Psalm 97

 Psalm 97

What is it about human beings that we seem to want to be afraid? Perhaps it is our fallen sinful nature. Perhaps it is the influence of demonic powers. No doubt it is the motivation of money and control; after all fear is a powerful marketing tool. Verse 1 of this psalm ought to set our minds at ease.

In this one verse we see two key points that ought to set our hearts rejoicing. First God reigns. The word translated "Lord" is "Yahweh" or "Jehovah." This is the Self-existing One, the “I AM that I AM”, the Eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful God who rules. He has assumed His kingship. 

Second, His rule extends to the “many islands”. The most distant shore is not beyond his power. We might say it this way in our time and culture: “from the movement of the tiniest subatomic particle to the far distant edge of the universe”.

 Fear is pointless for the person who is under the care of the ruler of the universe. What could separate us from the love of God? Nothing except our own stubborn will and choice.

“Lord, grant me peace and confidence as I contemplate who You are and how great You are. AMEN.”

Psalm 96

 Psalm 96

One of the well-intentioned but badly misguided developments in the recent church is to equate worship with the songs we sing, typically three in number on a Sunday morning. Some churches expand this to worship in giving, namely offerings, or worship in word, the sermon. What we see in this Psalm is more of worship as life and in everything.

We see worship in evangelism and praise in conversation with non-believers. Did we ever consider defending the faith to an atheist as an act of worship? Sharing the truth of a Creator God is worship. Interestingly, in verse 6, the word "idols" could be translated as "non-existing things." Which is a good description of the power behind “evolution”. Certainly we must worship in the community of faith, as we see in verse 6. But that needs to carry over to our lives and every moment. Could our lives of holiness reflect God's holiness (verse 9) and be an act of worship? If alone in nature, can we worship in the marvel of a cloudless night sky or a roaring sea or a majestic forest? Yes, in fact, every moment ought to be a moment of worship.

“Lord, help me to worship You in every moment, in every breath, and in between every line in the story of our lives. AMEN.” 

Psalm 95

 Psalm 95

There is a correlation between the worship of God by His people and their faithfully living for Him.  This Psalm is about that link.  The psalm begins with a description of worship (vs. 1-2) and the cause of that worship, namely God’s greatness (vs. 3-5).  In verses 6-7a we see as a part of our worship our posture and relationship with the One who is worshiped. Three postures are described for being before God, all of which express radical humility: worship, literally to prostrate, bow, and kneel.   It is striking how different these postures are from the pompous and proud bearing we often see in our churches.  In regard to relationships, we are described as sheep.  The motif of the Lord as our shepherd is perhaps the most common and sentimental of metaphors we have for our relationship to God.  It bears remembering that the shepherd does what is good for the sheep, which may not be the same as what the sheep are inclined to or want to do.  

Sadly, what is described as contemporary worship is often almost entirely unlike the description we see in the first part of this psalm.  We have replaced “let us sing” with “let us watch a concert”.  I attended a pallet church once (Pallet church: noun, a pejorative term that describes churches that will follow any fad that comes along in an attempt to grow numbers, so long as that fad doesn’t require real hard work.  “If we put old pallet wood on our stage, it would make us cool, and we could attract cool seeker people,)” in which everyone stood as the praise band did a mini concert, and the audience looked on with remarkable disinterest, but no singing. Instead of concentrating on God’s greatness and what God has done as we see in verses 3-5, we direct our attention to how we feel about God or how we feel about what God has done or what we want Him to do.  The teaching is often reduced to self-help pabulum, political activism, lazy rehashing of old sermons, or a monologue of self-aggrandizement.  We downplay offerings, to the point that some churches only have a collection box near the exit, forgetting that sacrifice as an act of worship was God’s idea.  If the Lord’s Supper is shared at all, it often falls into the dry ritual of a somnambulating automaton or the awkward, unprepared spectacle of those who dabble in what they do not understand.  And as for prayer… “What is this thing ‘prayer’ of which you speak?”  We measure the quality of worship based on how much we like what transpires.  We have bought the lie that if we put on a good show, we can attract a crowd.  That has happened in some mega, big-box settings.  But generally, all we have accomplished is a dumbing down of God’s people and not extending the Kingdom at all.  

