Burunche’s Blog

Our Help Is in the Name of the LORD 

A song of ascents. Of David.

“If the LORD had not been on our side—let Israel now declare—if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us, when their anger flared against us, then they would have swallowed us alive, then the floods would have engulfed us, then the torrent would have overwhelmed us, then the raging waters would have swept us away.

Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler; the net is torn, and we have slipped away. Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

David’s psalms are scattered throughout the Book of Psalms, and this is one the pilgrims are chanting on the way to Jerusalem. “If the LORD had not been on our side—let Israel now declare—if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us, when their anger flared against us, then they would have swallowed us alive, then the floods would have engulfed us, then the torrent would have overwhelmed us, then the raging waters would have swept us away.” When we remember David’s struggles while Saul was pursuing him, we realize that Saul nearly caught David on several occasions. At one point, David and his men had taken refuge in a cave, only for Saul to decide to take a nap in that same cave! David cut off a small piece of Saul’s robe while Saul was asleep and then woke Saul up and showed it to him.

Even after David became king, he still faced enormous challenges. There were probably many times when David felt as if he had been caught in a wadi with flood waters barreling down in a huge wave threatening to sweep him away. As the pilgrims continue on their journey, they are remembering all the times that God delivered them miraculously.   

 “Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowler; the net is torn, and we have slipped away. Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Those who caught birds generally laid snares or nets that would then be triggered by the bird’s weight. As soon as the bird tripped the snare or the net, it would spring up, catching the bird and holding it fast. Here David is avowing that even when he has been caught in Satan’s snares, God has torn the spiritual netting, allowing him to escape. Only God can deliver in this fashion.

APPLICATION: How many of us can look back over our lives and see times when God has delivered us from our own stupidity? One Sunday afternoon when I was ten years old, I decided to see if I could escape from the second story of our old farm house in case there was a fire and I couldn’t get down the stairs. I climbed on out the front porch roof and jumped ten feet to the ground, landing on soft grass. Blessedly, I rolled when I jumped and I didn’t injure myself. God protected me from physical injury that day, but God has delivered me from many more dangerous situations since then. I must confess that most of the time, I have failed to recognize God’s deliverance until well after the danger has been thwarted. Has this kept me from further recklessness? Well, sometimes.

All of us are pilgrims passing through life. We need the Lord on our side to make it through successfully to heaven. Even if we don’t do stupid things that test God’s ability to deliver, none of us is good enough to make it to heaven on our own. All of us sin and fall short of God’s glory. Jesus Christ has come as a man and has died in his innocence so that he can serve as the blood sacrifice for our sins. But we must believe in Jesus and accept that sacrifice he has made.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help those who read these words to trust that Jesus has died for them, and that he has conquered death and the grave. Help them to trust You for the rest of their lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

I Lift Up My Eyes to You A song of ascents.

“I lift up my eyes to You, the One enthroned in heaven. As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes are on the LORD our God until He shows us mercy. Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy, for we have endured much contempt. We have endured much scorn from the arrogant, much contempt from the proud.”

There’s nothing new under the sun, and this psalm proves it. As the pilgrims are trudging toward Jerusalem, they are thinking about the problems they have left behind them. One of these problems is abuse from obnoxious people who are scornful, arrogant, and contemptuous. Who are these critics? Perhaps there are gossipy neighbors, or perhaps a young couple is saddled with in-laws who feel it is their mission in life to find as much fault as possible. Perhaps an apprentice or a servant has been struggling to satisfy a perfectionist master or mistress. One author has described this kind of mental abuse as “being stoned to death with popcorn.” It’s not the first complaint that hurts; it’s the repetitious reproaches that are repeated hourly and daily.

No matter how difficult the journey to Jerusalem, no matter how hot the sun or how cold the wind, or how painful the rocks are on sandaled feet, at least the pilgrims are free from the scorn….unless the scornful are in the same group on the same journey! At that point, this psalm would give the abused a subtle way to get back at their abusers as they appeal to God for mercy.

