God is the holder, creator, and source of all power. 

The poet/disciple is so moved that seven times a day he praises the Lord.  There are two ways of addressing this phrase, and both are excellent spiritual disciplines.  The poet/disciple may have used ‘seven’ as the symbolic number of completion.  The number seven is often a figure for the completion of anything, e.g., creation.   If this is the case, the poet is saying for the whole day, “I praise Thee.”  The other possibility is that seven refers to seven specific times of prayer for the disciple.  This practice is seen in a 10th-century sermon that called for religious observations at breakfast, 9:00 AM, noon, 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM, bedtime, and midnight.  Either pattern, if faithfully carried out, is appropriate.

The promise of verse 165 is one of the great promises of Scripture.  “Those who love Thy law have great peace” is the first part of the promise.  Peace here is the greatest of all the Hebrew words, “shalom.”  It is more than an absence of stress or struggle; it is the wholeness and completeness of life.  It is an overflowing abundance of well-being in the confidence that God loves and cares for us (His character) and that He is able to bless our lives with His very best (His power).  The love of God’s law opens us up to the blessings of a relationship with God where ultimately all is well.  The second line says basically the same thing, except from a negative perspective.  The one who loves God’s Word is protected from the stumbling block.  This carries with it the ideal that the one who loves God’s Word is, by knowing the Word, able to see danger in advance.  It is like the advantage of having a light to shine on a dark path. (Vs. 105) The poet/disciple finds that the great spiritual blessings of the Word have begun to trickle down into the level of daily living.

The poet/disciple is still under persecution; he is still suffering for his faith. Nevertheless, he speaks with a great positive voice about the benefits of God’s Word.  The Word of God is neither a magic talisman nor a collection of spells and incantations.  It is the introduction to the One who gives hope and joy.  This life of confident joy is lived out because the poet/disciple constantly keeps the love of God’s Word a priority.  It is a reciprocal relationship, as he loves the Word, it empowers him, and as it empowers him, he grows to love the Word.  

“Lord, help me to have a constant growing commitment to Your Word. AMEN