In the second half of verse 7, we see what may strike us as a random shift.  The Bible doesn’t do random.  In the balance of this Psalm is God’s description of Israel’s great moral failure and God’s response to that rebellion.  In short, their hearts were hard, “they erred in their hearts, and they did not know God’s ways”. Their external failure was the result of a bad, or may I say, a misaligned heart.  It is no random thing that the Psalm expresses.  Right worship is set in contrast to the rebellion of a wicked heart.  How does God intend to correct or realign our hearts?  He works the change through the means of worship!  This psalm is echoed in Hebrews 4 with a warning for the church.  

Since the rise of the seeker-driven and seeker-sensitive movement, we have focused our worship and programming on finding and appealing to the wants, interests, and felt needs of target audiences.  We have offered a dessert buffet of whatever people have wanted. One church had professional Christian wrestling.  (Please give me an airsick bag.)  But for all our pandering, we have in the last generation not seen the promised growth of the church, unless you count growing weakness, indifference, and carnality.  But as the second half of this Psalm says and Hebrews quotes, there is “Today.” Beginning now, let’s restore the worship of our God and the salvation He has brought by the cross.   That alone has the power to change the church and the lives of men.

“Lord, change me as I worship You. AMEN

Psalm 94

 Psalm 94

The persecution of the righteous is nothing new. The freedoms we enjoy as Christians in America for the last two centuries are a historic oddity. This psalm is sort of a psalm for the persecuted. The outline is worth noting. First, there is an appeal for justice in verses 1-7. Second, there is a rebuke for the wicked in verses 8-11. Third is God's care for His followers, verses 12 - 16. Fourth, the followers' trust in God, verses 17-19, and finally, fifth, the coming punishment of the wicked verses 20-23.

There is one thing that overshadows each section and is essential for a follower who is under persecution or pressure, no matter what the intensity. Every moment there is a focus on God. If we look carefully in each moment, we see it is about God. Perhaps it is His justice, His perfect will that has been violated; His past care and protection are His future actions. The plight of the suffering saint is never primarily about the saint. It is about God.

We all want to be the main character in our story, but it is never really about us. When we make the story about us, it becomes a tragedy or perhaps a farce. But when our story, even the story of our pain, is about God, it becomes an epic saga of victory.

“Lord, help me to keep my focus on you whenever I face any pressure. Amen.”

Psalm 93

 Psalm 93

God rules. All of life is either submission to His rule or rejection of it. Regardless of which occurs, He is still the ruler of the whole universe. The rejection of God's rule can occur in two ways. direct open defiance or attempting to ignore his authority. Often there is a combination of both. Notwithstanding, God does in fact rule. There has never been or ever will be a time when God isn't sovereign over the universe. It may not seem that way at times. 

In scripture floods are often a depiction of people, especially people who reject God. In verses 2-3, we see the mass of humanity in unison raising their voice to shout down God. Think of the cacophony in our world today of all the voices that reject God. The Arts, Sports, Entertainment, Academia, media, and forces of government are singing together to reject God and His authority. But all to no avail, God remains on his throne.

Beyond that, holiness extends to His house (verse 5); the rule of God and the lives of His people are expressed in holiness. Most personally God reigns in us through holy living.

“Help me, Lord, to express your authority by living a holy life. AMEN.”

Psalm 92

 Psalm 92

Why would a person not want to make worship a priority in life? I can assure you it is not a problem with God. It is because we are not adequately impressed with God's greatness. Sometimes the problem is those who lead worship aren't impressed with God. They put together poor-quality, dull, and dry worship services out of their laziness and the low priority of God in their lives. Sometimes worship leaders aren't impressed with God, feeling that He isn’t hip or relevant enough, so they feel they need to add cool, fun, and exciting stuff. They feel Jesus is not enough, so they have to add stuff like light shows, smoke, movie clips, or dance routines. Some do not worship because they feel Jesus is only okay, a sort of side dish to life but not a priority. “If there's nothing better to do, then I'll worship”. The enemy will gladly provide a list of other supposedly better things to do.

