Psalm 70 An innocent plea

Psalm 70

Some years ago I spoke to a political candidate standing for a major party in British politics. He held the view that capital punishment should be immediately re-instated, when I challenged him about miscarriages of justice and the state killing innocent people he said that they must have been doing something wrong - else why were they arrested? 

I did not vote for him - partly due to the sentiments of this psalm, and partly because I am aware of several cases of miscarriage of justice in this country - David prays that God will come quickly to help and save him from those who want to kill an innocent man.

This psalm asks God to act quickly without delay to confound those who oppose him.

I believe that God did answer his prayer - maybe not as fast as David would have liked though!

Psalm 69 Don't let me get in the way of God!

Psalm 69

We looked at this Psalm, another of David's, a song to the tune of "lilies", last night in my small group from Church.

The Psalm begins with David out of his depth in trouble, sunk in the mire and about to be flooded, worn out asking for help and tired of looking for God.

He is surrounded by people who hate him numbering "more than the hairs of my head" (In my case the hairs on my head are what might be termed well spaced) and David is forced to give back things he did not take in the first place.

I'm not sure where David was when he wrote this Psalm, but I guess it is not a particularly happy place!

David is sure that God knows his folly and his guilt is not hidden in verse 5 - David is described as a man devoted to God, yet he knows that he is not perfect.

In the church recently there has been a lot of scandal about child abuse and other things, David is aware of similar problems and asks God in verse 6
"May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me; ...may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me"

In recent weeks the international media has been in a tizzy over the destruction of priceless treasures by ISIS/Islamic state who believe that they are pagan and blasphemous (a crime also aimed at Christians if I may say that several hundred years of Christian occupation of these areas before the birth of Islam did not destroy these areas - obviously we are not that good at wiping out alternative views as they are around to be destroyed today!)
If you admire God and Jesus, please don't be put off by the fallible people who try and follow him!

I'm going to jump to the end of the Psalm now and note a couple of things - Verse 29 David is in pain, and afflicted, praying for God's salvation to protect him.

Yet in spite of this David makes a concious decision, in spite of his current condition rather than because of his condition "I will praise God's name in song, and glorify him with thanksgiving"

One of my favourite poems is IF by Rudyard Kipling "If you can force you heart and nerve and sinew to serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you except the will which says to them "Hold on!"

I think that praise and worship of God is honoured by him from this kind of position - praising God through gritted teeth as it were.

Psalm 68 God vs his enemies

Psalm 68

This Psalm is another of David's and is a song.

I'm not too sure what to make of this Psalm where it talks about God arising and scattering the wicked who melt like wax (presumably like the Nazis at the end of the first Indiana Jones movie) 
While the righteous are glad, happy and joyful - personally I don't think I would be totally comfortable or happy while people (albeit unpleasant) are melting like wax.

The next section describes God as a father to the fatherless, defender of widows, he gives the lonely families and leads out prisoners with singing. These are all admirable things in my humble opinion!

Verses 7-10 talk a lot about about rain when God went out before his people - in that case Manchester must be full of the wrathful marching out of God!

The Psalm is quite long and talks about God moving on behalf of Israel and subduing other nations, but the Psalm ends with an invitation for all kingdoms and nations to sing praises to God.

Psalm 67 Blessing from God

Psalm 67

This Psalm is not attributed to any author, but originally it was a song.

In the book of Numbers, God teaches the priests a blessing to say to the people. Theologians call it the Aaronic blessing as Aaron was the first high priest.

The blessing goes "The LORD bless you and keep you, the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace" (Numbers 6:23-26)

This pslam stars with "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us"

In the Psalm they want God's blessing and grace are to demonstrate God's ways and his salvation among all nations.

Again in this psalm is an open invitation for anybody and everybody to praise God. As well as a recognition that God is just and judges all nations and all people with equity.

The land yields its harvest; God, our God, blesses us.
May God bless us still so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Psalm 66 Shout to God with joy

Psalm 66

Those that know me will know that I don't do sports, at all. If somebody has the football on TV I'm tempted to go into another room and read a good book.
The soft spot I have for football, for example, is a swamp!

However have you ever heard the shout that erupts from a large crowd when their team scores a really good goal? The cheer that echoes around the town and can be heard for miles.

Something about this Psalm has the same feeling, but instead of our team scoring a goal we have the magnificent acts of a God who is involved in human events.

To a God who led his people through parted water on dry ground - twice!

All are invited to praise the God of Israel - this is great for me since I am not Jewish there is a warm inclusion and willingness to tell those who want to hear about the works of the God of Israel - even if they are not Jewish by birth.

