Web Theologian

94:1 O Lord, God of vengeance,
O God of vengeance, shine forth!
2 Rise up, O judge of the earth;
repay to the proud what they deserve!
3 O Lord, how long shall the wicked,
how long shall the wicked exult?
4 They pour out their arrogant words;
all the evildoers boast.
5 They crush your people, O Lord,
and afflict your heritage.
6 They kill the widow and the sojourner,
and murder the fatherless;
7 and they say, “The Lord does not see;
the God of Jacob does not perceive.”

8 Understand, O dullest of the people!
Fools, when will you be wise?
9 He who planted the ear, does he not hear?
He who formed the eye, does he not see?
10 He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke?
He who teaches man knowledge—
11 the Lord—knows the thoughts of man,
that they are but a breath.

12 Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord,
and whom you teach out of your law,
13 to give him rest from days of trouble,
until a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the Lord will not forsake his people;
he will not abandon his heritage;
15 for justice will return to the righteous,
and all the upright in heart will follow it.

We currently have a family member who is leading a group of political radicals here in the Seattle Area. They not only believe that 911 was a lie, but are also taking action against events that have not happen yet such as the canceling of the 2008 election. Part of our struggle with this movement is the lack of clarity and speculation involved with their assumptions. Is the current administration beyond reproach. I don’t thing so, but the evidence I have is very misleading. All I know I get through news sources that are filters of filters. In regards to both groups I rest in this Psalm. That God will pay back the wicked. Those who have arrogant words and evildoers.

Discipline and vengeance are gifts from God. The Psalmist does not excluded himself from God’s discipline which is surprising. Afflict your heritage, kill the widow and the fatherless. God hears….he made our ears, God sees….he made our eyes. He teaches us but even all that he teaches us is a breath in comparison to the knowledge of God.

God disciplines those he loves. He does not want us to be caught up in the wrong things, but rather want to rip them from us so that he can fill our lives. He will remain faithful to us even in times of our disobedience. Though he may discipline us he is not abandoning us, he will return justice to the righteous and it will be clear which way to follow.

90:1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place
in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

3 You return man to dust
and say, “Return, O children of man!”
4 For a thousand years in your sight
are but as yesterday when it is past,
or as a watch in the night.

5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,
like grass that is renewed in the morning:
6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
in the evening it fades and withers.

7 For we are brought to an end by your anger;
by your wrath we are dismayed.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.

God has been around. Just think about how much you have changed in only a few months…now God doesn’t change, but his faithfulness and showing up says something about his character. I live in a city that is surrounded by beautiful mountains, and just a week ago I was in Montana touring around Glacier National Park, those mountains are old. Cut out of earth, by water and wind in very dramatic fashion, and God was there before it all.

Just thinking about how long the last few days have been for me, this Psalm puts it in perspective. We are but dust, returning, and today is a blink to God. I watch the movie Thirteen this week, it was so horrible. It was a well made movie, just very disturbing. At the end after this thirteen year old’s life comes crashing down. She falls asleep on her bed with her mom, and the sun comes up. What a picture, all the drama, all the things we think are going to be it, and yet the sun rises the next day.

No this long lasting, present, patient God can make quick work of us. His anger is not to be taken lightly. Everything is before him. This is where we start thinking about letting go, and trusting in Him who has the real control.

2 Preserve my life, for I am godly;
save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
3 Be gracious to me, O Lord,
for to you do I cry all the day.
4 Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
listen to my plea for grace.
7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you,
for you answer me.

8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
nor are there any works like yours.
9 All the nations you have made shall come
and worship before you, O Lord,
and shall glorify your name.
10 For you are great and do wondrous things;
you alone are God.
11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

14 O God, insolent men have risen up against me;
a band of ruthless men seeks my life,
and they do not set you before them.
15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me;
give your strength to your servant,
and save the son of your maidservant.
17 Show me a sign of your favor,
that those who hate me may see and be put to shame
because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Listen up while I plead my case. First I got nothing, poverty and neediness are exactly what I am. So now that you get that let’s talk about the things I am good at? I trust you, I am crying out to you. I do not want to be forgotten by you. How does that work for you? Will you help me when I am in trouble.

Hear the desire in my heart, Lord. I want to know what it is that you require of me and then I want to do it. Isn’t that what God longs for. Teach me your ways and I will follow.

Things don’t always work out the way I hope…especially when it comes to people. You are really all the good things that I can think of, and because you are remind me of that as you smoke the suckers in my life.

82:1 God has taken his place in the divine council;
in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
2 “How long will you judge unjustly
and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
3 Give justice to the weak and the fatherless;
maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
5 They have neither knowledge nor understanding,
they walk about in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
6 I said, “You are gods,
sons of the Most High, all of you;
7 nevertheless, like men you shall die,
and fall like any prince.”
8 Arise, O God, judge the earth;
for you shall inherit all the nations!

The entire meeting waits until the most important person gets there. Otherwise the group will have to go over any decision they make because the person with the power wasn’t there. Now that God has sat down business starts!

What is God’s business? “Justice to the weak and the fatherless, maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy.” Get in line. Raise a hand and lets get about fulfilling the goal of the divine counsel.

This really is a sweet little Psalm. Not much to it. God is in control and he is caring for those who are needy. How we work that into our own life may vary, but we need to do it. My life looks very different then when I was in Oakland, but Seattle is different then Oakland. Yet there is just as strong of a desire to love those whom God has commanded us.