Verses 5-7 describe this scenario. Verse 5: God’s works and person are the ultimate reality of greatness. Verse 6 describes the man who doesn't worship, first as an animal with no spirit and second as an animal with neither spirit nor mind. In verse 7 is their doom. If we are not inspired with God, then we are without hope. 

“Help me, Lord, out of my understanding of your greatness to worship you. AMEN.” 

Psalm 91

 Psalm 91

This is one of the most beautiful and wonderful of the Psalms, worthy of memorization and much meditation. Some scholars see in this Psalm a three-person conversation. The teacher makes an assertion in verse 1 that calls for a commitment. In verse 2 the student answers and makes a commitment. The teacher then explains in verses 3 to 13 the blessings and benefits that come from following or being faithful to God. In the last paragraph, verses 14-16, the Lord confirms these blessings and, if you will, seals the agreement. Reading the psalm as a play may help us grasp the flow.

In the psalm there are references to what we call spiritual warfare. We see that the faithful follower is protected from the malicious attack of the enemy. We also see that in addition to defensive protection, there is divine support when we go on the offensive. Notice how the Lord's response in verses 14-16 is deeply relational. The Lord emphasizes how the follower has “known my name” and “he will call upon me.” If we are weak, it is because we lack the critical elements of knowing God and speaking with Him.

“Lord, let Your blessing flow into my life out of the relationship we have. AMEN.”

Psalm 90

 Psalm 90

The premise of the movie The Matrix is that the world we perceive is not the real world; it is only an illusion. In The Matrix there were glitches, which were indicators of the facade. We sometimes feel that way about life. One moment we are in the prime of life, and it seems like the next we are on the verge of death from old age. Our days pass like an hour we slept through during the night. Add to that the stupid sins and inexplicable things we do, and sometimes this life and world seem glitchy.

In contrast is God: eternal, holy, just, and almighty. There is someone we can hold on to, in whom we can find both security and meaning. Unlike The Matrix, where reality is a post-war dystopian existence. The reality of God is a beautiful and delight-filled eternity. The glitches are glimpses or even a window into that ultimate reality. 

Death is the ultimate glitch, the ultimate reminder that we were made for something more. In the time it takes to read this devotion, about 120 people worldwide have died. Let that be a message to us that reminds us to look into eternity.

“Lord, give me hope and help me live for eternity. AMEN.”

Psalm 89

 Psalm 89

This Psalm, likely written during the exile, has two great themes.  First, the promise of support is given to God’s people (vs 1-37).  Second a complaint about the ruin of Israel and the royal family (vs 38-51).  In these verses we see allusions to the coming Messiah, the history of God's interventions, and God’s holy and wonderful character.  We also see God's wrath, justice, and punishments of His wayward people.

There is more to study that we can address here, but two themes need to be presented to the contemporary church.  First is the often forgotten theme of the ‘fear of God.’  In verses 6-7 we have a sort of comparison between God and the mighty ones, or angels.  Consider that every time we see an angel appear to a human, the human is overwhelmed with fear.  But these same mighty ones have fear of God.  Perhaps we have overemphasized the approachableness of God to the point we have lost any sense of ‘the fear of the Lord.’ 

Second, and perhaps related to the first, is how this Psalm, indeed most Psalms, is focused on God.  How much of our worship services and songs are focused on “I”?  We focus on ‘how I” feel, and “how blessed I am’, etc by my relationship with God.  Perhaps we need more objective worship of God and less subjective worship of self.

“Lord, never allow me to lose sight of Your greatness and glory. AMEN”

Psalm 88

 Psalm 88

The historic setting for this Psalm is all but impossible to determine.  However, the theme is nearly universal: unrelenting hardship that feels like our undoing.  

