Category: Bible reading

A Reflection on Psalm 15

At some point, every thoughtful worshiper is bound to ask, “What does it take to have a relationship with God?” As a man after God’s own heart, that question is very important to King David. He uses it as the introduction to Psalm 15 (see v. 1).

The balances of the verses provide an answer to the question in poetic form. Each stanza describes a different aspect of the righteous life, including walking blameless, speaking the truth, loving one’s neighbor, honoring the Lord, and keeping one’s promises. A quick visit with a Bible concordance indicates that these righteous behaviors are all rooted in the Mosaic Law. As a faithful, David was steeped in it.

But a deeper reflection on the righteous life is troubling. What if I have a bad day and fall short? What if I miss an opportunity to show love to my neighbor? What if I end up breaking one of my promises? Is my chance at a relationship with God ruined?

David’s link back to the Mosaic Law should lead today’s readers to another Biblical link in the Epistles. In Galatians 3:24-26, the Apostle Paul explains that the Law functions as a tutor or a caretaker that leads us to Jesus Christ. By faith in Jesus Christ and His righteous works on our behalf, we are justified and made righteous in God’s eyes.

Psalm 15 closes with a promise anticipating God’s justification in the life of the believer. Those who live a righteous life by faith will “never shaken” (v. 5c). That is to say, they will never suffer the lose of their relationship with God. 

A Reflection on Psalm 20

Ten of the Psalms have been categorized as royal or coronation psalms. The theme that ties these particular passages together is their connection to Israel’s king. Psalm 20:6 proclaims divine support for “His anointed,” which is a special designation for God’s royal ruler. Psalm 20:9 closes with a plea for support from “the King.”

The first 5 verses set the tone of this hopeful Psalm. The hopeful or reigning king (David) calls out to the king for help. Since we don’t know the exact context or the timing of this psalm, we don’t know whether David is calling for assistance from a king or receiving a call for assistance as the king, but the effect is the same. Our spiritual eyes are drawn past God’s representative to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, who cares for all of His followers.

The second half of the psalm includes a memorable statement about God’s care for His people: “Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God” (NASB). Chariots and horses were top-of-the-line military equipment in those days. For a nation to boast in something other than its military might was a bold statement. It reinforces the main idea of this psalm by drawing our spiritual eyes past human leaders and past our military might, to the one who saves us.

The pattern of ancient Israel in this passage teaches us about God’s gracious provision – physically, spiritually, and in all ways. He provides for us through imperfect representatives, enduring institutions, and the created order. More than that, He has provided for us through His sinless Son, Jesus Christ, and through His perfect and Holy Word. May our eyes always be drawn past the gift to the Giver of all good things.

Image by eungyo seo from Pixabay

A Reflection on Psalm 9 and 10

The ninth and tenth Psalms are linked together by a nearly perfect acrostic alphabet structure. In addition, the ninth Psalm ends with a Selah (which is unusual), and the tenth Psalm has no superscription (which is unusual in this part of the Psalter). Since they also share some common language, it makes sense to read them together as a matched set composed by David.

In Psalm 9, the aspiring king praises God for His righteous judgment on behalf of those persecuted. In Psalm 10, he turns his attention to a particular kind of persecutor – the practical atheist. It would have been difficult to be a theoretical atheist in ancient Israel. The Tabernacle, the feasts and the sacrifices, the Torah, and the Mosaic Covenant all pointed toward the existence and intervention of Yahweh. The ancient Israelites could not reject these marks of Judaism openly, but they could reject them in their daily life and practice. 

The Psalmist refers to this mindset three times in chapter 10 (verses 4, 11, and 13). In each case, the persecutor denies God’s existence and intervention in human affairs, saying to himself, “There is no God.” Verses 5 to 11 describe the inner workings of one who has rejected the existence of God, as well as their motivations. Without the threat of accountability from a higher power, the atheist feels free to take advantage of the weak and powerless.

David never accuses Saul directly in these Psalms, but one is left to wonder if the elder king gave himself over to this kind of practical atheism. Officially, he was God’s representative to the Israelite people. But practically, privately, he found it hard to follow God’s commands. When he was corrected by Samuel the prophet, he was dismissive and defensive, and when given the chance, he killed the whole priesthood at Nob (1 Samuel 15, 22). Everyone else viewed David as a “man after God’s own heart,” but Saul viewed David with murderous rage.

I usually see atheism as a mild form of unbelief, but these two Psalms put it in a much more dangerous category. Atheism tends to drive people toward aggression since it has no respect for a higher power. Practical atheism is especially dangerous because it changes one’s mindset in secret. The church, like ancient Israel, must stand with the Psalmist and call for God to take action on behalf of the afflicted. This may be one of the most powerful apologetics of them all. 

A Reflection on Psalm 6

What makes you weep? Maybe it’s the physical discomfort of an extended illness? Maybe it’s the emotional ache of a betrayal? Maybe it’s the spiritual sting of disappointing God? Whatever the source, we all experience pain, which brings out our tears.

Psalm 6 was written during a time of intense suffering for David. He felt as if he could “dissolve his couch with tears” (v. 6). Weather metaphorically or literally, the Psalmist was sick with grief.

