Psalm 34: An Antidote for Angst

I have recently been teaching a series of messages on prayer, the most recent was entitled, Praying According to the News. It dealt with ways that we can keep our consumption of media from producing high levels of angst (a term for a general sense of anguish, torment, anxiety, trouble, sorrow, fear, and concern) in our lives. For the specifics on how we can use the news as a prompt for our prayer and how we can maintain our sanity in this season of highly charged and depersonalizing rhetoric without withdrawing from the marketplace of ideas please check out the link above.

I think that many would agree with me that when we watch the news or read news-related articles on the internet we can be moved to anger, fear, or both—no matter what political views we hold. We can feel our collective senses tensing up, and our angst can easily be expressed in language that is at best terse and off-putting. Certainly, it is best to not discuss politics on the internet where the veil of anonymity fosters horribly cruel language directed towards other human beings who are made in the image of God (whether they believe it or not).

How can we keep the media meltdown from scorching our souls?

After my message on prayer and the news media, I assigned Psalm 34 for the congregation to read during the week and draw a few lessons from that reading—specifically, lessons that might help us within our contemporary context as an antidote for politically driven media-induced angst that is currently eating away at our country. This post is intended as a therapeutic exercise in shifting our focus from the problem to the One who is the solution.

I encourage you the reader to take a moment to pray and ask the Lord to speak to you as you read through the entire psalm, all 22 verses. Draw one or two lessons from each stanza and write them down. At the end, I will list the very simple lessons that I have drawn from this psalm which are helping me stay balanced and on target while many are going out of their mind! [Ironically, this psalm was written at a time when David pretended to be insane to escape from a Philistine city (1 Sam. 10-15).]

Psalm 34 (ESV)

¹ I will bless the Lord at all times;                                       

    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

² My soul makes its boast in the Lord;

    let the humble hear and be glad.

³ Oh, magnify the Lord with me,

    and let us exalt his name together!

⁴ I sought the Lord, and he answered me                         

    and delivered me from all my fears.

⁵ Those who look to him are radiant,                                  

    and their faces shall never be ashamed.

⁶ This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him

    and saved him out of all his troubles.

⁷ The angel of the Lord encamps

    around those who fear him, and delivers them.

⁸ Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!                            

    Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

⁹ Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,

    for those who fear him have no lack!

¹⁰ The young lions suffer want and hunger;

    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

¹¹ Come, O children, listen to me;                                        

    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

¹² What man is there who desires life

    and loves many days, that he may see good?

¹³ Keep your tongue from evil                                              

    and your lips from speaking deceit.                               

¹⁴ Turn away from evil and do good;

             seek peace and pursue it.                                       

¹⁵ The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous                

    and his ears toward their cry.

¹⁶ The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,             

    to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

¹⁷ When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears

    and delivers them out of all their troubles.

¹⁸ The Lord is near to the brokenhearted                            

    and saves the crushed in spirit.

¹⁹ Many are the afflictions of the righteous,                     

    but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

²⁰ He keeps all his bones;

    not one of them is broken.

²¹ Affliction will slay the wicked,                                           

    and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

²² The Lord redeems the life of his servants;

    none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Here are twelve simple lessons, that I have drawn from this psalm, that are helping me stay on track. I make no claim that they are better than what you have found, but share them to comfort others with the comfort I have received.

1.  Take time to celebrate God instead of condemning opponents (v.1-3)

Sometimes, criticism can have its own momentum and gravitational pull on our lives. The more we focus on what others are doing wrong the more toxic it is for us—spiritually, emotionally, relationally, and even physically. Not only that, but we will also become more like that which we hate. However, when we celebrate God, and all his goodness, it lifts us up out of the gutter, clears our vision, and cleanses our hearts together with the humble people around us.

2.  Don’t be overcome by fear, but by God’s answer (v.4).

Fear is a tool that the enemy uses to control us. We all have some fear that we must deal with or it deals with us. I have an issue with driving over slippery metal-decked bridges in high winds—but I did it this week anyway. Why? To get to the other side! “I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” (v.4) Jesus came as one of us, to set us free from the fear of death (Heb. 2:14). He has not given us “a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Tim. 1:7).  

