Month: March 2021

Psalm 37

It is a great challenge for the Christian to know how to respond when wickedness succeeds bringing prosperity, power and happiness to its practitioners, especially when it is at the expense of ‘the righteous’.  This situation does seem to be an ever present reality.  In the workplace it is often bullying leaders and managers who succeed at the expense of employees and this is not limited to private enterprise.  Consider the cost whistle blowers in public services have paid.  At governmental level the power and wealth accumulated by oppressive governmental leaders is a permanent feature of history and no less evident today.  A global perspective brings into focus that a broadly just and compassionate government that prioritizes the weakest in society is a minority position.  In the home the figures for domestic abuse are frightening.  Last year the Office for National Statistics estimated that 2.4 million people were domestically abused in England and Wales.  The church is not immune to the corruption of power as has been highlighted in recent public exposures.

How then should the Christian live?  Should we change sides and say that clearly righteousness is a waste of time and we would be much better off conforming to the norm where evil doers prosper?  David’s response in Psalm 37 is reinforced through the bible and it is striking how much it accords with Jesus’ teaching 1500 years later.  He is adamant that we should, ‘turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.  For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones.’ ^{vv 27,28}

David characterizes the wicked as enemies of the righteous ^v12 and the poor and needy. ^v14 This is a warning as to reality, ‘The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him. ^V12 and ‘The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death.’ ^V32 It was the same experience for Jesus and the church of the New Testament.

David takes a long view or eternal perspective. Some might say even a naïve view when he says, ‘I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging for bread.’ ^v25 when that clearly is not universally true.  He is however clear that the prosperity of the wicked is a temporary thing and often they become the victim of their own wickedness, ‘But their swords will pierce their own hearts.’ ^v15 He compares the wicked to the grass in the Middle East, green in spring but withered and dry by the autumn. ^v2  Ultimately under God’s judgement the wicked will be destroyed, ‘there will be no future for the wicked.’ ^v38

In the face of wickedness he calls people into relationship with the Lord.  He urges us to, trust in the Lord, ^v3 take delight in the Lord, ^v4 commit to the Lord, ^v5 be still before the Lord, ^v7 wait for the Lord, ^v7 and hope in the Lord. ^v34  Arising from time spent with the Lord and our relationship with him he then appeals to us to not be angry or worry ^v8 and to hope in the Lord and keep his way. ^v34

This is not an easy thing when one has experienced great suffering from the hands of evil doers but this is the over-arching promise of God that was pioneered by Jesus.

‘The salvation of the righteous come from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.  The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.’ ^vv39,40

Trust his heart – Babbie Mason

New wine – Hillsong

Psalm 36

Over several months I had conversations with a man I will call Tim.  He was trying to leave behind a life that had led him to prison and a reliance on drink and drugs because he now had a child that he was not allowed to see because of his life style.  It was an internal struggle but it was also a battle against the deliberate temptations placed in his way by those who encouraged him to continue with his previous life.  There were texts from drug dealers extoling the virtues of their new batch from county lines, people knocking on his door and the offers of superficial friendship in the midst of loneliness and depression.

David, in Psalm 36, recognizes this battle for the soul and he concludes the psalm with a prayer that he is not drawn into the ways of the wicked.  ‘Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.’ ^v11 Translators place different interpretations on the opening verse as to whether it is a message from God or wickedness in his heart, but whatever the source, sinfulness personified is calling to him.  The overriding attitude of sin is arrogance.  Arrogance expressed as no fear or respect for God and a conceited belief that that sin will not be exposed. ‘There is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.’ ^vv1,2  It was Tim’s experience that even as he was trying to leave a corrupt life behind so others were thinking of ways to tempt him back.  We should not underestimate the deliberateness of criminals or even our peer group to encourage us in living a godless life.  Once those decisions have been made it becomes increasingly hard to change direction.  David expresses the personification of sin as, ‘The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good.  He plots trouble while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he does not reject evil.’ ^vv2,3 David makes clear that simply not rejecting evil amounts to complying with evil.

In contrast choosing good over evil is not so much choosing good as the source of goodness in the person of God.  He is love and righteousness, ^vv5,6 as well as where we find refuge from sin and temptation. ^v7 At that point we find a truly satisfying life.  ‘They feast on the abundance of your house and you give them drink from the river of your delights.’ ^v8  David then prays that he will continue to choose God’s life over death.  ^vv10-12

The battle for the soul is a battle that can be won but only by Christ within us. Paul summed that up, ‘If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.’ ^{2Corinthians 5.17}

He’s a chain breaker – Zach Williams

Psalm 35

For many there is a genuine conflict between what is seen as ‘Old Testament’ values of appealing to God for victory in war and Jesus’ ‘New Testament’ statement to love your enemies. ^{Mathew 5.44} The appeals to God for the destruction of one’s enemies, ‘Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me.’ ^v1are know as curses.  Curses are not limited to the Old Testament.  They are rephrased as ‘woes’ when Jesus criticizes scribes and Pharisees. ^{Matt 23} Passages such as Psalm 35.4-10 have been so uncomfortable that the Church of England marked them as not suitable to be read aloud in services between 1980 and 2000.  Do we share that problem?