By nature humans want a happy ending or at the very least a glimmer of hope that a happy ending is possible.  We don’t see that in this Psalm.  Some scholars have supposed that the psalm was composed by someone who was in the late stages of leprosy and was in isolation.  Such a condition is a condition without hope.

So what do we make of this very dark Psalm?  In spite of relentless misery, and this Psalm is a poem about misery, the author is determined in prayer.  The 1st two verses tell of someone who has, through what appears to be a lifetime of misery, been relentless in prayers.  Our tendency is to think and expect that what we call ‘good’ will happen to us if we pray hard enough and long enough.  But that may not be true. This Psalm is a powerful reminder that prayer, or life for that matter, isn’t about what we expect or want.

“Lord, help me to be relentless in prayer.  More than changing my circumstances, I ask that You will change me. AMEN”

Sunday after Easter

It is the Sunday after Easter, and many in church leadership will anticipate today, asking, "How many of our Easter visitors will show up again this Sunday?" When I was in the located ministry, my approach was to see Easter attendance as the benchmark for the following year. If our average attendance was 75 and Easter was 95 for year 'A,' then my goal was to see the average attendance for year 'B' be 95. We were not always successful, but it was a helpful target. While attendance was never a perfect measure of the life of a church, it has its uses. But COVID and online church have changed the way we see being with other believers.

On a related subject, a story from a friend serving faithfully in his congregation. His wife is a public school teacher teaching early elementary children. The week before Easter she asked her students, "What is Easter about?" Of the 32 students in her care, only two knew anything about the resurrection of Jesus. For all the other students, the only message of Easter was candy, bunnies, and eggs. These are the kids born on the onset of the COVID scare. I believe there is a relationship here. The rhythm and rituals of life teach our children more than the lessons. Our disconnect from being with believers can't help but dumb down everyone. Watching service online reduces the engagement in faith to the level of sports highlights or funny cat videos.

So what do we do? The gathering of God's people will not happen because of a "Get back to church" campaign. We will grow disciples the way we make disciples. We will do that by the relationship connection that happens face-to-face. The Sunday after Easter, the lesson is in the recapitulation of the event: Jesus telling Mary. Each one of us is telling one believer, "We need this friendship."

In the Cause of Christ

Charlie

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Psalm 87

 Psalm 87

In almost all areas of life we esteem the self-made man, who, from a humble beginning with no advantages, obtains success in his/her given field. While at the same time are often hostile towards the idea of a privileged position because of being born into that privileged place. We sometimes do this in matters of spirituality as well. There is a certain allure to the testimony of the Christian who grew up in a wicked, crazy, and dysfunctional home and yet becomes a solid, spiritually mature saint. If we take this as the norm to a radical conclusion, every other generation needs to be wicked. 

This abrupt psalm knows nothing of disdain for privileged birth. Instead this song praises the very idea of an advantaged position afforded by birth. Before the days of a synagogue, Jews living some distance from Jerusalem might see the temple only occasionally. The physical presence of a temple, the reminder of God's covenant, calling, and intervention for His people, could only be seen after a long and expensive pilgrimage. For Jews living far from Jerusalem, this was a rare privilege that was enjoyed less often than it would be enjoyed by the poorest dweller of the city of Jerusalem. Even those Jews born in Jerusalem and who had emigrated far from home had carried in their hearts and memory the advantage of the experience of living near the temple.

As incredibly frustrating and irritating as the church (and by this we of course mean the people, not the building) can be, there is, or at least should be, a profound advantage of being born and growing up in the company of God's people. This Psalm is a call for the church to live to the highest standard in our fellowship. Damage done by the people of the church, which undermines the privilege of being in the church, is unconscionable. There ought to be nothing greater than living in the close press of God’s people. The person born into and growing up in the community of a people who love God genuinely and live that out is the highest, privileged birth that one could ever enjoy.