3.   Be transformed by the Lord, from the inside out (v.5).

“Those who look to him are radiant,                                  

    and their faces shall never be ashamed.”

I think of Moses’ face glowing after being in the presence of the Lord, but he had to put on a veil so that the people wouldn’t see the glow fade. I wonder if the same motivation is still at work in us when we pretend that we are doing better than we really are. We try hard to be good on the outside hoping the inside will one day catch up, but it doesn’t work that way. We need to be transformed on the inside by the shared love of Christ Jesus and the glow will never fade away. Such transformation starts when we turn to him rather than some media outlet for the change that we desperately need.

4.  Listen to reliable sources about what is important (v.6-7, 11).

So often we are manipulated by curated messages and meanings which could be avoided if we sought out primary sources (the actual documents, interviews with the person themselves, etc.) instead of people talking about what others have said about something or someone else. It is also a nudge to spend my time learning truly important things—the things of God. He is the one who “encamps around those who fear him and delivers them” (v.7). David was a primary source for learning about the character of God for he had experienced his goodness first-hand.

5.   Actively seek God, he will satisfy your soul (v.8-10).

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!                            

    Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” (v.8)

This stanza is a sweet remedy for what ails us! The “young lions” that run around roaring and raging ultimately end up empty, but those who seek God, who experience his presence through the Spirit of grace and the Word are satisfied with good things. Where do we go to satisfy the longing in our souls, to wash the angst away? “Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.” (v.8)

6.   Don’t spread “Conspiracy Theories,” speak the truth in love (v.12-13).

So many made-up stories and problems are shared via the internet and broadcast news producing panic in some and anger in others. Much is rooted in small inaccuracies that soon swell out of control into full-blown conspiracy theories. As followers of the one who is himself “The Truth” we should not be guilty of spreading false news about unimportant issues because it simply gives others an excuse to doubt our veracity when we speak of important things such as the resurrection of Jesus Christ. My personal policy is to share purported news-related stories via social media very rarely, and certainly not without fact-checking them first. Paul advised the younger pastor—Timothy— “But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene… Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.” (2 Tim. 2:16-17, 23)

7.   Repent, actively turning away from evil to do good (v.14a).

Turning away from the comment threads on most un-moderated social media posts is a good place to start! What evil wants to rise in our hearts in times like this? To what evil does our anger or fear drive us? We should repent, turn away from doing harm to others in our twisted efforts at self-preservation or self-justification, and turn towards the Lord who loves us and, by extension, the others whom he wants to love through us.

“We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 4:19-21)

8.   Pursue peace, not power (v.14b)

Part of the “do good” encouraged in the first part of verse 14 is to actively “pursue peace” which is a very holistic concept that covers the entire well-being of God’s people. This is what we should pursue. Sometimes that means that we must stand up for the peace of others, but it doesn’t mean that we are to demand our own rights. Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth… Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matt. 5:5,10). Likewise, Paul wrote, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:3-4). Those who truly pursue peace will not be induced to believe that the ends justify the means. The kingdom of God is more about the means justifying the end.  

9.  Remember that God hears and delivers the righteous (v.15-17)

I am so thankful for verses like these that remind me that God really does hear my prayers—not because of my righteousness but because of Christ’s—and delivers me from the troubles that threaten to overflow the backs of our lives! The opposite is also true, that God opposes the wicked, and in the end, they will not succeed in making a great name for themselves.

10. Will we join him? (v.18)

I know this isn’t really a lesson, but the truth about the Lord is that he is never nearer than when we are brokenhearted.

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted                           
    and saves the crushed in spirit.”

If the Lord is where he says he is, and doing what he says that he does, then are we willing to join him? Our congregation is in the middle of a very needy community. A community whose poverty is sourced in broken relationships. Will we be near to them, relationally participating in what God is doing on their behalf? Certainly, we cannot participate directly in the suffering of everyone, but we can come alongside someone. Where is the Spirit leading us to engage?