“As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes are on the LORD our God until He shows us mercy.” At the time this psalm is being written, servants have no rights and must watch their masters and mistresses closely to make certain that they don’t miss any orders. Now the pilgrims  are avowing to God that they will watch Him just as closely, not only so that God will show them mercy, but also so that they will follow God’s will for their lives.

APPLICATION: The scornful and arrogant are everywhere. These days, cyber-bullying has become a huge problem, with many teen-agers committing suicide after suffering humiliating abuse. Just publish something on Facebook and watch the derogatory remarks roll in.

When I was in surgery residency, I once complained to my department chairman about the poor technique I had witnessed one surgeon using. My chairman listened as I vented and then said kindly, “Well, now you know how NOT to perform that operation.” While it is tempting to complain about the poor attitudes of others, we need to examine ourselves. Are we encouraging those around us, or are we driving them to pray prayers similar to this psalm? Are we pointing people the way to God, or are we frustrating them and pulling them down?

Jan Karon in her Mitford series quotes a proverb from the American South that says, “Everyone is trying to swallow something they can’t get down.” We never know how many problems others are facing. Jesus advised his disciples to “pray for those who despitefully use you.” This advice still works. Let’s make certain that we are not despitefully using others while we are complaining about those who abuse us!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we thank You for Your mercy. Help us to pray for those who despitefully use us, even as we watch closely for Your guidance. We ask this in the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem

A song of ascents. Of David.

“I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.” Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built up as a city united together, where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as a testimony for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD. For there the thrones of judgment stand, the thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you prosper. May there be peace within your walls, and prosperity inside your fortresses.” For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your prosperity.”

Why are these psalms called “songs of ascents?” Jerusalem is on Mount Zion; while not exactly a mountain, Jerusalem is certainly higher than much of the land around it, although you can look eastward across the Kidron Valley to the Mount of Olives and southward to the Herodion, Herod’s palace on a small mountain. So pilgrims going to Jerusalem would have to climb upward to reach the city gates.

“I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.” Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem.” You can imagine that this psalm would be sung once the pilgrims have reached Jerusalem. After weary days on the road in the heat and the dust, struggling for food and water and looking out for roaming bandits, now the travelers have made it and are safe.

“Jerusalem is built up as a city united together, where the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as a testimony for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD. For there the thrones of judgment stand, the thrones of the house of David.”  God ordained Jerusalem to be the center of worship, and men were ordered to present themselves in Jerusalem at least three times a year. When Jeroboam rebelled against King Rehoboam, the son of King Solomon, Jeroboam was afraid that people would continue to go to Jerusalem to worship, undermining his authority. So Jeroboam created his own religion with two gigantic altars and golden calves. Then Jeroboam told his people, “It’s too difficult for you to have to travel all that long distance to Jerusalem. Come worship at my altars; it’s much easier.”

God had promised Jeroboam that if Jeroboam would honor Him, God would establish his family as a dynasty. By establishing his own religion, Jeroboam guaranteed that his line would be a short one. Jeroboam rebelled against God and paid for it.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you prosper. May there be peace within your walls, and prosperity inside your fortresses.” For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your prosperity.” Recently there has been a great deal of antisemitic propaganda internationally, even though Hamas attacked a peaceful Israeli music festival and then used innocent civilians as human shields. But neither the actions of Hamas nor of the current Israeli government can cancel God’s promises or His commands. God orders us to continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and promises that those who love Jerusalem will have peace and prosperity. Some translations for the final verse say, “For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.”

There are many commands in the Bible. While we might want to pick and choose, God is serious about commanding us to pray for Jerusalem. Those who love Israel and pray for her to become everything God wants for her to be will be rewarded by God. Let’s pray.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, we do pray for the peace of Jerusalem, of Israel, and for peace in the Middle East. Raise up righteous leaders who will protect people rather than hiding behind them. Cause revival to come to the entire Middle East. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

 I Lift Up My Eyes to the Hills

A song of ascents.

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. Behold, the Protector of Israel will not slumber or sleep. The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is the shade on your right hand. The sun will not strike you by day nor the moon by night. The LORD will guard you from all evil; He will preserve your soul. The LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore.”

