May 11, 2023 — Psalm 28

“To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, do not refuse to hear me,

for if you are silent to me, I shall be like those who go down to the Pit. Hear the voice of my supplication, as I cry to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary. Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who are workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors, while mischief is in their hearts. Repay them according to their work, and according to the evil of their deeds; repay them according to the work of their hands; render them their due reward. Because they do not regard the works of the Lord, or the work of his hands, he will break them down and build them up no more. Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard the sound of my pleadings. The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. The Lord is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed. O save your people, and bless your heritage; be their shepherd, and carry them forever.” Psalm 28

“The 28th psalm is a psalm of prayer that David prayed against Saul and similar enemies. He prayed especially against this evil: that they spoke well to him and acted friendly at times, yet attempted to kill him—so David was concerned lest God hold him accountable for this, and therefore he prayed that he might not be carried off with the godless. We can pray this psalm against the tyrants and against the rebellious spirits. For the tyrants portray themselves as friendly, yet in daily machinations they seek ways to kill and destroy. The rebellious spirits praise God’s glory, Word, and worship in highest measure; they want to help all the world and are extraordinarily humble. Yet for all of that, they seek the corruption of souls and are, under sheep’s clothing, ravening wolves.” (Martin Luther, Reading the Psalms with Luther)

“The Lord is the strength of his people”, says the Psalmist. It is true — we are a strong people when we are a people united in our faith and our trust in G-d. And, this does not need to be just Lutherans, or Episcopalians, or Presbyterians or other Christians, like Catholics, and Methodists. When we call ourselves people of G-d, then we include our Jewish and our Islamic brothers and sisters as well — for we are all people of G-d.

And when we are confronted with disease, destruction, or death, then we need the strength of the Lord — if, as people of G-d, we will see our way through such difficult times. This is the time to work together — not to separate ourselves into different factions of believers – but to be the people of G-d. “Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard the sound of my pleadings.” It is now that we all need to come together in prayer. We pray for ourselves, our families, our neighbors of faith, and our neighbors throughout the community, the country and the world.

Prayer: God of all grace, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who knows the enemies of Your Church and are able to thwart all their designs; designs; protect us against all tyrants, heretics, and hypocrites. Hear our prayer and grant us to love Your Word, to promote Your honor upon earth, and to continue in Your service always even to the end.Amen.

Pastor Dave