11. Life is tough, God is tougher (v.19-20)

         “Many are the afflictions of the righteous,                 
              but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (v.19)

I love the Bible’s realism, even when I don’t like the reality of what it says. It gives us the bad with the good. The psalmist makes it clear that good people have at least as many problems as everyone else, but he doesn’t leave it there in the "Slough of Despond." He points us back to the Lord who delivers us out of all our afflictions. No matter how bad things get, if our hope is in the Lord, then the affliction is not our final destination.

   12. Trust that God will deal with it (v.21-22)

The last two verses poetically describe the Lord justly settling accounts. God loves justice for all, indeed, the very authority of his kingdom (symbolized by the scepter) is uprightness.

But of the Son he says,

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
    the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
    with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” (Heb. 1:8-9)

We don’t have to take matters into our own hands to get “what we deserve”—that is always a mistake—but instead, we process our issues through the character of God and come forth trusting him to deal with them in his way and in his time.

Hopefully, these simple observations from Psalm 34 have been encouraging and an effective antidote to the angst of our media overload. Now, where should we get involved when we turn off the news and have more time on our hands?

21 Days of Prayer in Psalm 119 (Day #22)

Read Psalm 119:169-176

“Seek”

I didn’t want to leave the last stanza of Psalm 119 out. Even though it has been a long-haul journaling and posting each day on each successive stanza over the last three weeks, it has been a sweet time as well. So here is Day #22, an encore!

Today, in church, we read this final stanza together and thought about prayer as modeled by the psalmist. He begins with a prayer to be heard in verses 169-170,

Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
    give me understanding according to your word!

Let my plea come before you;
    deliver me according to your word.

He is concerned with the need for the Lord to hear his pray, be it cry or plea. Isn’t that what we want as well—to be heard? Secondly, beyond being hear the psalmist is seeking understanding and deliverance.

Understanding is what we so often need when we consider our circumstances or those of others and we just don’t get it. Things just aren’t working out how we expected and as they should (in our opinion). It is in times like this that we wish God would speak order, clarity, and purpose into the world. The psalmist recognizes that this kind of understanding is found in the Bible. Have you ever had one of those moments when as you read you know a passage was revealed to you in a way that answers your cry for understanding? I have, and I cherish those moments.

In asking for understanding he is asking for the Lord to do something in him through the Scriptures. In deliverance, he is asking the Lord to do something for him—likely a physical deliverance from the ongoing and acute threat of his enemies. It is in God’s word that we find not only his promises (and conditions) regarding deliverance but the revealed character of God with which such deliverance must accord.

These requests move me, as does the psalmist’s commitment to the law/ precepts/ statues of the Lord as an assurance that his prayer would be heard and that the Lord would do something about his circumstances. However, despite his repeated commitment to delight in God’s word and to be helped by it, he confesses his own wanderings, for he ends the longest psalm in the Bible with verse 176

I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant,
    for I do not forget your commandments.

This is a prayer of confession (“have gone astray”) and repentance (“seek”)

The reason he is praying this way is because of his trust in God’s revelation (“I do not forget”). I am reminded of the old gospel hymn, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing written in 1757 by Robert Robinson that so poignantly describes our tendency to wander like a lost sheep. I quote verses 1, 3, and 4.

1. Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount, I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.

3. Jesus sought me when a stranger,

The Good Shepherd,
painted by Richard Hook

Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.

4. O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

When Jesus suffered and died on the cross some 2000 years ago, it was for our wanderings. Isaiah 53:6, in the midst of a larger section describing the suffering Messiah, says,

All we like sheep have gone astray;

    we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him

    the iniquity of us all.

And Jesus, in Luke 15, facing criticism from the Pharisees and teachers because he spoke to sinners, tells the parable of the Lost Sheep,

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Can we end this study of Psalm 119 the same way, willing to confess our wandering and ask Jesus our Good Shepherd, to seek us out and deliver us? We too are wanderers who need to turn back to the Lord in relational repentance and bring as many with us as possible.