But in the middle of the final section of this Psalm (v. 8-10), David offers a hint of hope. The Lord hears the voice of those who cry out for help; the Lord listens to those who pray (v. 9). There are all kinds of solutions that people turn to in times of trouble, but this musical psalm foreshadows what another musical psalms make abundantly clear, that God is a refuge and a present help in times of struggle (Psalm 46:1).

A Reflection on Psalm 2

What makes God laugh out loud? Does chuckle as something unexpected? What about a practical joke? Maybe a good joke makes Him smile?

The Scriptures tell us that God laughs when the rulers of the earth try to overturn the Kingdom of Heaven. Psalms 2:4 says the Lord “scoffs at them,” which can also mean to mock or ridicule them. God is not impressed with the political planning, the military tactics, or the red-faced bluster of a king. 

Verses 7 to 9 explain the Heavenly Father’s eternal promise to give His Son, the Messianic, all there is an inheritance. God’s champion is the king of the kings and the lord of all the lords in the world. His sovereignty is beyond comparison.

I’ve never been asked to run a country, but I have run from God’s calling on my life. I’ve never planned a military operation, but I have fought back against the authority of God’s Word. I’ve never organized a multi-national treaty, but I have rationalized some bad behavior in my days; and I’ve seen some pretty powerful and celebrated people do the same things. 

God is not threatened or intimidated. He is amused, but as the Psalmist closes, He will not be amused forever. 

A Biblical Pattern of Repentance

Repentance is deeper and more active than a feeling or an emotion Repentance is the pathway to God’s blessing.

Samuel had enough spiritual sense to know that God’s people would not experience God’s blessing without repentance. He knew that repentance is deeper and more active than a feeling or an emotion. The well-respected prophet outlined a pattern for biblical repentance in 1 Samuel 7:2-6. That pattern included three steps.

Step 1: Wake Up to What God’s Word Says.  Verse three is attributed to Samuel, but it’s really based on the promises of Deuteronomy 30:1-5. The blessings and curses section of the Covenant Law is capped off with the promise of restoration and deliverance if God’s people return to Him with their whole hearts. The first step of repentance starts when sinners become attentive again to the truth and authority of God and His Word. 

Step 2: Take Responsibility for Missing the Mark. This step included two sub-steps: stopping and starting. Instead of giving excuses for their actions, the Israelites stopped worshipping the false gods that they had added to their spiritual life. They removed the idols that crowd out their worship of the One, True, and Living God.

The second sub-step was starting – they started worshipping God alone. They served the Lord with a renewed sense of enthusiasm, unhindered by fake alternatives.

Step 3: Make a Confession of Your Sin: Samuel also gathered the people for a time of confession where they acknowledged their sin together. This final step included a ceremonial pouring out of water and a day of fasting. This was appropriate and needed since the Israelites had broken God’s trust together.

Common wisdom suggests that effective confession should involve those who have been affected by the sin. This always involves God and the individual offender. In some cases, larger groups like a family or even a church congregation should be involved if they are aware of and significantly impacted. 

The New Testament teaches us that repentance should be an ongoing experience for those who’ve placed their faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38, 1 John 1:8-9). Salvation doesn’t erase the believer’s lifelong struggle with sin, it just changes the ultimate outcome. 

Samuel’s pattern for repentance can serve God’s people well, even today. Attention, correction, and confession should be a regular part of a believer’s life, not items lost to an ancient era. These three steps are strides toward experiencing God’s blessing. 

Jesus was Rejected – Failure or Success?

Jesus was rejected by many of His peers. Does that weaken or strengthen His claims?

One of the best ways to persuade others with an argument is to answer their strongest objections. If you can provide a reasonable explanation for someone’s biggest challenge, you can “take the wind out of their sails” and maybe win the day. This approach follows the logic of the familar parable: “The best offense is a good defense.”

John seems to take the same approach at times in His Gospel, which is aimed at converting unbelievers into believers (John 20:30-31). In John 12:37-50, He tackles the potentially embarrassing issue of Christ’s rejection. Why believe in Jesus Christ as the Jewish Messiah and Savior of the World if so many of His own people rejected Him during His earthly ministry? Doesn’t that prove or at least weaken His claim of being sent by God?

Instead of shying away from this objection, John leans into it in the closing verses of John chapter 12. He uses Isaiah 5:31 and 6:10 to point out that God’s messengers haven’t always been well received. Moses, Elijah, Ezekial, and Isaiah all faced signifcant opposition in their day and Jesus experienced the same.

In addition, John reveals the motivation behind much of Israel’s rejection of Jesus. The “rulers” would have been members of the Sanherin, the Jewish “Supreme Court” of its time. Many of these rulers had a private respect and admiration for Jesus, but they refused that share it publically for fear that they would loose the respect of their peers. The problem wasn’t with Jesus and His teaching or miracles, it was with the hard-heartedness of His audience.

John helps us to see that Christ’s rejection was a sign of His failure, but instead, it was a sign of His success. Jesus was faithful to His mission, even if He wasn’t hailed as hero by all of His peers. Popularity can be a poor measure of success and it’s an even worse measure of the truth.