Psalm 14

Psalm 14

We continue to read the difficult psalms. They are difficult not because it is hard to understand them, but because they describe a difficult situation ‘till the last moment it is not obvious that GOOD will prevail.

Here is another, and I can say – the ultimate example.

It begins with a very straight statement: the Fool says in his heart – there is no God. Since the rest of the psalm is a farther description of the foolishness, we need to spend time on understanding the basics of it.

The word for Fool – Hebrew NaBaL – comes from a verb to fade, to fade away. It is a person who does not have own strength, he is falling down, and faints… Therefore, his decisions are not “solid,” there is not real substance in what he says or does. He is not even will to admit openly his rejection of a presence of God. He says it in his heart. At the same time, we need to remember that a heart of man is a decision-making organ. So, his plans and their execution is based on the fact that he doesn’t recognize any higher power over him. It comes from the usage of the word God in the Bible.  

Very often Christian make a little mistake thinking that God refers only to the one true God. Bible uses the same word speaking of false deities and even humans. At one time the LORD told Moses that he – Moses – is going to be god for pharaoh, and his brother Aaron will be his prophet (Exodus 7:1, note: there is no “like” in the original text). The word God in the Bible can identify any power stronger than us. Since the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit is definitely stronger than us – he is the God.

That’s the reason to point out the foolishness of a wicked man – he thinks that he is the ultimate power in this world. He “relies” on himself only.

If a person believes that he is the ultimate authority in his own life (and, as a result of absence of God, in the life of others), no wonder that his life goes south… vv. 1a – 4 pictures a terrible situation of moral collapse in society. This can happen when most people are under the spell of atheism. These verses became the background for St. Paul list of biblical proof-texts for the dominance of sin in human life (Romans 3:10-23).

Yet, even being neglected, the LORD looks down from heaven. He is searching for a single person who has an understanding, who seeks after God (v. 2). Understanding here means to be prudent or wise. That’s how Samuel describes the actions of David and his “platoon” in comparison to Saul’s commanders (1 Samuel 18:30). God is looking constantly for the people who are going to worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23).

Rejection of God can not bring comfort to a soul – as a result, they are in terror. He is with the generation of the righteous. Meaning that He leaves the wicked on their own – they are in terror because the environment they create. Proverbs picking up the theme say that the wicked falls by his own wickedness (11:5b). Following that St. Paul concludes that God simply gives up the rebels against Him to their own lust and sins (Romans 1:22-25).

The wicked still tries to attack the poor. Poor can be both an economical, social and spiritual condition (Matthew 5:3). But Living One is the refuge for the afflicted. He is the provider, provider of financial and spiritual support and safety.

Seeing that, people can testify that salvation comes from Zion – the place of the fellowship between God and man (Isaiah 2:2-3).   

The psalm ends with a sobering reality – Jacob will rejoice, and Israel will be glad. This WILL happen when the LORD restores the fortunes of His people. What does it mean? It means that His people needed to be restored… They screwed up… So, the fool(s) is everyone of us when we think of ourselves to high [feeding our own pride], or too low [dismissing the image of God]. But God is the Living One – He generously gives live to the people who walked away from Him. He is the One who gives reason to rejoice and be glad.

Psalm 13

Psalm 13 – How Long?

It is a difficult psalm for interpretation. The first two verses begin with 4 questions. Or ONE question, repeated four times: HOW LONG? 

How long? Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide your face? (Numbers 6:24-26)

How long must I take counsel in my soul (being self-taught) and have sorrow in my heart all the day? 

How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

In a square shaped world (four corners), every corner of psalmist’s life is in distress. He feels that God forgot about him and hides His face. There is no other source of comfort but his own soul, but his heart (decision making organ) is in distress. Then the worst comes: his enemies exalt over him – they feel victorious!

We face these kinds of situations in our lives: when friends fail us, spouses are very sick, or there is a threat of losing a job with nowhere to go… All of these feelings resurface one after another…

But ultimately, this is what Jesus experienced on the Cross – My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46). There is no inner source of comfort – for death is near (cp. v. 3b, sleep of death). And enemies were sure of their glorious victory.  

Reaction to “absence” of God – prayer

David wants to stay “in touch” with God: consider and answer… as a result of this communication – light up my eyes! Make my eyes shine – the second part of the Aaronic blessing (Numbers 6:24-26).

Then come three “lest”

Lest I sleep the sleep of death

Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”

Lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

The ultimate collapse – death – is a threat to the psalmist. The way it is written tells that it is not the final and peaceful rest (that’s why Christians write Rest in Peace [RiP]). It is an expectation of distress, collapse, and separation from God.

This might look like enemies prevailed… That the psalmist is shaking – unstable… 

But in the midst of his troubles his confession is strong:

I trusted in Your steadfast love.

My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. God is the One who restores – us on our paths, life to life eternal, even the Son of God was brought back to live, to ascension, to sit at the right hand of the Father. 

I will sing to the LORD – worthy to note that there is a shift from proclaiming in Revelation 4 to singing in Revelation 5, just as the Lamb comes to the Throne of God. 

Because He has dealt bountifully with me – when we talk to other people about God, His love and care for us we share our personal interaction with Him. How blesses us day after day, providing food, roof, clothing etc. And never leaving us, no forsaking – regardless of how we feel…  

Psalm 12

 Psalm 12

Psalm presents an answer of the LORD to two challenges: (1) lips and tongues; (2) perversion of justice.

