Blogging the Bible: Psalm 7

                Psalm 7 is directly tied to one particular point in David’s life.  King Saul has been chasing and hunting David because other people have convinced him that David is out to kill him and take his throne.  In 1 Samuel 24, David and his men are hiding deep within a cave.  Saul takes a moment to go into the cave to relieve himself.  David quietly sneaks up and cuts off a corner of Saul’s robe.  David then confronts Saul and pleads with him not to listen to that other council.  David shows Saul how easy it would have been to kill Saul, and yet he didn’t.  David spared Saul’s life.  If he was bent on killing Saul and taking his throne, it would have been real easy in that cave.

                Psalm 7 is an emotional lament against those who have made false accusations against David.  David pours his heart into this Psalm and pleads with God for justice.  David puts his energy into pleading with God, instead of taking revenge on his own.  God is righteous and David trusts God to judge rightly.  In the later verses, David writes of how evil turns on itself and evil people become caught in their own devices.  David knows that eventually those who speak evil words and seek to harm him will get caught.  It’s a bit like the old adage, “Live by the sword, die by the sword.”  David is just hoping that he lives long enough to see their plots foiled.

                David’s attitude in this Psalm and in the events recorded in 1 Samuel is impressive and inspiring.  So often today, we see people take offense at the smallest insult and turn it into something much larger than it should be.  Americans are quite skilled at turning molehills into mountains.  If David were a typical American, he would have a very big bone to pick with these individuals and it would probably be all over the media.  Accusations would be hurled back and forth on Twitter.  It would be fodder for the evening news and daily talk shows.  Various law enforcement officials would be investigating.    

David has a golden opportunity to kill Saul and he doesn’t take it.  David would get away with it on the grounds that he was acting in self-defense.  Everyone knew Saul was out to kill David, so it wouldn’t have been a surprise if David had killed Saul first.  However, David spares Saul’s life.  Even though David is not on good standing with Saul, he still respects Saul’s position as king.  Saul is David’s master and David will not lift a hand against him.  Instead, David turns to God and trusts God to bring justice to the situation.  David does not engage in a massive PR campaign to prove his innocence.  He only speaks with Saul and councils his men not to harm him.  David knows the truth and he trusts God to deliver him.

As Christians today, we should strive to do the same.  When we are falsely accused or when others seek to do us harm, we should rely on God to help us.  We need not take matters into our own hands and seek to remedy the situation on our own.  If we keep our peace and quietly go about our own business, eventually those who slander us will be proven wrong by our actions.  Those around us will take notice and our reputation and standing will be restored.  It will take time, but God is faithful and just.

Blogging the Bible: Psalm 6

                As you might have noticed, there were no posts last week.  It was a rather busy week with a lot going on – not all of which I can get into here.  Needless to say, some other things came up that took priority.  Don’t get me wrong here, spending time with God and doing devotions is very important, but so is the communal aspect of Christianity and last week was spent engaging in community with friends. 

                This week we dive back into the Psalms and take a look at Psalm 6.  The notes refer to this as one of the “penitential” psalms, of which there are seven.  David has sinned against God and now he is praying that God is not too harsh with him.  David pleads for God’s mercy instead of his wrathful anger.  “O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.  Be merciful to me Lord, for I am faint” (Psalm 6:1-2).  David’s sin causes him much distress and he spends all night honestly crying out to God for mercy.  David isn’t asking God not to punish him; he’s asking God to show mercy in judgment.

Without mercy, our sins deserve death.  As Paul writes, “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:23).  David’s writing before the birth of Christ, but he understands this basic truth.  David knows he deserves death; he knows he did wrong and God’s justice demands death.  But, God is also merciful and in His mercy, He chooses to discipline and correct us.  When we sin, we need to be like David.  We should openly and honestly pray to God and ask for His forgiveness.

Blogging the Bible: Spiritual Insights

                I’ve had two enlightening insights into me and my walk with Christ in the past few days.  The first involves my relationship with Christ and how He sees me.  The second deals with my role as a musician helping to lead worship at my church every Sunday.

                As some of you know, my wife and I are dealing with infertility.  At times, I’ve felt a like I’m stuck in a modern day equivalent of the book of Job.  I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve this.  As I mentioned in the intro to this series, I’m not exactly the best at the whole daily devotional thing.  Talking to God each morning has been, is, and probably will be a struggle for me.  Of course, like many people, I’m better at it now that I have a problem I can’t fix.  And, once it’s fixed, I’ll go back to regular old me.  You know, the one with no time for God each morning.  That’s where this first revelation comes in.

