Psalm 53 Hearing the Word

Photo: Greg K. Dueker

This psalm is nearly identical to Psalm 14 which I covered a decade ago in a well-read post entitled, Wise Up! However, Psalm 53 has a different target audience. This version may be speaking the words of Psalm 14 to the nations outside Israel rather than the unbelievers within the nation. 

It has often been said that this is the verse to read on April 1 (since in the US, it is known as April Fool’s Day). However, it is too easy to relegate the message of this short psalm to “those other people”, the professed atheists, those who vehemently deny the existence and goodness of God. However, verse 5 suggests that while this psalm originally addressed those who were the enemies of God’s people, and promised not only that they would be utterly destroyed but that history would hold no honor for them as well (God will scatter their bones), the flavor of the psalm as a whole shows the pervasive corruption of humanity (v. 2-3). It should also be said that a "fool" in the biblical sense is not someone who is unintelligent but someone who rejects God and trusts in his own riches (see how this psalm follows 51 and 52).

This reminds me that both insiders and outsiders are in desperate need of God’s mercy and his grace.

In this reflection, I would like to bring verse 1 a little closer to each of us.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity;
    there is none who does good.

Author Unknown

Now as believers in the triune God through faith in the completed work of Jesus Christ, we would never say that there is no God. Or would we? I find that whenever it is easy to point the finger at others I am in a dangerous position. When we read a Bible passage or hear a sermon preached, and our first thought is about how another person needs to hear and heed that message, then we have become self-deceived. Instead, in the spirit of ophthalmic log removal (Matt. 7:3-5; Luke 6:41-42), we should internalize the application before projecting it on others. If it is the Holy Spirit’s job to bring a conviction of sin, then we should listen to what he is saying about the condition of our hearts instead of quickly trying to take the devil’s job and accuse others.

What is good and pure in us comes from God not out of our inherent virtue. When we deny the existence of God, or at least the authority of God over our life we cut ourselves off from the great good, understanding, and lovingly wise plan God has in His heart for us. In verse one, we see that the fool denies the existence of God and also find a description of behavior that takes place when humanity denies the existence, power, presence, and goodness of God.

If I were to “bring this verse home,” letting it read my life, instead of projecting its message onto others, I would say that when I sin, it is in moments of practical atheism. When I don’t take the powerfully wise and loving presence of the One True God into consideration I fall into the gravitational pull of self and begin to sin in my attitudes, actions, and inactions. Further, despite my amazing ability to downplay the intensity of my iniquity, my sin brings death and contagious corruption on so many levels. When I don’t walk in relationship with Jesus Christ I quickly fall to the place where the psalmist’s words describe me, and in truth all of us, “They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good.”

Anytime that we sin, we are either practical atheists or we are denying the omni-s of his divine nature.

• Omniscient—God is all-knowing. There is no subject in which he needs us to educate him. No area of our lives is hidden from his sight—and yet he still loves us. We don’t need to make excuses because they would never work since He knows our motivation better than we do. Yet, all this knowledge is not abstract and distanced but relational and tender. That leads us to the next point.
• Omnipresent—God is present everywhere. There is nowhere we can go without him being there ahead of us (Psalm 139). We can’t hide from his care, nor are we ever alone and unnoticed. Because He is there all the time, He sees and remembers every kind word we have said, or loving service done for others, even when it seems that no one noticed.
• Omnipotent—God is all-powerful. There is nothing too hard for him. He is no genie in a bottle following rules for wishes. He created everything that exists and holds the nations in the palm of his hands like so much dust on a scale (Isa. 40:12-17). What is our need when compared to his greatness? He is the giver of all good gifts (James 1:17)!

Photo by Belinda Fewings on Unsplash

When tempted to sin, we make God small and distant in our perception. We try to keep him at a safe distance. That allows us to rationalize that he doesn’t know everything and doesn’t understand our situation, or that He isn’t present here and now in our circumstances, and that he either doesn’t have the power to fix our situation or doesn’t care to do so. And above all these misperceptions is the one that denies that we are loved, cherished, and valued by the Father, Son, and Spirit.

We do not need to make a name for ourselves, for any effort at self-glory damages everything it touches. We do not need to maintain our own “kingdoms” of perceived control for it is only the kingdom of God that is of lasting value. The good news is that deliverance, lasting liberty, and pervasive peace come from the Lord, in whom the psalmist put his hope in verse 6,

"Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!

 When God restores the fortunes of his people,

                              let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad."

They longed for salvation and trusted that it would come. This salvation to which the psalmist's community looked forward was fulfilled in Jesus... just not necessarily the way they might have thought.

Jesus, the Messiah of God, came and brought salvation that was deeper and wider than expected. It was not for one nation or ethnicity only but for the whole world (Isa. 49:5-6).

In my opinion, the fool of Psalms 14 and 53 is the person who trusts in themselves and refuses to allow their eyes to be opened to the brilliant work of God on their behalf. I am reminded of a passage in the New Testament that connects with this sentiment and offers an invitation.