"Lord, help me to love the privileged position of being part of a community of faith. AMEN"

Psalm 86

 Psalm 86

Why appeal to God for help? There are two reasons an appeal to God is entirely reasonable. First is that God is good. In several places the psalmists expressed confidence in the loving, gracious, and kind nature of God, for example, verses 5 and 13. There's no point in an appeal to someone who is mean, evil, or vindictive. Second, God is able. The psalmist expresses the power of God to act in verses 8 and 10. It is useless to appeal to someone who is powerless to help. Because God is both supremely good and almighty, it is reasonable to appeal to Him; in fact, it is the only logical thing to do.

There is in verse 17 a wonderful picture. The NASB says, ‘...show me a sign for good.” That would better be translated. “fix an honorable mark or token of your name on me”. Suppose an ambassador from a great and mighty king goes to a city where he is personally unknown. He would need a token or mark indicating that he is the king's servant. For us, what is the mark that we as individuals or as a community represent our King? “By this all men will know you are my followers, that you…” 

“Lord, may the love we express be powerful evidence that we are Your people. AMEN”

Psalm 85

 Psalm 85

Some time ago a phrase became popular in the Christian subculture that was used so much that it became a cliché to the point of meaninglessness.  The phrase “It’s a God thing” was meant to express God’s divine care and supervision and was roughly equivalent to Providence, but was much cooler and less theologically precise and stuffy.  It was used for circumstances which resulted in a particularly beneficial event to a ministry.  But as with any overused adage it decayed to banality.  “It’s a God thing” degenerated to the point that finding a parking place near a store entrance was “a God thing”.  It was never applied to the parking place at the outer edge of the parking lot.   But misuse and misunderstanding doesn’t mean it never happens. There are those things that only God can do and that is the time to say, “It’s a God thing!”

This is a Psalm of praise for God’s bringing of the exiles back from captivity.  This moment in God’s salvation history is filled with wonder and marvel, but one specific verse expresses a “God thing” in its purest and richest form, verse 10.  The couplets are not opposite to each other, but can be in conflict.  

In this verse, we see that Mercy and Truth have embraced each other like friends long separated.  It is almost as if they have lost contact and have a happy and unexpected meeting.  But this happy meeting has a conflict.  The truth of the matter is we are guilty; we deserve punishment, wrath, exile and even death.  But while horrifically guilty, Lovingkindness deeply desires that we be exempt from the penalty of our guilt.  Truth is on the other side and requires our punishment. Truth and Lovingkindness are like a prosecutor and a defense attorney who were undergrad fraternity brothers suddenly reunited. They hold the court papers that argue the opposite sides of the case, but they are still old friends hugging and laughing and talking a mile a minute oblivious to the others around them.  

Righteousness and Peace are even closer; they kiss.  Often Righteousness, or shall we say Justice, and Peace do not get along very well.  Justice demands that the wicked man be arrested, placed in handcuffs put in the squad car, and transported to jail.  Anyone who has seen reality TV police shows can testify that ‘Shalom; (tranquility, a sense of well-being, peace or wholeness) rarely accompanies an arrest.  Justice is breathless and sweaty from the chase; his temper while controlled is short.  The batons, taser, pepper spray, and sidearm do not invite tender affection, but demand compliance.  If the wicked man is not restrained and controlled there is no justice for the victim.  Sometimes justice demands more than a Peace Officer; it demands bombers and artillery, invasions and tanks.  Justice for enslaved Europe demanded that Chamberlin’s “peace in our time” give way to the hell of World War Two.  Here again we see a reunion that looks more like a reunion of separated lovers rather than a landing at Normandy.  Peace and Righteousness are kissing; this is no perfunctory greeting but the outward expression of a powerful, deep love.

In some way the return of the exiles from Babylonian captivity saw these two couples in blissful union.  That was a mystery for those who returned.  They would never be able to work out the equation by which God made it all fit together.  The return of the exiles did something more.  It prefigured the day when on the cross God could bring together the apparently conflicting demands of Mercy, Truth, Righteousness and Peace.  Consider the wonder you would feel if you were there in an airport concourse, you wore the handcuffs, you were being extradited for a trial you knew you would lose and you saw the reunion.  The loud, happy foursome in genuine affection touches, holds, and laughs together.  They look at you and you know it will be more than all right; it will be more than you can imagine.  That is the marvel of the cross, which is something only God can do, that is the real “God Thing”.