The first verse of this psalm makes little sense. Why would anybody gaze on the hills? Well, unfortunately, once the Israelites came into Canaan, it didn’t take long before they were setting up pagan shrines all over the place. Guess where one of the favorite locations for these shrines was? That’s right; the shrines were frequently located on tops of mountains or hills. When the psalmist refers to looking at the hills, he wants to demonstrate that the shrines are useless and that it is the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth who will help him.

“He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. Behold, the Protector of Israel will not slumber or sleep.” These days, security is a fragile thing. Sometimes when we feel the most secure, we are actually at our most vulnerable. Truly, God is the ultimate Source of protection. We can sleep soundly because God will remain awake. Several years ago, I saw a sign in someone’s office. It read, “Give your problems to Me. I’m going to be up all night anyway.” And it was signed “God.”

“The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is the shade on your right hand. The sun will not strike you by day nor the moon by night.” We can readily understand why we need protection from the sun, but why mention the moon? Throughout centuries, many people have believed that the moon could have deleterious influences, hence the name “lunatic,” from “luna” or moon. God can protect us 24/7.  

“The LORD will guard you from all evil; He will preserve your soul. The LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore.” What comfort! No matter what kinds of measures we take to protect ourselves, these measures can always be breached. But divine protection is truly safe. God knows our every move; in fact, God knows our every breath. The Bible tells us that even the hairs on our heads are numbered. God knows every cell in those hairs, and every atom of those cells.

APPLICATION: For an excellent discussion of all the Psalms of Ascents, check out Eugene Peterson’s book A Long Obedience in the Same Direction. Peterson is responsible for The Living Bible, and his book on these psalms is informative and easily read.

In my life, I have managed to get myself into some sticky situations from which God has had to deliver me on numerous occasions. I grew up on a farm during a time when we still did most of the labor by hand. I have been stepped on and kicked by cows, chased up the side of A-frame hog houses by angry mother pigs, and bucked off horses. At one point, I allowed a friend to lead me up Mount Colden in the Adirondacks by climbing the dike-a precipitous climb made more so by the trickles of spring water weeping down the face of the rock. I was wearing running shoes with relatively smooth soles and had no business being up there in such footgear. The list of my foolish endeavors is a long one; the point is that God has delivered me despite my stupidity.

“But,” you ask, “what about people who are not delivered and who die in accidents or wars over which they have no control?” That’s a good question, and when I reach heaven, I intend to ask God. I nearly lost my father in a near-fatal car crash when I was seven years old. It took my dad nine months to regain mobility after fracturing his pelvis, one femur, a knee cap, and several ribs. Dad did nothing wrong; he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time when a drunk driver came blitzing down a hill, striking his vehicle head-on.

Isaiah 55 tells us that God’s ways are higher than ours, and our problem is that we only see part of an issue and not the entire picture. Recently, I operated a 17-year-old boy for typhoid. My patient should have made a complete recovery; instead, he developed severe pneumonia and died. When faced with such situations, I can only fall back on something a pastor friend used to say. Our friend told us that he was only in advertising and that God was in management, in other words, God had the final say. But the one thing I am sure of is that God DOES love us and that He knows our needs far better than we do.

During the first reported outbreak of Lassa fever in Jos, Nigeria in the 1960’s, Dr. Jeanette Troup was exposed when she suffered a small wound while performing an autopsy on a Lassa patient. One friend told her that nothing could reach her that had not already come through God’s hand. Jeanette died while a fellow missionary survived to a ripe old age, dying only a few years ago. But Jeanette died continuing to believe that God loved her, even if He chose for her to die from Lassa. Jeanette may have died from Lassa, but despair couldn’t touch her. Even in death, Jeanette’s faith still triumphed.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Jesus, help us to trust You no matter the circumstances and to know that we can always rely on You to deliver us from Satan. It’s in Your mighty and precious Name we pray, Jesus. Amen.

Psalm 120

In My Distress I Cried to the LORD

A song of ascents.