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:8-10)

Only when we can confess our inability to be all that we should be and when we can sorrowfully see the pain our actions have caused (to others and ourselves) will we draw near to God in desperate humble faith and hear him welcome us home, forgiven, in overflowing love.

I could say that this is a message that others need to hear, but I am thankful that the Spirit knows what I need to hear as he searches my heart, honest to God! Join me as we listen together! 

 

Psalm 50 Silent No More

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How often do we wish God would speak to us directly as if we could just hear his voice over the phone? It is a common human response in times of trouble and doubt to wish that God would make his will for our lives clear. I would contend that he has done just that in the scriptures, in the Son, and by the Spirit. However, having God speak truth into our lives is not always well received. What if the truth reveals wrong thinking, speaking, or living on our part? How open are we to correction?

Psalm 50 has some very well-known verses (e.g., God’s ownership of hills full of cattle) in it, but it is really about a seemingly silent God finally telling it like it is. It is a psalm that requires the reader to sit down and buckle up for a dose of revelation about the nature of God and the appropriate response of humanity.

Today, I encourage the reader to see this psalm in light of God speaking to creation in general and to his people in particular.

The Mighty One, God the Lord,
    speaks and summons the earth
    from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
    God shines forth.

Our God comes; he does not keep silence;
    before him is a devouring fire,
    around him a mighty tempest. (v.1-3)

This “devouring fire and wind imagery is used for the appearance of God’s glory many times in the OT starting with Moses in the presence of God on Sinai (Exodus 24:16-18),

The glory of the Lord dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Visions of fire and sounds of wind were not only poetic descriptions of theophany (a physical manifestation of the presence of God in a storm) but markers of God moving in a new way on behalf of his people. In the New Testament, at the birth of the church, the presence of the Holy Spirit was indicated by tongues of fire and the sound of a mighty wind (Acts 2:2-3).

While idols are mute and cannot hear or answer the prayers of those who worship them (e.g., Jer. 10:5; Rev. 9:20), the Lord hears, listens, and acts to bring deliverance. In Psalm 50 we don’t have their question and can only imply what it might have been based on the Lord’s response.

“All Rise” Calling Creation to Witness His Righteous Judgment

He calls to the heavens above and to the earth,

          that he may judge his people:

                            “Gather to me my faithful ones,

                               who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”

                The heavens declare his righteousness,

 for God himself is judge! (v. 4-6)

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Judgment can be scary if we know we are guilty. I am so thankful that God is the one who sacrificed himself for us. He is the one who makes us faithful. He is the one who calls and gathers us to himself. It is time for us to stop wearing our worn-out "I can fix it" lab coats of self-sufficiency and cling to the Lord who does all things well! While God is a judge when he has to be, he is not primarily a judge, for before the fall there was nothing to judge. When God judges, it is a function of his overflowing love. We should note who is being judged here to fully understand the situation. Here, the judgment involves those who are described as “his people” and “my faithful ones.”

God’s perfect beauty shines forth (v.2). He does not keep silent (v.3). He set up the courtroom scene, as we just read when he called all of creation as witnesses and then he testified against his people (v.7). As he spoke the truth in love, he didn’t reject his people in condemnation. Rather it was more of a convicting refresher course in theology and godly living. The people fundamentally misunderstood God and their role in his kingdom. Their view of the Lord had come to be shaped more by pagan culture than by God’s word. As a result, the Lord spoke frankly, like a loving Father. In the end, what they should have been doing was easier, and more heart-based, than what they had been doing. Though written to Israelites some 3,000 years ago, there is wisdom in this passage for us as well. Here are four simple lessons we can take from this psalm.

• We need to have a right understanding of God and his motives.
• We need to be careful what we do with his words. It will impact our heart’s desires and everything that flows from them.
• We should be careful what we do with our words.
• We should take his lesson to heart and be thankful.

Okay, these lessons are more like topical folders filled with many other lessons.

 

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“I’m Not Hungry”— Clearing out the Cattle (v.9-15)

How have our false ideas about God and his motivation shaped our lives and spiritual practices? Have we elevated our sense of self-importance to think that God needs what we can provide or that by what we provide we can curry his favor? The shocking truth is that he doesn’t need us but knows that we need him. The people thought that animal sacrifices were the answer to everything, and certainly to getting what they wanted from God. Here, the Lord makes it clear that he doesn’t want or need more animal sacrifices.

  "If I were hungry,

      I would not tell you,

             for the world and its fullness are mine.

Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?

Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,

                     and perform your vows to the Most High,

           and call upon me in the day of trouble;

     I will deliver you,

and you shall glorify me." (v.12-15)

Sacrifice-loading doesn’t make God happy. It’s like he was saying, “You can’t buy me off with barbecued bulls and goats. It’s time to clear out the cattle.” The truth is, he is not so interested in our stuff...it’s all his anyway. That might be comforting to think he is not “in it for the money” but are we comforted to learn that what we thought was ours is really his?

God not only stated the problem but the solution. His people should be thankful, keep their promises, and depend on him (not their own bright ideas), and he will deliver them. We learn that, amazingly, we will glorify him by being thankful and keeping our promises.

