Month: February 2021

I have encouraged our congregation to read through the Psalms during January and February this year. We are almost done. If you have been tracking along, congratulations. I know it’s been a lot of reading, but I believe God’s word strengthens and supports us in ways we do not always see at the time.   While many of Psalms were written by David, he wasn’t the final editor of the book. The current arrangement of the chapters was done following Israel’s return from Babylon when they began to place greater emphasis on the Scriptures. From there it has been handed down to each generation who have found the songs and prayers to be of great comfort and encouragement. The Psalms were divided into five books, like the books of the Torah. Each book, or section, involved different themes and types of Psalms. Book Five, from Psalm 107 to 150 focuses on God’s presence among his people and gives thanks for bringing Israel out of the Babylonian captivity. Today’s reading is Psalm 137 to 139 and illustrates how the chapters were arranged to help people remember and give thanks. Psalm 137 finds them in Babylon, longing for home and everything that is normal. There is anger and frustration at their captivity. They are afraid of forgetting their homeland, and wonder “How do we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?” (137:4) Going onto Psalm 138 we hear thanks to God for hearing their prayer. “I called, you answered me, my strength of soul you increased.” (138:3) There is a recognition that “in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life.” (138:7) Then the reader comes to Psalm 139 as the writer ponders “Where can I go from your presence?” (139:7) It’s a hymn to the fact that God is ever present and no matter what we go through, he sees it all and he is never far from us. This is an amazing statement of trust and faith in the Lord. In our current season, we might feel the frustration of captivity in our homes. We are not used to restrictions on our comings and goings. There can be that sense of ‘how do we worship God during a pandemic when we can’t even gather together to sing?’ This is why it is so helpful to pray along with the Psalms. To remind ourselves that God truly is good and hears our prayers. Furthermore, he is very near to us, he sees us in our sitting and standing, when we are on Zoom calls and when we get bored. Even when we are on mute, God hears our prayers. And our prayer is like David’s, “lead me in the way everlasting.” (139:24)

For most people, whether driving a car or navigating through life, we like to see where we are going. It is helpful to see the road clearly and to be able to anticipate what lies ahead. When we know what is coming next, we can adjust our speed. When we can see the road conditions, we know how carefully we need to drive.  If it is dark or foggy the road is difficult to see. Thankfully, our cars come equipped with headlights and this allows us to see down the road. We can’t see all the way to our destination but the lights allow us to see just far enough ahead that we can keep moving forward. The lights keep us on the road, keeps us from going in a ditch and this gets us there safely. Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, is all about the word of God. Almost every verse refers to God’s word by using terms like – ‘word’, ‘way’, ‘law’, ‘precepts’, ‘commands’ and, ‘promises’. The writer praises God’s word and describes the benefits readers receive. Your word is a lamp for my feet,    a light on my path. (Psalm 119:105) It is by the light of God’s word that we can see our way forward, enough for every day. We do not see the full path, we do not see all the twists and turns that will come at us in life, but we can see enough of the path to keep ongoing. Scripture gives us sufficient wisdom and direction for the present moment. As we move forward more will be revealed. And that is plenty to get us home.

Reading through the Psalms can present a number of challenges. First, there is the cultural distance between our day and a millennium before the birth of Christ.  While human emotions and desires have not changed, many of the references and illustrations in the Psalms don’t naturally resonate with us. Second, is the form of poetry. While some folks enjoy poetry many people today are not used to reading it. Hebrew poetry has its own rules and forms which we don’t understand, making it harder for us to make sense of some passages. Finally, there is the whole area of translation. Anyone living in a foreign culture knows that word-for-word translation seldom leads to clarity of message. Bible translators strive to stay faithful to the original wording yet want to convey a more meaningful understanding of the Biblical verse. This is why reading from more than one Bible translation can help us understand a passage better.   For example, I’ve heard a few sermons based on Psalm 101 and verse 3. The reading from the New Kings James Bible says, “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes.” (Ps. 101:3 NKJV) For some preachers this meant that we should not watch television, or at least be very selective in our viewing.  The point of the verse, I was told, was to be careful about what I looked at with my eyes. Indeed, this is a Biblical truth but not totally what this verse means. Looking at the same verse in the New International Version indicates that there is a broader idea being expressed. “I will not look with approval on anything that is vile.” (Ps. 101:3 NIV) Both are considered good translations, but we can see how the choice of words might affect our interpretation. In fact, when we look at the context of this Psalm, we understand that David isn’t just talking about what he looks at with his eyes. He’s using a figure of speech, an expression about evaluating what is good or evil. He is saying that as king, he will not look favorably on evil or those that do evil. This Psalm is about David’s commitment to serving God and administering justice and mercy. So, if you find yourself confused by some of the Psalms you encounter, take a moment and read it in a different translation. It often helps us to get a fuller understanding of the Word.

My friend, Peter, works among refugees and asylum seekers in Paris. The City of Light can be a very dark place if you find yourself in need. Despite the public impression, most refugees do not flee their homes by choice. War, famine, economic failure, and government corruption push people to take desperate measures for their own safety. The people who arrive on the streets of Europe often have nowhere else to turn. Of course, it is not just refugees who are vulnerable in our Western societies. In any city, you will find people who lack the essentials and often go hungry while surrounded by abundance.  Peter writes: “Who are the vulnerable? They are the many and they are people in need of special care, support, or protection because of age, disability, or risk of abuse or neglect. They truly are in need of our attention, our ‘cup of cold water’ or a sleeping bag and warm socks to protect them from the elements and so much more.” Poverty, hunger, oppression and injustice are not new problems in the 21st Century. They have been around for a long time. Our reading in Psalm 82 today makes it clear that God takes these concerns seriously. “How long will youdefend the unjust    and show partiality to the wicked?”Defend the weak and the fatherless;    uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.Rescue the weak and the needy;    deliver them from the hand of the wicked. Psalm 82:2-4 Some people look at the problems of this world and ask God why he doesn’t do something about it. In this Psalm, God looks at the problems of this world and asks us why we aren’t doing something about it. He sees the situation of many needy people and asks us, “How long will you allow this to go on?” Our duty as Christ-followers is made very clear in scripture. I am glad that we can support relief work in many parts of the world where the poor and oppressed need help. Let us not forget that we should do more than just make donations. We need to be aware that in our own city there are those who need help and support. We, the church of Christ, are called to be a voice in ensuring that justice can really be found for all.   Let us pray for those in need but let’s not stop at prayer alone. We need to make sure we act when we can.  We need to speak out against the systems of oppression. We need to defend those who are unable to fight for themselves.  A challenging Psalm for all of us today.