Verse 10 talks about being tested by God and refined like silver. The garden was not always rosy.
It seems that the testing and refining included time in prison, forced labour "We went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance"

It would be very glib for me to talk about testing and refining if you are in a place that is not abundant or nice - passing through fire and water are not nice experiences. However it is the way that strength is added to metal - to turn valuable mineral ore into valuable, useful or beautiful finished items takes a lot of heat, bashing, heating, hammering, quenching, heating, hammering.....you get the gist.
If you are in a bad place my prayers are with you and for you in whatever situation you may be in.

I've mentioned before about the pilgrimage I did a few years ago - We arrived in Walsingham on Good Friday feeling weary and sore - the service on Friday evening is generally quiet and subdued.
Saturday night and the early hours of Easter Sunday morning however is a totally different feel - in the Easter Vigil we recall the resurrection of Jesus and the wonderful discovery that we arrived tired and sore on Friday, but Sunday brings us a level of joy that quite literally sets people dancing! (And in church too!) and the shout of Joy in a God who suffered the worst, overcame death and opens the doors of heaven itself makes me smile even now.

"Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me" as the Psalm ends

Psalm 65 Praise Befits God

Psalm 65

This is another Psalm of David, this is a song - pick your favourite tune!

"Praise awaits you, our God in Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled."

The word awaits could be translated from the Hebrew as "befits".
This is a song of praise and worship to a God who is involved in lives - 
"When we were overwhelmed by sins you forgave out transgressions.
Blessed are thos you choose and bring near to live in your courts! 
We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple

The next part of the Psalm talks about God working in power shaping the earth filling the earth with wonders where morning dawns and evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.

God cares for the land - sending rain and sun .

"You crown the year with your bounty and your carts overflow with abundance"

I guess that this Psalm could be interpreted as a green agenda if one felt so inclined - 
God has made the earth abundant in and for life, it is our responsibility to share the good thing that God provides - live within our means and leave the world in as good a shape as we would have liked to find it.

The earth belongs to God ultimately we are only tenants with the responsibility to enjoy and cherish the good gifts that we have been blessed with.

Psalm 64 No Complaints

Psalm 64

Have you ever felt that you should not bother God with your complaints? 
That little voice says "God is far too busy (or possibly non-existent) to worry about the likes of you" 

This psalm expresses David's complaint to God.

There is something quite liberating in the act of David complaining to God. On reading the Bible I find nothing that says life is fair!

David is worried about his enemies, but God will take care of them and the righteous will rejoice and take refuge in God.

One of the central tenets of Christianity is that Jesus Christ took the punishment for our sin and by his death on the cross he allowed us to become children of God the father.

Talk about unfair - effectively Jesus was the victim of a momentous miscarriage of justice. An innocent person was executed for a crime he did not commit.

The Bible is right - life very often is not fair, but Christians believe that Jesus - who we believe is God - suffered the most outrageous unfair day, beaten, flogged and crucified.

By all means then - let us tell God when life is unfair, but we must remember that God himself in the person of Jesus Christ had it far, far worse.

Psalm 63 Seeking God - finding God - resting in God

Psalm 63

Some people postulate that God made us in his image with a "God shaped hole" - that feeling that there must be something more to life.

In this Psalm, written in the deserts of Judah (presumably while David was being chased by king Saul) 

"You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you:
I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you in a dry and parched land where there is no water."

When separated from God - there is something essential missing, described here in terms of thirst.

"I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live and in your name I will lift up my hands.
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods: with singing lipes my mouth will praise you."

When God is present, David feels joy and nourishment for the soul - the finest of foods compared to thirsting for even a drop of water in the desert.

The comedian (and genius) Spike Milligan wrote a song about Australia which has the chorus
Australia, Australia we think of you each day 
Australia Australia at work or at play
We think of you in the morning 
and in the evening too
We even wake up at midnight, so that we can think of you!

The Psalm gives a similar honour to God - probably better than Australia for thinking of in the small hours of the night!

Some people count sheep, some ponder over the day, but some think of God and meditate even in bed.

Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
I cling to you: your right hand upholds me.

Even here though, David is not unopposed - but safe in the assurance of God he knows in the end he will escape.

Psalm 62 Find rest in God

Psalm 62

This Psalm is another one of David's dedicated to Jeduthun.

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.
Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

This security in God does not appear to insulate David (or indeed anybody else) from trouble and hassle because the next part of the Psalm continues 

How long will you assault me? Would all you you throw me down - this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
They take delight in lies with their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse

The Psalm repeats the rest in God .

Surely the lowborn are but a breath and the highborn are but a lie (good job I am middle class heh??)
If weighed on a balance they are  nothing - together they are only a breath.

One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard;

"Power belongs to you, God, and with you, Lord is unfailing love"
"You reward everyone according to what they have done"

Here in the UK we have an election coming up - for weeks now we have been fed a constant steam of hot air from all the political parties - together they are only a breath sounds apt.

There is a message here for those who would run the country - Power belongs to God, and with God is unfailing love.

You know what, I'm going to cast my vote on Thursday trusting in God.