                The other day Renee and I had a chance to meet with another couple who has struggled with infertility as well.  One of the things he mentioned was that Jesus desires to be our father in the same way he wanted to be a father.  In fact, Jesus desires it even more.  That struck a chord with me.  I have had “baby fever” for quite awhile now.  The desire to be a father, to have a child to love on and care for is rather strong.  Jesus has an even stronger desire to be my heavenly father.  He longs to love on me and care for me and I just blow Him off, except when I need something.  I’m that poor college kid who only calls home because he needs money from Mom and Dad.  Christ doesn’t just want me to call when I need help; He wants me to call when something great happens.  He wants me to call just to say “what’s up.”  He wants to be not just our heavenly Father, but our heavenly Dad.  I’m still parsing out the implications of this insight, but I’m praying it permanently changes my relationship.

                The second insight is maybe a little less profound, but still important.  I was reading “The Heart of Worship Files” this morning and Matt Redman’s essay ‘Revelation and Response.’  In it, Redman addresses the motives of a worship leader:

In some church services, it’s obvious that the worship leader is consumed, above all else, with getting a response from the people.  Not much is implied about the integrity and heart of the offerings.  Instead comes a barrage of forceful encouragements to shout, clap, dance or anything else you can think of.  Instead of focusing on bringing a true and meaningful overflow of the heart, leaders have settled for some sort of spiritual disco competition with a prize for the wildest participant. (The Heart of Worship Files, pg 14)

I think many of us have been to a service like this at one point or another.  We aren’t really feeling the shouting/clapping/dancing and, somehow, we are lesser because of it.  So we raise our hands and join in the clapping because it’s better to fake it that to be looked down upon.

                This is exactly the motive that Redman is addressing.  As Redman sees it, “worship is always a response to a revelation” (pg 13).  The job of a worship leader or worship band is to provide songs that reveal God’s character.   If the songs being sung show Christ’s character, then the response will take care of itself.  Sometimes the response to the song will be clapping, or dancing, or lifting hands, or kneeling in prayer.  But that has to come out of a genuine response to the worship, not because the guy on stage with the mic told us to do it. 

                Here’s the funny thing.  When I see that response and I know it is coming from a genuine response to the song or the set, I feel so much more joy walking off stage.  That true worship is an indication that we, as a band, have done our job.  We have led the congregation in worship and revealed something of who Christ is in the process.  In our capacity as the worship band, we have been effective ministers of the Gospel.  Nothing beats that feeling.

Blogging the Bible: Psalm 5

                Liars gonna die; righteous gonna live.  There you have it, the entirety of Psalm 5.  It’s really fairly straightforward and simple. 

Okay, maybe it’s not quite that simple, but that’s about what David is going for here.  He does start by mentioning his prayers each morning and asks God to “listen to my cry for help” (Psalm 5:2).  Each morning David “lay[s] my requests before you and wait in expectation” (Psalm 5:3).  When David wrote this psalm he had some problems; namely, evil people who were lying and practicing deceit.  David’s plea is quite understandable.  In verse 10 he pleads, “Declare them guilty, O God!  Let their intrigues be their downfall.  Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you.”

Of course, if you know the story of David, you know he had his own issues with lying and deceiving others.  He wasn’t exactly honest with his friend Uriah.  So, how does David then get to live?  He goes to God’s house, but only by God’s mercy.  “[I]n reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple” (Psalm 5:7).  For those who believe in Christ, this is not a problem.  Yes, we are all sinners.  But, as David understood, there is mercy in God’s character.  Those of us who humbly approach his throne and seek his mercy can find it.  If you don’t humbly seek God’s mercy and forgiveness, as is apparently the case with David’s enemies, well, then you just might suffer for your lies and deceit.

Blogging the Bible: My hope in hard times

                Psalms 3 and 4 are both about David trusting God in the middle of a crisis.  David shows a clear trust in God and he writes about how God will deliver him and bring justice to his enemies.  David isn’t just hoping that deliverance will come – he knows God will deliver him.  There’s not much doubt in David’s prayer here.

                Frankly, I’m just not that confident.  My faith clearly isn’t as strong as David’s.  I have serious doubts and insecurities.  I don’t know how my own situation is going to end and I am not ready to accept all of the possible outcomes.  David knew it would end and he knew it would be for the best.  I don’t.  In the midst of all this, I have found comfort in the latest album from Tenth Avenue North, particularly the song Worn.  If you find yourself struggling, maybe you can find comfort as well.