Psalm 125

Psalm 125

Jerusalem, by virtue of geography and topography, was naturally fortified, and the added fortifications made her very defensible. But the real security was found in God's care and provision.

Notice in verse 3 that the rule or scepter of the wicked “will not rest.” But are there not some occasions when and where the wicked do in fact hold sway or rule over the godly? Yes, but that is the testing and temporary condition of God's people. If evil forever and permanently triumphs, then the godly might switch sides. In the midst of oppression, it may seem like evil has won. That is part of our testing. In the midst of what seems like endless oppression, can we believe and trust that it is not truly endless? If we can, then what we gain in those moments is a purified and stronger faith; we do not gain riches or comfort or praise. We must look at the short-term supremacy of evil and see beyond it. We must see that our hearts can be made upright. Even evil is not wasted but is used by God.

“Lord, give me confidence in the midst of difficulty to hope in you. AMEN.” 

Psalm 124

Psalm 124

The author of this Psalm is unknown. The default answer for authorship of a Psalm is David, but in this case that might not be correct. A better answer and context for this psalm would be Mordecai or someone close to him or Esther. The Book of Esther is an excellent commentary for this poem.

This Psalm needs to be prayed by every Christian in regard to the persecution of the church today. We hear daily of a new wave of persecution breaking out against the church. The persecution of the church is a story that is repeated throughout her history. 

The powers of darkness hate the church and in their cruelty wish to inflict pain, sorrow, and harm. But God is on the side of the persecuted church. In Christ the church will prevail. But until then we are on our way to that final victory, we will and ought to expect suffering. We must stand with and for the persecuted faithful. To say nothing is to speak, and to do nothing is to act. For persecuted Christians, pray this psalm and then do more.

“Lord, grant the church strength in suffering until the day of our victory in You. AMEN."

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.”