April 18, 2023 — Psalm 8

“O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor. You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” Psalm 8

“Psalm 8 is a prophecy of Christ—His sufferings, resurrection, and kingly rule over all creatures. This kingdom shall be established by the voice of children, that is, it will be established by Word and faith alone, not by sword or armor. This psalm belongs in the First Commandment, specifically that God intends to be our God, and the Second Petition, as was stated in Psalm 2 above.” (Martin Luther, Reading the Psalms with Luther)

Who is this G-d we serve? As a Christian, we believe that G-d is the creator of all that we see. It is hard to look upon the earth and the heavens and NOT  sing G-d’s praises. Of course, there are many who look on this creation and marvel at how it all came to be by chance. I just do not agree. Over and over again, as I gaze upon the mountains of West Virginia, or take a glimpse into the multi-faceted and multi-dimensional aspects of the human anatomy, I see nothing here that can be explained by simply happen-stance. We watch with delight as each new blossom appears in spring, or another new creature is found where none should be, and we marvel at our G-d who continues to create.

Agree with me or not, I see the very hands of G-d all around me — I see creation happening all around me. “O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” Not only is it majestic, but it is evident everywhere I look.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You were delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification. Bless and defend Your Holy Church. Give us strength to share Your Word with the power of the Holy Spirit, so we too can declare “O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” And after the sufferings of this life grant us to celebrate your resurrection, knowing we too will rise again to live and reign with You in all eternity. Amen.

Pastor Dave

April 17, 2023 — Psalm 7

“O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, lest like a lion they tear my soul apart rending it in pieces, with none to deliver. O LORD my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands, if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause, let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it, and let him trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust. Arise, O LORD, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have appointed a judgment. Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you; over it return on high. The LORD judges the peoples; judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me. Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous—you who test the minds and hearts,O righteous God!  My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation ev’ry day.” Psalm 7:1-11

“Psalm 7 is also a psalm of prayer. It laments over slanderers who accuse the saints and their teachings as being riotous, opposed to the authorities, and disturbing the peace. In this way Shimei the Benjaminite (2 Samuel 16:5–14) slandered the pious David as if David had stolen King Saul’s kingdom. In the same way, Christ was also accused before Pilate, and even now slanderers defame the Gospel. David fights against this affliction with prayer and cries to God of his innocence. By David’s own example, he shows us that such a prayer was granted, so that we might have comfort.” (Martin Luther, Reading the Psalms with Luther)

The Psalmist writes: “…if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause, let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it, and let him trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust.” So often we ask G-d to be hard on another person, someone we think has done us wrong, or someone who has done a friend of ours wrong. Yet we always expect that G-d will give us a “get out of sin card”. We want others to face G-d’s wrath while hoping G-d will be merciful with our judgment. Here, the Psalmist is clearly saying, “What is good for the goose, is good for the gander.”

Expecting G-d’s firm judgment for our wrongdoings should keep us on a straighter and narrower path — but as we all know this often is not the case. We all are sinners and fall short of the glory of G-d. But, G-d is also merciful and full of compassion — therefore we don’t get what we deserve, we get the gift of new life in Christ. If we seek to follow G-d in all ways, even when we know this is out of our reach, the Grace of G-d will mean there will be no need for G-d’s just discipline. Then we can live into that Grace by giving it to others — for, “What is good for the goose, is good for the gander.”

Prayer: Lord, our God, lover of the truth, help those who, for Your name’s sake, are lied against and slandered innocently. Strengthen, comfort, and uphold those who suffer wrongfully, and break and hinder the craftiness of evil men who would suppress Your truth and destroy Your kingdom. Amen.

Pastor Dave