“In my distress I cried to the LORD, and He answered me. Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips and a deceitful tongue. What will He do to you, and what will be added to you, O deceitful tongue? Sharp arrows will come from the warrior, with burning coals of juniper!

Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I dwelt among those who hate peace. I am in favor of peace; but when I speak, they want war.”

After Psalm 119, it’s a relief to come to Psalm 120. This psalm is also the first of the “Psalms of Ascents,” psalms that were sung by pilgrims as they traveled toward Jerusalem to celebrate one of the annual festivals. Once more, we realize the writers of psalms don’t disguise their feelings. This writer feels surrounded by critics willing to start fights over minutiae.

APPLICATION: It can happen to anybody. You start a job with a company you enjoy, only for upper-level personnel to change, leading to a toxic work place environment. At that point, you share the feelings of this writer. Given the chance, you would gladly do something to deal with the deceitful tongues. All you want is to do your job while those around you are engaged in office intrigue. What can you do?

Jobs are scarce, so quitting might not be an option. Try this instead: Follow Jesus’ instructions and “pray for those who despitefully use you.” I once found myself working with a surgical team at a hospital where we had many chronic patients. One of the most disagreeable was Jimmy M. Jimmy was a diabetic whose right foot was trying to rot. The Chief of Surgery insisted that we should do everything possible to save Jimmy’s foot. As the most junior member of the team, I was the one charged with changing Jimmy’s dressings every day and picking out the dead tissue. Was Jimmy grateful? Are you kidding? All the time I was changing Jimmy’s dressings, he was cursing me up one side and down the other.

One day as I was enduring Jimmy’s insults, God spoke to me. “Pray for Jimmy!” “But God, I don’t want to! “ I whined. “Do it anyway!” came the answer. So I began silently praying for Jimmy. Days turned into weeks and I was still dressing Jimmy’s foot and praying. Suddenly, one day, Jimmy demanded to attend the chapel service, something he had always shunned previously. After that, Jimmy changed. The curses stopped, and he was much more pleasant.  What made the difference? God answering my prayers. Shortly after that, I rotated on to a different service in a different hospital, and I never saw Jimmy again. But it didn’t matter. God had already used Jimmy to teach me the power of praying for unpleasant people.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to pray for all those around us, particularly for those who are unlovely and hard to love. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

ש  SHIN.

“Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart fears only Your word. I rejoice in Your promise like one who finds great spoil. I hate and abhor falsehood, but Your law I love. Seven times a day I praise You for Your righteous judgments. Abundant peace belongs to those who love Your instruction; nothing can make them stumble. I wait for Your salvation, O LORD, and I carry out Your commandments. I obey Your testimonies and love them greatly. I obey Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You.”

 ת  TAU.

“May my cry come before You, O LORD; give me understanding according to Your word. May my plea come before You; rescue me according to Your promise. My lips pour forth praise, for You teach me Your statutes. My tongue sings of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteous. May Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts. I long for Your salvation, O LORD, and Your law is my delight. Let me live to praise You; may Your judgments sustain me. I have strayed like a lost sheep;

seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commandments.“

“Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart fears only Your word. I rejoice in Your promise like one who finds great spoil. I hate and abhor falsehood, but Your law I love. Seven times a day I praise You for Your righteous judgments. Abundant peace belongs to those who love Your instruction; nothing can make them stumble.” Which rulers are persecuting this guy? Who knows? Somehow this guy has wound up as a target. But rather than go hide in a corner, this guy is praising God seven times a day. All that praise lifts this man’s spirits and gives him something far more positive than obsessing about his enemies. Another translation of the last verse is “Great peace have those who love Your law. Nothing can make them stumble.” I have repeated that verse to myself on many occasions when I have found myself in a tight spot.

“I long for Your salvation, O LORD, and Your law is my delight. Let me live to praise You; may Your judgments sustain me. I have strayed like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commandments.“ After all has been said and done, this is the psalmist’s conclusion, and it should be ours as well. Most of us stray like lost sheep at some point or other, so it’s comforting to remember that God is the Shepherd who seeks and saves.