Dear Lord Jesus, seek your servants and turn our hearts back towards you. Help us to see your beauty and steadfast love and may we be filled with awe and wonder at your deliverance! Fill our hearts with praise so that it spills out in our speech and songs day by day. May we share your love with others and may we rejoice with heaven over each sinner that repents! Thank you for a marvelous contemplation on your word!

21 Days of Prayer in Psalm 119 (Day #21)

Read Psalm 119:161-168

“Spoil”

On this last day of our 21 Days of Prayer + fasting, I ask the question why we are finishing one section short of the end of the Psalm? Perhaps we will finish this tomorrow in church!

Despite our country being in the midst of a time of political division, despite destructive protesters, I do not personally feel persecuted. However, in some contexts that feeling would change, depending on who surrounded me. However, in many countries, Christians have been able to say this first line from verse 161 with the psalmist,

Princes persecute me without cause,
    but my heart stands in awe of your words.

I rejoice at your word
    like one who finds great spoil.

Many times “princes” have felt threatened by humble Christians, simply because a Christian’s highest loyalty is not to the state but to the Kingdom of God in Christ. Christians should pose no violent threat to any if they are following the way of Jesus.

However glorious the pageantry of princes, what is most awesome to followers of Christ is what he has said to us in his word. Join me in standing in awe of what he has proclaimed and brought to pass—that we who were once afar off “have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ” (Eph 2:13-14)

Such words of promise fulfilled should cause us to rejoice (v. 162) like one who has found much treasure. I remember when I was a child, we would play in the forest behind our house as though we were hunting for lost pirate treasure. Almost anything seemed to be a clue to finding the treasure—but we never did. However, such imaginary adventures give insight into both the longing for and the joy of discovery such a find might bring. Do we have the same response to God’s word? Have we found that our significance, identity, and purpose are wrapped up in the love of God pour out for us? That is a treasure indeed—there is nothing in the world more precious and beautiful!

In Matthew 13:44-46, Jesus described the Kingdom of God in just such treasure-finding terms,

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

Our heart needs to be captured by the love of Christ, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:21) We should not be spoiled by the world's hatred, nor by its riches, but willing to lose/sell it all for the joy of belonging to Christ Jesus! Unlike those who find worldly treasure and become paranoid over hiding and protecting it, when we love God's word we have great peace that we are willing to share (Psalm 119:165).

O Lord Christ, you offer us mercy and the goodness of your grace. We are in awe of your love and faithfulness, all the more vivid when compared to the flawed and failing governments of this world. Let us not live our lives cowering and controlled by fear of governments or hostile crowds. Lord comfort and protect those who are oppressed and persecuted. Let us not be apathetic, but instead, we ask for a Spirit-empowered boldness to stand on your Word, to show love for your ways, and to seek the lost as you sought us. Lord, please speak to us today, and fill us with joy in your presence no matter what comes to pass! Amen.

21 Days of Prayer in Psalm 119 (Day #20)

Read Psalm 119:153-160

“Plead”

Today is an important day in the United States. Today we inaugurated our 45^th President. He is a man that makes many nervous for if he does what he says it will certainly shake up the status quo. Some support him, some fear him, some mock him, and some hate him. However, what the Bible calls for us to do is pray for him. I am reminded of the Lincoln-Douglas senatorial debates in 1858 when Abraham Lincoln said, “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right.”

Politicians and leaders may promise many things and may endeavor to keep their promises but they usually fall short. However, God has no such shortcomings. So, I approach today, thankfully clinging to God’s words of truth that endure forever (v. 160) and find myself repeating verses 154-155,

Plead my cause and redeem me;
    give me life according to your promise!
Salvation is far from the wicked,
    for they do not seek your statutes.

