July 7, 2023 — Psalm 77 

“I cry aloud to God, aloud to God, that he may hear me. In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. I think of God, and I moan; I meditate, and my spirit faints. You keep my eyelids from closing; I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I consider the days of old and remember the years of long ago I commune with my heart in the night; I meditate and search my spirit: “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love ceased forever? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” And I say, “It is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed.” Psalm 77:1-10

These are days of trouble — we are all living in troubling times, both locally and globally. But it is in these kinds of challenges that we must be immersed in prayer and G-d’s word. We can be tricked into thinking that G-d does not always appear to be paying attention to our needs and concerns, but that does not mean that G-d has forsaken us. Instead, we need to redouble our efforts to seek G-d until we find him. In this Psalm, the writer has been experiencing his own trouble, but that did not mean he gave up on G-d or decided to seek someone else for consolation. Instead, he sought G-d, and G-d’s favor and grace.

The author of this Psalm pondered upon his trouble, and for a time it affected his faith. When he thought about G-d, all he could focus on was justice and wrath. So even when we are in troubling times, we cannot forget the good that is still all around us. The Devil will use these times to increase our doubts and fears — and if we wallow too much in fear, then we open ourselves up to the possibility that our faith may falter. Despondency and distrust, fear and sadness, loneliness and suffering, these are the things all believers will encounter at some point in our lives. When unbelief is working in us, we must pray for the strength to suppress these feelings and live into the goodness of G-d.

Prayer

God of the ages, by signs and wonders you established your ancient covenant, and through the sacrifice of your Son you confirmed the new covenant yet more wondrously. Guide your church to the land of promise, that there we may celebrate your name with lasting praise through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

July 8, 2023 — Psalm 78

“Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell them to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. He established a decree in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children; that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and rise up and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they should not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God. The Ephraimites, armed with the bow, turned back on the day of battle. They did not keep God’s covenant, but refused to walk according to his law.” Psalm 78:1-10

This psalm has two main purposes: to praise G-d and to instruct the believer. When we tell stories about our past, our love of G-d and the teachings that have informed our faith both live in all aspects of those stories. Psalm 78 is an example of how we share our faith within the experience and celebration of our past, present and future. In this Psalm, the writer talks about the good bits of G-d’s help to Israel during the Exodus. But what is missing? If you look back to the book of Exodus, you realize that all the complaining and ingratitude of the Israelites is missing. And what is the result of this selective recounting of the story from Exodus? Well, it’s a completely different story.

We can become forgetful when we reflect on our past. Sometimes we can live with revisionist history — but that can change how we encounter the present. In other words, even though the Israelites were acting like ungrateful children a lot of the journey in Exodus, without remembering their disobedience, we can forget how unconditionally gracious, loving and compassionate our G-d really is. Most importantly, we must remember how many second chances our G-d is willing to give G-d’s people — that is what Amazing Grace is all about. 

Prayer

Shepherd of your people, strengthen us on our journey, we pray. Forgive our frequent rebelling, guide us through the wilderness, and feed us with the bread of angels, that we may proclaim the mystery of faith, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

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.