APPLICATION: Today’s study is the last in the series on Psalm 119. Psalm 119 is actually an acrostic in Hebrew, with each section beginning with the appropriate letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Somehow the writer manages to express his feelings while creating an intellectual challenge at the same time. Most of us are happy just to study his efforts!

How should you handle Psalm 119? There are many ways to approach it. One of my favorites is to read until a verse stops me and then to copy that verse so that I can memorize it. Don’t be surprised if different verses light up for you at various times; that’s the Holy Spirit guiding you. The wonderful aspect of the Bible is that no matter how many times you read it, you will always find something new, something that you can apply to your life the day you read it. That’s the wonder of God’s Word.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Thank You for giving us Your word that will enlighten us, guide us, encourage us, protect us, and preserve us. Give us an ever-increasing hunger for Your word. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen. 

 ק KOPH.

“I call with all my heart; answer me, O LORD! I will obey Your statutes. I call to You; save me, that I may keep Your testimonies. I rise before dawn and cry for help; in Your word I have put my hope. My eyes anticipate the watches of night, that I may meditate on Your word. Hear my voice, O LORD, according to Your loving devotion; give me life according to Your justice. Those who follow after wickedness draw near; they are far from Your law. You are near, O LORD, and all Your commandments are true. Long ago I learned from Your testimonies that You have established them forever.”

ר  RESH.

“Look upon my affliction and rescue me, for I have not forgotten Your law. Defend my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word. Salvation is far from the wicked because they do not seek Your statutes. Great are Your mercies, O LORD; revive me according to Your ordinances. Though my persecutors and foes are many, I have not turned from Your testimonies. I look on the faithless with loathing because they do not keep Your word. Consider how I love Your precepts, O LORD; give me life according to Your loving devotion. Your word is the essence of truth, and all Your righteous judgments endure.”

“I call with all my heart; answer me, O LORD! I will obey Your statutes. I call to You; save me, that I may keep Your testimonies. I rise before dawn and cry for help; in Your word I have put my hope. My eyes anticipate the watches of night, that I may meditate on Your word.” Appalled by the moral degradation around him, our psalmist is begging God for help in pursuing holiness. There are certain times of day that are much better for Bible study. I am a morning person, so early mornings are great for me; besides, that might be the only time I will have uninterrupted all day. But if I wake up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep, that’s also a good time to be quiet with God and listen for him to speak to my heart. No, I am not hearing audible voices. There are those who do occasionally hear God speak audibly, but for me, God puts impressions into my mind. The reason I know I am not imagining things is that God frequently demands I do tough things I would rather not.

Once more, the psalmist is begging God to protect him from his accusers, those who have no respect for God’s laws. Are these accusers fellow priests? Fellow worship leaders? Fellow workers in the temple? We are never told, but they are obviously doing everything they can to discredit the writer.

“Though my persecutors and foes are many, I have not turned from Your testimonies. I look on the faithless with loathing because they do not keep Your word. Consider how I love Your precepts, O LORD; give me life according to Your loving devotion. Your word is the essence of truth, and all Your righteous judgments endure.” Is the writer attempting to remind God of His own attributes? No. The psalmist is trying to reassure himself that God really is righteous and that He really will take care of evil doers.

APPLICATION: Many times, we look at those promulgating evil on a massive scale and wonder why God has not already dealt with them. Vladimir Putin’s senseless attacks on Ukraine are a perfect example. But we forget that God loves Vladimir Putin just as much as He loves us and God is giving Mr. Putin the opportunity to repent. Whether or not Mr. Putin will do so is an open question; however, the possibility remains there until the day he dies.

One of the painful things about being in ministry is when your colleagues fail you or even attack you, attempting to destroy your reputation. In our time in missions, we have seen every major mission group we know mishandle personnel in ways that are far from either Christian or loving. If a group has decided to terminate someone, they will go to any lengths to manufacture “evidence” to substantiate their decision. Sometimes it appears that a particular group will pray, “Oh God, here is our decision. Please rubber stamp it. Amen!”