“Thank You, Lord, that the conflict realities of my situation were resolved in the cross. AMEN”

Psalm 84

 Psalm 84

One of the great beauties of the Old Testament is that it is filled with symbols, types, and tangible prophecies that find their fulfillment in the New Testament. The Tabernacle and the Temple were types of the church. Far too often we associate the church with a building. But the church is the community of people who have God, in the person of the Holy Spirit, dwelling in them. As God dwelt in the temple, He now dwells in Christians.

With that in mind, we see a beautiful portrayal of a people who deeply desire to be together. This Psalm is full of beautiful pictures and illusions that, when studied, enrich our understanding of the church. One in particular comes to us in verse 5. The pilgrimage to Jerusalem could be long, hard, and even dangerous. But for some the road to the temple was always in their heart. Of the mountain folk of Eastern Kentucky it is said, “They are either homesick or going home.” That is the description here. The devout Jew was either homesick or was on his way to Jerusalem. That's how it ought to be for us in our desire to be with the company of worshiping Christians. 

“Lord, help me remain homesick for the family of faith. AMEN.”

Psalm 83

 Psalm 83

When it comes to leaving vengeance to God, it is sometimes uncomfortable.  We may feel that God is not very good at justice, that He is too lenient.  We can even feel that somehow Grace has short-circuited Justice.

However, we may not realize the ultimate purpose of God's divine justice. There is the verse in this Psalm that is a clear and powerful explanation of God's justice. Verses 13-17 are a description of the results of God's intentions for justice. The word picture is not pretty; rather, it is aggressive and violent. This is the sort of thing we like when it comes to Divine justice. But there's a key clause that explains the “why.” Without that key phrase we will miss so much. The second line of verse 16 needs to be the focal point of our view of divine justice: “that they may seek thy name, oh Lord.”

The wrath of God is not just retributive; it is also redemptive. Even in His wrath God is working to bring people to Himself. Men may reject this ‘last-resort’ kind of outreach, but all the same, God is hoping to rescue them. This is why we must leave vengeance in the hands of God.

“Lord, than You that you use every available means to rescue wicked people, like me. AMEN”

Psalm 81

 Psalm 81

The life of following the Lord is a vigorous life and often we are not very interested in the rigors and effort required to be an effective discipleship.  God calls His people to a celebration of His care and deliverance, but he worship of God at the time of the festivals was no casual thing.  Their rescue from Egyptian slavery didn’t result in an instant and magical appearance in the Promised Land.  Israel had to walk out of Egypt, but they also had to get the Egyptian gods out of their hearts, they had to leave the pagan gods.  Sadly that was more than they were willing to do.  

One of the most heart breaking verses in this Psalm, or any book for that matter, is verse 13.  If we read that carefully, slowly and repeatedly with our heart listening carefully we can hear the disappointment in God’s words.  Verses 14-16 describe the great and wonderful blessing God wanted to give Israel but couldn’t because of their sin and rebellion, because they didn’t want to give up their false gods.  Every short term gain of their spiritual laziness was nothing compared to the loss they suffered by missing God’s blessing.  If our spiritual pursuit of God is not passionate we will suffer loss because we chose the easy way.

“Lord, convict me if I am not passionate about Your will.  AMEN”

Psalm 80

 Psalm 80

Have you ever had the occasion when you did something for someone you loved and they responded with a joyful and full-face smile?  Their expression and countenance indicated delight, affection, and approval.  We might say ‘their face glowed’; this is the concept behind the phrase “face to shine.”  This phrase appears three times in Psalm 80 (verses 3, 7, and 19).

