July 4, 2023 — Psalm 74 

“O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture? Remember your congregation, which you acquired long ago, which you redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage. Remember Mount Zion, where you came to dwell. Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins; the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary. Your foes have roared within your holy place; they set up their emblems there. At the upper entrance they hacked the wooden trellis with axes. And then, with hatchets and hammers, they smashed all its carved work. They set your sanctuary on fire;  they desecrated the dwelling place of your name, bringing it to the ground. They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”; they burned all the meeting places of God in the land. We do not see our emblems; there is no longer any prophet, and there is no one among us who knows how long. How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever?” Psalm 74:1-10 

So many times, it appears that G-d has cast us off – both as individuals and as the church. We feel that way right now – at least many do across the planet — because so many people are suffering, so many are looking for hope, and so many are seeking a place to belong. And many think that G-d is going to wait for a time – perhaps G-d is going to wait to provide help — wait and see if the people of this earth shape up. What are we to do as the people of G-d – as G-d’s sheep who are desperately looking to our Good Shepherd, Jesus, for some help and hope?

We, the sheep of the Lord’s pasture are the believers in Christ. The church is going through a difficult time right now. Since the pandemic there are many churches that have closed – there are many churches that will take years to recover from lost income and declining membership because people will be afraid to come back to church. But the faithful never give up, even when they are going through terrible problems. The faithful must remain strong. It will be through our faith that we conquer this setback – and continue to be the church, in new and innovative ways – and in the ways we have always been the church. My friends, the Church of Jesus Christ is Alive!

Prayer

Faithful God, remember the covenant you made to your people of old, as well as the one sealed by the blood of your Son. Guard and guide those who look to you, that we may proclaim your mercy in all the world; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. 

Amen. 

July 5, 2023 — Psalm 75 

“We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks; your name is near. People tell of your wondrous deeds. At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity. When the earth totters, with all its inhabitants, it is I who keep its pillars steady. I say to the boastful, “Do not boast,” and to the wicked, “Do not lift up your horn; do not lift up your horn on high, or speak with insolent neck. For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up; but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed; he will pour a draught from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs. But I will rejoice forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. All the horns of the wicked I will cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.” Psalm 75

In the Psalms, we often hear the theme that G-d is the Savior for G-d’s people, which is also the theme of the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, the salvation of G-d is prayed for often as the people deal with their enemies, or deal with their disobedience. This salvation that they prayed for, and found now mind you, prefigures the salvation that Jesus has brought. And, just as the prophets and the Israelites battled the enemies of G-d, we too engage in the battles against evil and the devil – all the enemies of G-d.  As Paul said, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12). 

However, there is no difference between the G-d of the Old Testament and the G-d of the New Testament – though we struggle to understand the G-d of the Old Testament. But our G-d is one G-d, and the Bible, Old and New Testaments, is one book which speaks of G-d’s dealings with G-d’s people. G-d’s people should always be active and prayer, in ministry, and in seeking G-d’s deliverance and his salvation. And G-d is ever and always ready to deliver G-d’s people and lead them to the way of salvation.

Prayer 

Living God, in raising Christ upon the cross you defeated the power of evil. Strike down the pride that rules our hearts, and raise us to the glory of the resurrection; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. 

Amen. 

July 6, 2023 — Psalm 76

“In Judah God is known, his name is great in Israel. His abode has been established in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion. There he broke the flashing arrows, the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war. Glorious are you, more majestic than the everlasting mountains. The stouthearted were stripped of their spoil; they sank into sleep; none of the troops was able to lift a hand. At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse lay stunned. But you indeed are awesome! Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused? From the heavens you uttered judgment; the earth feared and was still when God rose up to establish judgment, to save all the oppressed of the earth. Human wrath serves only to praise you, when you bind the last bit of your wrath around you. Make vows to the Lord your God, and perform them; let all who are around him bring gifts to the one who is awesome, who cuts off the spirit of princes, who inspires fear in the kings of the earth.” Psalm 76

Sennacherib was the King of Assyria. Assyria was a very strong country to the north and east of Judah. In 721 BCE, the Assyrian army, led by Sennacherib’s father, captured the Israelite capital at Samaria and carried away the citizens of the northern Kingdom of Israel into captivity. The virtual destruction of Israel left the southern kingdom, Judah, to fend for itself among warring Near-Eastern kingdoms. Sennacherib attacked Judah in 701, but his army was unable to defeat Judah.

Psalm 76 (just like Psalms 46, 47, 48 and 75) is about what happened in this war. It tells us that G-d did not let the enemy destroy Jerusalem. In the psalm, there are two other names for Jerusalem: Salem and Zion, verse 2. “Salem” means “peace”; and Zion is the name of the hill where the Israelites built their temple. The Psalmist believes that G-d will save those who are oppressed, especially the people of G-d.

We also believe in a G-d who fights for the oppressed and saves those who cannot save themselves. The Psalmist writes: “Make vows to the Lord your God…who inspires fear in the kings of the earth.” We are called to live in this world with a trust and faith that G-d will inspire fear in the leaders of the earth — so they will practice justice in all the earth.

Prayer

Mighty God, awesome in power and splendid in holiness, in your presence the earth both trembles and stands still, for you shattered death’s power by the cross. Rise to help your people; give the light of your salvation to the oppressed of the earth, that they may praise your name now and always; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.