The problem is that ministry is carried out by people and people are fallible. The amazing thing is that even if a group makes mistakes, God can still use that situation to His glory. We have witnessed a number of situations where friends changed sending agencies and had long and fruitful ministry careers as a result. God does not waste experiences.

Perhaps you feel very much like the psalmist. You have done your best but those around you seem bent on destroying you. Go to the Lord and ask Him to guide you according to His law. You will never regret it.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to look to You and not to anybody else for our salvation and our justification. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

 פ  PE.

“Wonderful are Your testimonies; therefore I obey them. The unfolding of Your words gives light; it informs the simple. I open my mouth and pant, longing for Your commandments. Turn to me and show me mercy, as You do to those who love Your name. Order my steps in Your word; let no sin rule over me. Redeem me from the oppression of man, that I may keep Your precepts. Make Your face shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes. My eyes shed streams of tears because Your law is not obeyed.”

 צ  TZADE.

“Righteous are You, O LORD, and upright are Your judgments. The testimonies You have laid down are righteous and altogether faithful. My zeal has consumed me because my foes forget Your words. Your promise is completely pure; therefore Your servant loves it. I am lowly and despised, but I do not forget Your precepts. Your righteousness is everlasting and Your law is true. Trouble and distress have found me, but Your commandments are my delight. Your testimonies are righteous forever. Give me understanding, that I may live.”

It’s time to talk about wickedness and our attitude towards it. Satan is alive and well and promoting as much wickedness as possible. Are we disturbed in our souls by wickedness, or do we view wickedness as a mere distraction, something we ignore as much as possible unless it affects us? There’s no doubt where the writer of this psalm stands: he is horrified by wickedness and can’t tolerate it.

“I open my mouth and pant, longing for Your commandments. Turn to me and show me mercy, as You do to those who love Your name. Order my steps in Your word; let no sin rule over me. Redeem me from the oppression of man, that I may keep Your precepts. Make Your face shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes. My eyes shed streams of tears because Your law is not obeyed.”

We don’t know precisely when this psalm was written, but what we do know was that things are steadily deteriorating morally in both Judah and Israel. One prophet mentions that there are as many shrines in Jerusalem as there are roof tops and there are altars at the head of every street. Fertility cult prostitution is the order of the day, and women are sewing charms in veils to try to capture people’s souls. People are even offering their own children as live burnt offerings to Molech. Amid this flood-tide of evil, one man is crying out to God for deliverance and justification. The writer feels as if he’s completely isolated; all his colleagues are going along to get along, and they mock him for not capitulating along with them.

“Righteous are You, O LORD, and upright are Your judgments. The testimonies You have laid down are righteous and altogether faithful. My zeal has consumed me because my foes forget Your words. Your promise is completely pure; therefore Your servant loves it. I am lowly and despised, but I do not forget Your precepts. Your righteousness is everlasting and Your law is true. Trouble and distress have found me, but Your commandments are my delight. Your testimonies are righteous forever. Give me understanding, that I may live.”

God’s word is the psalmist’s only hope, and he doesn’t know how much longer he can hold on. So far, the psalmist has survived by persistently reminding himself of God’s greatness and power, God’s holiness and righteousness, and God’s justice. But the psalmist is baffled. Why doesn’t God deal with all these evil people? Why is God tolerating this muck?

APPLICATION: One of the great movies in recent years has been the movie Amazing Grace. This movie tells the story of William Wilberforce, a British Christian, who made his way into the British Parliament and worked tirelessly to shut down the transatlantic slave trade. Ultimately, Wilberforce and those working with him succeeded. On August 1, 1834, Britian passed the Slavery Abolition Act, outlawing the owning, buying, and selling of humans as property throughout its colonies around the world. The fight against slavery cost Wilberforce dearly in terms of his personal fortunes, his family, his friends, and even his health.

At the time, the slave trade was a highly lucrative if cruel business. France later followed, abolishing slavery on April 27, 1848. Denmark began a ban on the transatlantic slave trade in 1792 and strengthened this ban in 1803; however, even as late as 1847, the Danes ruled that slavery should be “phased out” over a twelve-year period, beginning with the new born babies of enslaved women. Presumably, the women would remain as slaves.  

