9/17/18
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
Our Psalm this week is a difficult one. It says with absolute clarity that the Psalmist is afraid of his opposition and that he fears for his life. As a response, the plea is that God will come, rescue him, and annihilate the opposition. This is a difficult passage to deal with. After all, Christians are used to thinking of the meek and mild Jesus who loves everyone. This is probably the Savior who feeds his enemies cookies and milk, makes them nice, tucks them in, and gives them a teddy bear. But that isn’t the God pictured in the Bible.
What we find in the Bible is a benevolent and kind King of all creation. And we need to realize that kings exercise rule. They call the shots and do their will. Another thing we find in this passage is that God’s Psalmist is not the one who is the offender here. The opposition has brought violence against the author without provocation. The Psalmist calls upon God to take vengeance against those who are acting offensively without cause.
God is, after all, exactly the kind of God who will defend his people against unprovoked attack. God’s children receive his sovereign care and protection. He is the King of all, but particularly of his children who believe on him. That’s the key to the whole situation. In God’s mercy, He has adopted a people. He’s going to defend them, even if it costs their opposers their own lives. God is the one who has shown mercy especially to his people. When we call upon him as the loving God, we ask him to consider us as part of his kingdom, where he will rule for our good.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
Our Psalm this week is a difficult one. It says with absolute clarity that the Psalmist is afraid of his opposition and that he fears for his life. As a response, the plea is that God will come, rescue him, and annihilate the opposition. This is a difficult passage to deal with. After all, Christians are used to thinking of the meek and mild Jesus who loves everyone. This is probably the Savior who feeds his enemies cookies and milk, makes them nice, tucks them in, and gives them a teddy bear. But that isn’t the God pictured in the Bible.
What we find in the Bible is a benevolent and kind King of all creation. And we need to realize that kings exercise rule. They call the shots and do their will. Another thing we find in this passage is that God’s Psalmist is not the one who is the offender here. The opposition has brought violence against the author without provocation. The Psalmist calls upon God to take vengeance against those who are acting offensively without cause.
God is, after all, exactly the kind of God who will defend his people against unprovoked attack. God’s children receive his sovereign care and protection. He is the King of all, but particularly of his children who believe on him. That’s the key to the whole situation. In God’s mercy, He has adopted a people. He’s going to defend them, even if it costs their opposers their own lives. God is the one who has shown mercy especially to his people. When we call upon him as the loving God, we ask him to consider us as part of his kingdom, where he will rule for our good.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
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