Israel, in the midst of their painful Babylonian captivity, is desperate to sense God’s approval again.  The Psalmist describes Israel as a vineyard that was once glorious but is now in ruins.  But even in this deplorable state, there is hope.  That hope is in God’s intervention and mercy.  But this anticipated hope is not in a repeat performance of the Exodus that is described in verses 8-11.  The hope is in the ‘shoot’ and the ‘son’ mentioned in verse 15.  In verse 17 this hopeful one is described as the ‘son of man.’  This is the first time in the Old Testament that this title or description of Jesus is used in reference to Him.  

But we mustn’t miss the point.  In the redemptive work of Jesus, we enjoy the delight of God our Father.  Because of Jesus, God the Father’s “face shines” on us. Because we are in Jesus, God looks on us with delight, affection, and approval.  

“Thank You, God, for the work of Your Son Jesus, the Son of Man, so that You are delighted in me. Amen.” 

Psalm 79

Psalm 79

It is hard for us to imagine the trauma that the Jewish people would have experienced as a result of the Babylonian exile or captivity. Every aspect of life, heart, and soul would have been devastated and ruined. The view would have been horrific: the landscape littered with the rotting bodies of loved ones, buildings in ruins, and survivors in chains for slavery or execution. Plus the realization that this is divine justice—it is fair.

The psalmist, perhaps Jeremiah, appeals to the mercy of God. But why should God have mercy on the wicked guilty people? The appeal for divine mercy is based on the resulting glory of God (v 9) in two ways: first the glory of the name of God and second the glory of His reputation.

God is glorified in His creation and the wonders of the universe. His glory is also shown in His wisdom, law, and justice. But perhaps it shines most brilliantly in His graciousness, when the guilty receive not what they deserve but what they need. There is no cause to abuse grace, but it is cause to marvel at the greatness of God. As the song begins, “When I Survey…’ 

“Lord, help me to always return to the greatness of Your nature displayed in Your grace. AMEN.

Psalm 78

 Psalm 78

The retelling of the history of God’s care for His people is a recurring theme in the book of Psalms.  Part of that retelling includes the unfaithfulness of Israel and Judah toward God and His dealing with them.  This is the core of Psalm 78.  In this Psalm there is a key theme about God’s grace that we need to take to heart and marvel over.  Sometimes people try to strike a bargain with God.  It is sort of a foxhole religion: “God, if you get me out of this, I promise I will do better, turn over a new leaf, etc.”  That is what we see in verses 34-39.  While we may hold this foxhole religion with some disdain we see here a picture of God’s superlative grace.  

In the just punishment of Israel’s sin, they turn to God.  In the crisis of the moment they find “religion”.  The wrath of God being expressed in the oppression by their pagan neighbors generates repentance and revival.  We all have a tendency to get religious when we are in a fix, suffering, or in trouble. It is hard to find the very impious just before life and death surgery.  Piousness is treated like a credit card, it is whipped out and promises are made about future payments (good deeds) in exchange for current purchase.  “If I get a good outcome from this operation, and I will pay with good deeds in the years to come”.  In ministry you see this with great frequency; people get really holy when they are about to get the short end of a divorce, a criminal charge, or a medical diagnosis.  Church attendance spiked in the U.S. for the three weeks after 9/11.  But once the crisis has passed, the religious fervor cools; the worship and the change of heart were only flattery aimed at fooling the “old man upstairs.”  We have all seen it, hated it, and perhaps done it.

But here is the marvel.  We all know it is a hypocritical, feigned pile of double-dealing jive, but grace prevails.  Verses 38-39 are almost unbelievable.  For the first 34 verses, this psalm describes Israel’s miserable moral failure in contrast to God’s faithfulness.  Verses 35-37 describe their faith as the crisis variety that was nothing more than flattery and lies that never went near the heart.  Then in verses 38-39 we see God’s mercy and compassion in forgiving and holding back His wrath because His compassion took into account human frailty.  He knew their hearts were divided even as they confessed their sins and turned to Him.  He knew it was lies and flattery and He had mercy anyway.