Slavery remains alive and well, if it has taken on new disguises. These days, women and children are being cautioned to be careful in public places, even inside stores, lest someone kidnap them and sell them as sex slaves.

I am using slavery as an example. The founder of World Vision once said that he “wanted his heart to break with the things that break God’s heart.” Do our hearts break over evil? The psalmist says, “My eyes shed streams of tears because Your law is not obeyed.” Do we weep because people are flouting God’s laws, or do we shrug our shoulders and attempt to ignore them?

The famous British statesman Edmund Burke is quoted as saying, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Commenting on this phenomenon, Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the vitriolic words and the violent actions of the bad people but the appalling silence and indifference of the good.  Our generation will have to repent not only for the words and actions of the children of darkness but also for the fears and apathy of the children of light.”

King was shot down shortly after making that speech, a martyr to the cause of civil rights after years of having his life and the lives of his family members threatened. But King’s achievements still remain as a lasting memorial to his bravery. We don’t know the fate of the writer of Psalm 119, but his work also remains as a memorial to his passion for righteousness and for God and His word. May we be willing to follow the examples of Wilberforce, King, and the writer of Psalm 119!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

ס  SAMEKH.

“The double-minded I despise, but Your law I love. You are my hiding place and my shield; I put my hope in Your word. Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may obey the commandments of my God. Sustain me as You promised, that I may live; let me not be ashamed of my hope. Uphold me, and I will be saved, that I may always regard Your statutes.

You reject all who stray from Your statutes, for their deceitfulness is in vain. All the wicked on earth You discard like dross; therefore I love Your testimonies. My flesh trembles in awe of You; I stand in fear of Your judgments.”

ע  AIN.

“I have done what is just and right; do not leave me to my oppressors. Ensure Your servant’s well-being; do not let the arrogant oppress me. My eyes fail, looking for Your salvation, and for Your righteous promise. Deal with Your servant according to Your loving devotion, and teach me Your statutes.

I am Your servant; give me understanding that I may know Your testimonies. It is time for the LORD to act, for they have broken Your law. Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, even the purest gold. Therefore I admire all Your precepts and hate every false way.”

“The double-minded I despise, but Your law I love. You are my hiding place and my shield; I put my hope in Your word. Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may obey the commandments of my God.” 

We are in the month of January, a month named for Janus, the Roman God of beginnings and transitions. Janus was frequently portrayed as a double-faced figure with one face looking backward while the other looked forward. While there is nothing wrong with retrospection, we need to make certain that we don’t get stuck in the past. The past is there for us to learn from but we must continue to move forward. Here the psalmist is not referring to those who want to learn from their past but to those who say one thing while meaning something far different. The psalmist is feeling overwhelmed and fed up as he battles against those around him who would flatter while they betray.

“Sustain me as You promised, that I may live; let me not be ashamed of my hope. Uphold me, and I will be saved, that I may always regard Your statutes. You reject all who stray from Your statutes, for their deceitfulness is in vain.”  In the midst of corruption, the psalmist is begging God to help and justify him.

“All the wicked on earth You discard like dross; therefore I love Your testimonies. My flesh trembles in awe of You; I stand in fear of Your judgments.” Does God need to be reminded of His power? No. But the psalmist is clinging to his knowledge of God’s nature to comfort and reassure himself that God will remain faithful.

“I have done what is just and right; do not leave me to my oppressors. Ensure Your servant’s well-being; do not let the arrogant oppress me. My eyes fail, looking for Your salvation, and for Your righteous promise. Deal with Your servant according to Your loving devotion, and teach me Your statutes.” You can really pity this guy! Obviously, he has taken a stand for righteousness, only to be smacked down and undercut by those around him. It’s bewildering when you try to do the right thing, only for someone to attack you.