When everything is already God's, he is not dependent upon us—a humbling thought. The sacrifices he is looking for are decidedly less messy and more relational. We are simply to offer thanks for his abundant goodness towards us, and as a result, we are to do what we say we will do, trusting him to deliver us.

Again, in this psalm, God makes it clear that He doesn't need nor want animal sacrifices...it's not like he is hungry or something, and besides everything is already his! What the Lord desires is that we are thankful for what he provides. Gratitude puts us in a position to be delivered in our time of need, and to bring glory to God.

God's faithfulness is not questioned, nor is our salvation by grace. However, thankfulness /gratitude is shown to be the appropriate way for us to draw near to God.

Throwing Out Love Letters & Casting Off Restraint

The Lord says we have no right to expect the benefits of covenant promises when we are not willing to live under the covenant (v.16). What was the most important part of the OT Covenant Law? It was the Shema (Deut. 6:4-9).

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Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

The heart of the law was about loving God with one’s total being and that involved hearing and keeping (i.e., remembering and obeying) his words. But in Psalm 50 God says some should not try to invoke covenant promises for they had cast off restraint,

“For you hate discipline,
     and you cast my words behind you.” (v.17)

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This is the opposite of his words being on/in their hearts. It reminds me of the Parable of the Sower where some of the seed falls on the hardened ground of the path and the devil comes like birds and snatches it away. 

In verse 17, we see their active dismissal of precious words spoken by their loving Lord. Such a dismissal quickly led to a tragic failure of discernment and values (v.18). Similarly, what right do we have to complain about God’s “situational silence” when we have cast his written and timeless words “behind our backs”?

We’ve Been Charged—Throwing Our Words at Others

Not only had some among God’s people cast his words behind their backs, but they had also thrown their deceptive and slanderous words at each other. It is as though they had thrown the many lessons about our words/tongue from Proverbs 12 away.

“You give your mouth free rein for evil,

         and your tongue frames deceit.

You sit and speak against your brother;

you slander your own mother's son.

These things you have done,

                    and I have been silent;

you thought that I was one like yourself.

            But now I rebuke you and

     lay the charge before you." (v.19-21)

Photo by Jason Rosewell on Unsplash

This psalm, better known for its "cattle on a thousand hills" section also contains this rebuke. A wrong view of God leads to harmful thinking and twisted desires that overflow in our words and deeds. What comes out of our mouth? Do we support evil ideas and deceitful plans? How do we speak about others? How do we treat our families? The psalmist makes it clear that just because God doesn't immediately zap us with a lightning bolt doesn't mean he is okay with our behavior. Rather, he is patient with us, waiting for us to repent and return to him, but if we demand justice, he will bring it and who can then deliver us? I for one don't want to give God any more grounds to judge my speech (Mt. 12:36). How about you? Whatever uncleanness is in our hearts comes out through our mouths to the harm of others! God had been patiently silent, but now was making his thoughts clear. Later, in the New Testament, John instructed the church that they couldn’t say they loved God when they hated other people (1 John 4:20).

Take Care!

           The psalm wraps up quickly with a review of what is necessary to remember and allow to shape how we live our lives.

"Mark this, then, you who forget God,

lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!

The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;

to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!" (v.22-23)

In this psalm God lets us know that he doesn't need us to barbecue for him and that anything we give to him is already his, he also tells his faithful people to upgrade their worship by offering “the sacrifice of thanksgiving" and do what they have promised. Then, after warning the wicked not to fool themselves into thinking that God thinks and acts as they do, we get this verse that sternly warns the wicked to repent and develop a heart of gratitude for God's grace. Why? Because the Lord wants to show us all His salvation! When we are thankful to God, we are learning to see what he is showing us and trusting that it flows from his steadfast and eternal love for us.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Thankful hearts will always lead us home, into the twin blessings of both humility and joy. And when we are grateful, to the LORD, we will be open to hearing what he says next. And whatever it is, he says it because he takes great care of us!

 

 

Psalm 95 "Sheep of His Pasture"

Sheep on a hilltop.
Photo: Greg K Dueker

Psalm for Today = 95:6-9

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
                  let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
For he is our God,
        and we are the people of his pasture,
                    and the sheep of his hand.

Today, if you hear his voice,
 do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
                             as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
 when your fathers put me to the test
                          and put me to the proof,

                                                 though they had seen my work.” 

Comments:

Verse 6-7 are the words to one of my favorite old praise choruses. But verses 8-9 really provide an interesting context. The Israelites were rebellious sheep as evidenced in (Ex. 17 and Numbers 20) the two places mentioned. They might say that they belonged to the Lord…but often they didn’t live like it.

We too, consider ourselves to be God's people. We love Psalm 23 about the Lord being our shepherd...but if the Shepherd speaks to us today (and he does—this passage is quoted 3 times in Hebrews 3-4) do we harden our hearts, repeatedly put him to the test, or do we--like a lamb he has carried--follow his voice without hesitation?