David begins with a call to save (v. 1).

Ultimately, the psalm describes a situation of life for a godly person in an extremely ungodly society. Similar account we will find later in the Songs of Ascent (Psalms 120 – 134). The whole series begins with the almost identical claims – lying lips and deceitful tongue (Psalm 120:2). Knowing that the words are prime means of interaction, the society is in deep … trouble when all the people are lying, flattering, and boasting.   

 

vv. 2-4 lips and tongues.

Lips in the Bible are symbols of worship. See Ps. 51:15. It is the Lord who opens the lips (+). 

When the lips are properly opened, then we can share the words – creating the culture of life around us using our tongues.  

But it can be used otherwise too. The parade example of lips and tongues/mouth destructive powers is the story of the Tower of Babel, Genesis 11:1-10.

When lips are sharing vanities (better than lies v. 2a) and hearts are “doubled,” meaning have double standards, then the society can be fixed only by God. So, He comes and talks (vv. 5-6). 

 

vv. 5-6, LORD fixes justice in the land by His WORD.

The LORD identified the poor and needy – providing safety for him. Those who are poor – they are needy. The problem is solved by the word of God. The word is a conversational speech. The Hebrew language has three main words to describe a speech: to converse, to [give a] talk, to instruct (as a parent to a disobedient child). Here we have the first one – God brings His words in the midst of the people, so humans can interact with Him. In the past God would send prophets to talk to men. Who is the Word of God, who walked and talked among the people? Jesus – John 1:1-3, 14, 18.     

v. 7, Call upon the LORD to guard.

The idea of guarding is expressed in two verbs: to keep and to preserve. To keep is to defend from an assault. To preserve is to protect from the inner rottenness or corrosion. There are always two main challenges for the Church – attacks from outside and hypocrisy within. See Nehemiah 4:15-20, Israelites constructing the walls of Jerusalem.    

v. 8 not “a happy ever after”

David gives a realistic picture. Until the very end – the Second coming of Christ – the faithful ones (v. 1) will be under stress from the wicked. They are going to paise what should’ve been despised. As a result, the wicked walk around freely. This sad reality makes our desire to see Jesus sooner even stronger. For the wicked don’t give up easily. As Dr. Luther commented: “This does not happen without cross and agony. As silver is purified in the fire, so the saints also must suffer in the meantime, and by this means become even more pure and perceive the truth so much more clearly.” (Reading the Psalms with Luther, p. 36).  

PSALM 11

PSALM 11

s [superscription] – chief musician to David

a. 1, I trust, my soul

  b. 2, wicked

    c. 3, what can righteous do?

      d. 4a, LORD is in His temple, His throne is in heaven

      d’. 4b, His eyes behold and tried the children of Adam

    c’. 5a, righteous is tried 

  b’. 5b-6, wicked

a’. 7, the LORD loves the righteous

In the times of David there were worship in the hills. That’s why “you/they” suggest that his soul should flee to the hills.

It is not obvious in English translation but “the wicked” is plural. “They” are wicked. Wicked set the bow and arrows to shoot the upright in the heart – cp. Ephesians 6:16, arrows of the wicked. What defends from the arrows? Using the shield of faith – creed.

What can righteous do when the foundations are destroyed?

Flee to the LORD

Who is in His Holy Temple, while His throne is in heaven (v. 4).

The LORD tries the righteous – righteous goes through training, development, and path of maturation. Cp. James 1:12.

The wicked is caught by snares, burned by brimstone, and dismissed by the wind (spirit), cp. Ps.1:4.

The LORD is righteous, Loves the righteous deeds, and the upright looks at His face, cp. Num. 6:24-26. We are not hiding from God, unlike Adam (or sons of Adam, see v. 4b). We are righteous in Christ and through Christ – the second Adam, therefore we can trust in the LORD, Who rules from His heavenly throne.        

REFORMATION or REVOLUTION

 ReFORMATION or Re-volution

Every October Lutheran churches celebrate Reformation Day. We all remember that on All the Saint’s Day Eve Dr. Martin Luther nailed an invitation for a discussion of Indulgences. His pastoral taste and practiced was “attacked” by Johann Tetzel’s sale’s events. As a result, we ended up with the Reformation. Restoration of the value of the Word of God operating through the Scriptures and the Sacraments.

Luther was not the only one who attempted to implement some changes in the life of the Church. Yet, their practices were radically different from those of Luther’s. What they argued for is more compatible with revolution, rather than Reformation. They wanted to get rid of liturgical practices, office of the ministry, and beauty of the sanctuaries. They wanted to start anew, thinking that the Church is SO corrupt, it’s irredeemable…

Unfortunately, they probably did not consider the depth of the Biblical statements about the Church. St. Paul writes to his disciple that the Church of the Living God is the pillar and buttress of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15). God preserved the church through the ages. Luther was very careful to identify the mistakes and sins of the clergy and hierarchy. He was ready to reform, to bring changes into life by teaching and preaching, and not by rioting or destruction.

Church is a living organism and is constantly changing. The proper way to achieve the godly changes is returning to the Word of God – holy, written, and inerrant Word of God – and prayerfully consider what can be done better in our context that Zion will reflect His glory, love, and grace. Teaching, preaching, and sharing the Word is the way transform from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). Zion has a great history, and the Bridegroom of the Church will lead us into a greater future, if we will be faithful to His transformative Word, the Word of Reformation.