I once had a conversation with a Christian man who was dying.  He was just days away from his end.  He was tormented by the fears that maybe he was insincere in his faith and God would not accept him.  I was once asked, “How do I know if I really mean it when I repent or I am just saying it?”  I had someone ask if, because they didn’t understand all that baptism means when they were baptized, did  they need to be baptized again.  When a person looks back at public sin with self-loathing and they wonder if the actions of repentance are God-driven or culturally driven, what do we say?  These are not the questions of people looking for a license to indulge.  It is a reminder that we need to stress and address the greatness of God’s grace.  C.S. Lewis put it this way in That Hideous Strength. “This is the courtesy of deep Heaven, that when you mean well He always takes you to have meant better than you knew.  It will not be enough forever. He is very jealous; he will have you for no one but himself in the end.”

What more can we do than to love the One who so respects and honors us even when we are an alloy of selfish and pious motives?  When we consider this great grace, we are bound to want to do right, and little by little our motives become more pure.  We may still have doubts about the purity of our motives, but that itself is perhaps a good sign that we mean well and God can take that as very close to pure motives.  

“Thank You God that You are great in mercy. AMEN”

Psalm 77

 Psalm 77

When we are in the deepest of distress, we often ask, “God, are you there?” We believe this psalm was written during Babylonian captivity. The Jews faced a 70-year sentence. Along the way they felt like they would never again experience God's goodness. There is an interesting progression of their sorrows in verses 2 & 4. In verse 2 the psalmist is telling about his troubles. In verse 4 he can't sleep, nor can he talk. In small troubles we are chatty, but sometimes troubles are so great we become silent.

The grief is so great that the psalmist is wondering if God's very nature has changed (v. 10). Nothing could be worse than to find that God is no longer true to Himself. The cure for this extreme anxiety is to recall the great works of God. Truly no one, no god, is like the Lord God, v. 11-15.  The psalmist recalls God's faithful rescue of Israel and the history of the Exodus. In this moment of personal silence, he recalls when God made a great display. We can still feel like God is absent. At that moment the thing to do is recall God's great record. 

“Lord, in my quiet pain remind me of Your history of rescue. AMEN.”

Psalm 76

 Psalm 76

We believe this psalm was written on the occasion of the destruction of the army of Sennacherib, king of the Assyrians. It would be insightful to read 2 Kings 19. It is tempting at times to feel that those who are disrespectful toward God are getting away with it. We may feel like God is either unwilling or unable to do anything about their blasphemy, or worse, God isn't there at all. But there is an important paragraph that addresses this issue. In verses 8-10 we see that the sayings of the rebellious actually work God's purposes. Read those verses carefully and slowly. If God struck down the defiant at their first outburst and small rebellion, who would notice? But by allowing them to grow louder and more aggressive, who could miss their obvious downfall? “The Wrath of Men" actually ends up praising God. That night 185,000 troops were killed, and the news went with the retreating Sennacherib back to Damascus. After his assassination, that history went into what we call Turkey.  We do well to be disturbed by the disrespect of evil people towards God. But God will use that for his purposes. His justice will be shown. 

“Lord, help me to honor Your name and release those who don’t into Your hand. AMEN.”

Psalm 75

 Psalm 75

God's judgment is perfect both in timing and in justice. That is saying a lot. We tend to want justice, at least as we perceive it, now at this moment. This is usually a moment of our emotional peak. But God claims both time and justice as his own in verse 2.

Often the wicked carry on in arrogance and self-aggrandizement but only so long as circumstances are good and seem secure. But allow things to begin to melt or totter, and there is a sudden silence in their arrogant boasting. Whether God is working through direct interaction or providential events matters little. In the midst of the storm, fire, plague, or crisis, arrogance is a much less displayed characteristic.

In the midst of a crisis there is a tendency to look for rescue. The wicked will look in the wrong places, v. 6. Even in that moment they have a resistance to acknowledge God. It is God who puts down or exalts one or the other. So for our part, we are not intimidated by circumstances but praise the One who is over all things.

“Lord, use events and circumstances to grow our confidence in You. AMEN.”