July 25, 2023 — Psalm 92

“It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep! The dullard cannot know, the stupid cannot understand this: though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever, but you, O LORD, are on high forever. For your enemies, O LORD, for your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered. But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil. My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants. The righteous flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. In old age they still produce fruit; they are always green and full of sap, showing that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.” Psalm 92

What does our society today think about evil? Is evil just the absence of good? Or is evil some other more profound “force” or presence? Evil is often associated with conscious and deliberate wrongdoing. The source of those wrongdoings are either within, or without the person performing the acts.

What does the Psalmist say in Psalm 92? “…though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever, but you, O LORD, are on high forever.” Yes, we can say that it appears that evil people or evil entities are flourishing in this world. But the Psalmist also says: “The righteous flourish like the palm tree…they are planted in the house of the LORD.”

Those who fear G-d and love their neighbor understand the battle we are waging against sin, death and the devil. G-d does not seek that the wicked should prosper, but rather that the righteous will win the day. We must remember that the enemies of the righteous are not because of personal enmity, but mainly because the righteous follow the ways of G-d and pray that G-d’s kingdom will come, on earth, just as it is in heaven. The wicked do not understand G-d’s rule — in fact they abhor the ways of G-d. They seek their own selfish rule on earth and, therefore, become enemies of G-d. When the wicked are defeated, the righteous are to celebrate because G-d’s kingdom is one more action, one more day closer to coming.

Let us give thanks to the Lord every day.

Prayer

Creator God, you have planted your word in our hearts that you might gather the harvest of justice. Root us so firmly in your love that we may always flourish, yielding the fruits of the Spirit from youth to old age; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

July 24, 2023 — Psalm 91

“You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the hunter and from the deadly pestilence; he will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and defense. You will not fear the terror of the night or the arrow that flies by day or the pestilence that stalks in darkness or the destruction that wastes at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only look with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. Because you have made the Lord your refuge,the Most High your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot. Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name. When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble; I will rescue them and honor them. With long life I will satisfy them and show them my salvation.”

Throughout this psalm G-d is presented as a refuge and a fortress. G-d is compared to a mother bird who will cover you with the feathers of her wings. The faithfulness of G-d is compared to a shield, a fortified rampart or wall.  

To put it mildly, the language of Psalm 91 is unstintingly confident.  There is no hesitation here. Nowhere does the psalmist say, “Maybe you will be OK with G-d.”  The rhetoric here is far more sure.  Listen: he will save you; you will not fear; a thousand may fall but it will not come near you; no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near you; you will not strike your foot upon a stone.

This is where we can jump to Satan’s temptations of Jesus. He is led up to a very high place and tempted to step right off the edge because, after all, G-d promise in Psalm 91, “He will give his angels charge over you so that you will not dash your foot upon a stone”?  The devil knows the Bible – and that thought should give you pause.

But Jesus refused. Jesus knew what we also need to remember: the promises we find in the Bible are not supposed to become fodder for some divine “fear factor”-like dare. We are not supposed to force G-d to come through for us – and then criticize G-d when everything crashes down on our heads. Psalm 91 is not supposed to be a type of litmus test as though you are supposed to think that if your life does not already look exactly this safe, secure, and completely snug, then there is something wrong with your faith.

What Psalm 91 does say is that no matter what happens, if God is your refuge and strength, then there are several things that will never change. G-d will always love you. G-d does not wish harm on any of G-d’s children. And G-d is able to use unhappy events to make us stronger so that we can in turn help others. G-d does not forsake us or forget us. Whatever else Psalm 91 says, it lets you know that if you make G-d your refuge, you can be assured that G-d will always receive you. When you run to embrace G-d, he is going to hug you back, not slap you in the face.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, when tempted by the devil, you remained true to your Father, who commanded his angels to watch over you. Guard your church from the plague of sin, so that we may remain faithful to you until the day when we enjoy the fullness of your salvation; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever.

Amen.