Daily Archives: August 21, 2021

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 5:35 am on August 21, 2021  

August 21, 2021 – Psalm 58:1–62:12

August 21, 2021 – Psalm 58:1–62:12    

“Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; protect me from those who rise up against me. 2 Deliver me from those who work evil; from the bloodthirsty save me. 3 Even now they lie in wait for my life; the mighty stir up strife against me. For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord, 4 for no fault of mine, they run and make ready. Rouse yourself, come to my help and see! 5You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel. Awake to punish all the nations; spare none of those who treacherously plot evil.” Psalm 59:1-5

Verses 4b and 5 of Psalm 59 read, “Rouse yourself, come to my help and see! You, Lord G-d of hosts, are G-d of Israel.  Awake to punish all the nations; spare none of those who treacherously plot evil.”  In this text we have a disturbing image of a G-d who is asleep – who is distracted – who is not paying attention. It is a disturbing image. We do not like to think that G-d is not attentive to our needs, our concerns, and our prayers. And yet, the Psalms are filled with such laments. Even the Israelites, while on their forty-year journey in the wilderness complain that G-d has forgotten them.

Are there times in your life where you have felt that way about G-d, that G-d needed to “remember” that you were here? Have there been times in the life of this country that you have felt that G-d was asleep, or needed arousing to remember us? Do you think that G-d forgets about us, or removes (himself) for periods of time? What about this pandemic and the way it has interrupted our world, do we need to awaken G-d to hear our cries?

Of course, how do you think G-d feels when we forget G-d – forget to pray, forget to worship, forget to say thanks? G-d does withdraw, but G-d does not forget or leave us alone. The presence of the Spirit is always there – just a prayer away. Let us not forget….

Let us Pray,

Lord, come to my help today. Give me your presence, your Spirit, and your love. Help me to remind others of your presence in their lives through all that I say and do. Amen.

Pastor Dave