How then can we understand a psalm like Psalm 35? It can be read literally or metaphorically in its original setting.  Can it then be applied to modern life?  How do we understand it spiritually?  I am sure it was written from the experience of life threatening and life taking conflict.  This psalm reflects the truth about Israel’s internal conflict during David’s life time when Saul sought to unjustly kill David and during civil war with the forces backing Absalom.  Internal malicious plotting was rife. ‘They do not speak peaceably, but devise false accusations against those who live quietly in the land.’ ^v20 David is not claiming to be faultless but he was chosen by God to fulfil his will and in that sense was living in his will.  He could therefore justifiably pray, ‘Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God; do not let them gloat over me.’ ^v24 He appeals to God that his enemies would fall into their own trap. ^v8

David was right to first of all appeal to God rather than his own prowess and then give thanks to him when he was rescued. ‘Who is like you, Lord? You rescue the poor and needy from those who rob them.’ ^v10 As disciples our first appeal is to God, ‘may they always say, “The Lord be exalted, who delights in the well being of his servant.” ^v27 Where there are those who persistently remain enemies of the Lord the New Testament does teach that there will be judgement and the forces against God will be appropriately punished. Revelation shows us worship of the Lamb for his ultimate victory over evil.

Is there a place now for this literal understanding of praying for physical victory over the political, military, criminal and religious forces of evil?  I would say yes in this week of remembering V.E. day. The nation prayed at Dunkirk.  The forces of fascist evil attacked not only the Christian church but the whole of society.  Such oppressive forces are still very active in the world and through the life experiences of refugees within the church there is ample evidence that Christian opposition to such forces is not only justified it is part of our obedience to God.

There is also a spiritual battle that Christians are expected to engage in.  Paul informs us, ‘We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places. ^{Ephesians 6.12} He then echoes David’s call to put on God’s armour and weaponry. ‘Take up shield and armour; arise and come to my aid. Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to me, I am your salvation.’ ^{vv 2,3}

Great in Power –

Psalm 34 and 1 Samuel 20.30 – 21.14

Terrified, David, having been tipped off by Jonathan his best friend, fled from Saul’s court with Saul in his jealous rage promising his death.  He first went to Ahimelek a trusted friend and priest, lying to him he gained food and a weapon, Goliath’s own sword.  He then sought refuge in the city of Israel’s persistent enemy who he had defeated on many occasions, the Philistines.  When exposed before the Philistine king, Achish, he feigned madness with comic stereotypical behaviour, foaming at the mouth and clawing at the gate leaving deep gash marks before Achish dismissed him as worthless.

The consequences of this dishonest and faithless conduct was that Ahimelek, his family, 85 priests and the whole town Ahimelek lived in were murdered for his supposed treachery.  David himself from being God’s anointed one reduced himself to a pathetic fool to save his life.  David later looks back at these actions sees not his cleverness at his deceptions but God’s protection of his anointed even when his actions caused such injustice and reduced state.

David’s reflection divides into two broad sections: his thanks and praise for the Lord’s mercy when he was at his most helpless and faithless time, ^vv1-10 he then moves on to sharing lessons learnt in bitter experience. ^vv11-22 Perhaps unwittingly, but divinely inspired, he concludes prophesying redemption through Jesus’ death on the cross for those who, ‘seek refuge in him.’ ^v22

A brief summary of these experiences are in these verses, ‘My soul makes its boast in the Lord, let the humble hear and be glad, ^v2 and ‘This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.’ ^v6 David here gives credit where credit is due.

David also wanted others to grasp, ‘The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.’ ^v18

John draws on David’s prophesy, ‘He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken’ ^v20 to testify that Jesus is the redeemer. ^{John 19.36}

I invite you to reflect with me on how God in our deepest failures and greatest rejection of him, he has remained near and is still our redeemer.

Close to the broken hearted – Jill Phillips

Psalm 33

Have you felt eager anticipation to join in praise to God?  To join the company of God’s people in singing fresh songs to him.  David must be the epitome of a worship leader.  As we discover afresh some new aspect of God’s nature and salvation so our emotions can burst out and we understand David’s opening exclamation, ‘Sing joyfully to the Lord’ or as the ESV puts it ‘Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous.’ ^v1

The Lord God remains the same, it is our understanding that refreshes or we grasp some new aspect of his character. ‘Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!  For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.’ ^vv8,9 

All the reasons David found to praise God are perfected in Jesus.  Jesus’ words are right and true, ^v4  he perfected righteousness and justice in his death and resurrection. He is the Word of God and by his word all things were made. ^{v6, John 1.3}  Jesus has called to himself a people who are his inheritance. ^v12, ‘As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him – you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ^{1Peter 2.5}

The Lord sees all ^vv13,14 and, ‘the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,’ ^v18  or as Peter says, ‘For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.’ ^1Peter 3.12  Our hope is in him, ^v20  as Peter again reminds us, ‘He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.’ ^{1Peter 3.3,4}

In the light of this whenever you feel the urge and want to join in a new song, do so with all your heart and skill giving a shout for joy. ^v3

New song in my heart – Rob Smith

Won my heart – Emu Youth