“I am Your servant; give me understanding that I may know Your testimonies. It is time for the LORD to act, for they have broken Your law. Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, even the purest gold. Therefore I admire all Your precepts and hate every false way.” This poor guy is sitting alone in his room, most likely in Jerusalem, wondering if God is ever going to deal with his accusers. This man has tried to be faithful, but has his faith been misplaced? Is God really there and will God really deal with the wrong-doers?

APPLICATION: As I was about to write this section, someone sent me a link to a chilling interview describing an impending international agreement that might use a respected international group to undermine human rights. During that interview, one participant indicated that some government agencies now view the spreading of any kind of negative information as terrorism, even though that information might be completely true. These days, double-mindedness abounds, and those practicing it defend themselves on the grounds that they are protecting the rest of us….from the truth?!?! But what does God think?

We are still studying the effect of decisions taken during the recent COVID pandemic. While many European nations and the United States took draconian measures that destroyed small businesses and isolated people in their homes for months, Sweden took a far more moderate approach and suffered far few consequences. Pontius Pilate asked, “What is truth?” and he was right.

James 1:8 tells us that “a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” If we begin to lie, we must keep our lies straight. But if we stick to the truth, we don’t have to struggle to remember which story we have told and to whom. In the end, we can pray with the psalmist, “Deal with Your servant according to Your loving devotion, and teach me Your statutes.” Jesus told his disciples in John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except by me.” When we focus on God’s statutes, we are following the One who is the truth. May God give us ever-increasing hunger for His Word.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, give us a passion to read Your word, to study Your word, and to live by Your word. Help us to single-mindedly follow You all the days of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

מ  MEM.

“Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my meditation. Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are always with me. I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I discern more than the elders, for I obey Your precepts.

I have kept my feet from every evil path, that I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your ordinances, for You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey in my mouth. I gain understanding from Your precepts; therefore I hate every false way.

נ  NUN.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep Your righteous judgments. I am severely afflicted, O LORD; revive me through Your word. Accept the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me Your judgments. I constantly take my life in my hands, yet I do not forget Your law.

The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from Your precepts. Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart. I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes, even to the very end.”

“Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my meditation. Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are always with me.”  We don’t know who has been attacking the psalmist, but these attacks may have been professional rather than physical, suggesting that the attacks have been coming from colleagues, perhaps other priests or worship leaders.“ I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I discern more than the elders, for I obey Your precepts.” While most cultures generally respect elders, neither academic achievements nor age absolutely guarantee wisdom.

“I have kept my feet from every evil path, that I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your ordinances, for You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey in my mouth. I gain understanding from Your precepts; therefore I hate every false way.”  The more we study God’s word, the more we appreciate it. And the more we absorb God’s wisdom, the more we will hate the false and fake.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep Your righteous judgments.”  When we are walking in the dark, we need a light to find the right path. Anything apart from God’s word will send us in the wrong direction.

“I am severely afflicted, O LORD; revive me through Your word. Accept the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me Your judgments. I constantly take my life in my hands, yet I do not forget Your law.”  We might remain curious about the afflictions and dangers the psalmist is facing, but he is looking to God for help and inspiration.

“The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from Your precepts. Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart. I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes, even to the very end.” What kinds of snares has the writer been dodging? Have colleagues been trying to trap him by attempting to get him to make unwise statements so that they can topple him from his position?

APPLICATION: There is a saying that “Just because you are paranoid doesn’t mean that they aren’t out to get you.” Although continually suspecting people of attacking you is not healthy, there are times when you may find yourself surrounded by those who want nothing more than to tear you down. Evidently, this is the situation in which the writer of this psalm finds himself.

If you find yourself in such a situation, what is the best thing to do? Living in fear only causes your stomach  acid to increase and your coronary arteries to constrict. Fear can lead to all kinds of health problems. What’s the answer? The writer of this psalm finds safety and refuge in God’s word. When we focus on God and His glory, His holiness, and His righteousness, our spirits will lift and our bodies will remain healthy. Truly, the psalmist has gotten the answer: Incline your heart to perform God’s statues even to the very end.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to focus on You rather than those who might attack or oppose us. Thank You, that Your word truly is a lamp and a light. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.