“Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; preserve my life from the dread enemy. ² Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the scheming of evildoers, ³ who whet their tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like arrows, ⁴ shooting from ambush at the blameless; they shoot suddenly and without fear. ⁵ They hold fast to their evil purpose; they talk of laying snares secretly, thinking, “Who can see us?⁶Who can search out our crimes? We have thought out a cunningly conceived plot.” For the human heart and mind are deep. ⁷ But God will shoot his arrow at them; they will be wounded suddenly. ⁸ Because of their tongue he will bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake with horror. ⁹ Then everyone will fear; they will tell what God has brought about, and ponder what he has done. ¹⁰ Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him. Let all the upright in heart glory.” Psalm 64:1-10

We often think of G-d as a loving G-d, full of Love, Mercy and Grace. Yet, within the Old Testament texts, we will hear about the other side of G-d, the G-d who, like the Psalmist proclaims, will “..shoot his arrow at them; they will be wounded suddenly…he (G-d) will bring them to ruin;… then everyone will fear (G-d).”  Have you had experiences with G-d where you have mostly felt the presence of the G-d of judgment, the one to be feared? We know that Jesus shows his righteous anger, the same anger that Jesus expressed in driving the money changers out of the Temple. We read about how Jesus reacted with righteous anger to situations of disease and doubt. Luther says in the Small Catechism that we are to fear AND love G-d – because G-d is such an awesome G-d that our love for G-d should include some level of deep respect, if not some level of fear.

There are plenty of Old Testament stories, stories like the Noah story, the Jonah story, the Joseph story, the Red Sea story, the Cain and Able story, where human anger and G-d’s anger cross paths. However, we need to take heed of Luther’s teaching, to love and to fear G-d in all aspects of our lives. I see it as a fear that does not scare us straight, but keeps us obedient.

Pastor Dave

“Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; protect me from those who rise up against me. ² Deliver me from those who work evil; from the bloodthirsty save me. ³ Even now they lie in wait for my life; the mighty stir up strife against me.
For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord, ⁴ for no fault of mine, they run and make ready. Rouse yourself, come to my help and see! ⁵You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel. Awake to punish all the nations; spare none of those who treacherously plot evil.” Psalm 59:1-5

Verses 4b and 5 of Psalm 59 read, “Rouse yourself, come to my help and see! You, Lord G-d of hosts, are G-d of Israel.  Awake to punish all the nations; spare none of those who treacherously plot evil.”  In this text we have a disturbing image of a G-d who is asleep – who is distracted – who is not paying attention. It is a disturbing image. We do not like to think that G-d is not attentive to our needs, our concerns, and our prayers. And yet, the Psalms are filled with such laments. Even the Israelites, while on their forty year journey in the wilderness complain that G-d has forgotten them.

Are their times in your life where you have felt that way about G-d, that G-d needed to “remember” that you were here? Have there been times in the life of this country that you have felt that G-d was asleep, or needed arousing to remember us? Do you think that G-d forgets about us, or removes (himself) for periods of time? Of course, how do you think G-d feels when we forget G-d – forget to pray, forget to worship, forget to say thanks?

Pastor Dave