Why these verses? Because first, it acknowledges our need for an advocate and a redeemer. We have all sinned and come up short of God’s perfect goodness. We all need Jesus Christ to come to plead our case—that though we were guilty he took that guilt upon himself and redeemed us! Second, it stands on the truthfulness of God’s word. The sad part is that salvation is far from the wicked—although they would not be sad—for they run away from the gospel message of God’s righteous love and sacrifice on our behalf. We, like the Lord himself, would want everyone to respond in faith to his offer of redemption, but some harden their hearts and will not hear of it. This is sobering because of the possibility that we ourselves could impose our plan upon that of the Lord. We could become so convinced in our own rightness that God must certainly be on our side instead of asking, like Lincoln, if we are on God’s side.

Here is a passage sure to be quoted many times today, but it is one that needs to be at the top of our list as we move forward under a new government.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.  (1 Timothy 2:1-6)

O Lord, we come today to pray and ask that our leaders, and especially our new president would sincerely seek to be on your side. May they begin to read your word—the Bible—as never before and may you grant them understanding and wisdom beyond their education and experience to lead by serving, to govern with integrity, to seek unity without wading through the cesspool of compromised convictions but instead taking the path of authentic listening and dialogue towards a common good. 

Lord, may you grant us to live in peace, the kind of peace that honors you not one that simply avoids dealing with the hard stuff. Let us not be like the ancient city of Babel that sought to make itself great in opposition to your command to fill the earth (Gen. 11), but let us like Abraham believe your promise and trust you to make our name great (Gen. 12:1-3)! Above all I ask that the hearts of many that are currently hard and cold towards you might be warmed and softened by the Holy Spirit to hear and respond to your invitation of redeeming love, and may we participate fully in your plan to bring this to pass. Amen.

21 Days of Prayer in Psalm 119 (Day # 19)

Read Psalm 119:145-152

    “Near”

In today’s stanza, Qoph, the psalmist is once again crying out for help to the Lord, literally day and night (145-148). Last week in church I introduced the congregation to the seven historical hours of pray that were kept by monks and nuns in response to v. 164 as well as these verses today. But the concept that I wanted to focus on today was the word “near” from verses 150-151.

 They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose;

  they are far from your law.

But you are near, O Lord,

                 and all your commandments are true.

Near is used in two senses. The enemy, in 150, draws near (qarab) in the sense of approaching to do harm—like a predator creeping closer to its prey before beginning the final chase. It also was used in a military sense for “closing in battle.” I am encouraged that the psalmist is not blissfully ignorant of what is going on around him. He has had his opened physically, mentally, ethically, and spiritually through his constant meditation on the law of God. Hence, he sees the enemy coming. “Yep, I saw that…”

This approach of danger did not discourage the psalmist for the Lord was already near (qarowb) not only in proximity but in relationship. In this usage, a synonym might be gō’ēl which might sound familiar since it is the word behind the “kinsman redeemer” or the nearest responsible blood relative that could redeem a person from bondage. No matter who draws near to attack us, the Lord is even nearer to defend us.

Heavenly Father, you are a God who does not stand afar off but have come near to us in Christ by the Spirit, even to indwell us your people. Thank you for being nearer than anyone else, for your words are true completely. You keep your promises, and you care for your people. O Lord, you know the attacks your people face, worse in some places than in others. You know and understand. However, we often don’t understand the way that you work—counter-intuitively, humbly, inclusively—but we ask you to be near in these days as we will all need it. We ask that what the enemy seeks to tear down you would build up even stronger, where flames of hate and violence are fanned may you douse them in a river of your love. Lord, we look to you for our peace, our preservation, and our productive labor upon this planet. We ask that you embolden and empower us to faithfully do business in your name—despite opposition—until you return! 

21 Days of Prayer in Psalm 119 (Day #18)

Read Psalm 119:137-144

“Right”

In today’s reading, I was quickened to the psalmist’s confession as to the rightness of the “rules” of the Lord. Sometimes, as humans desiring our own way, we kick against rules, authority, and standards, but here the psalmist honestly admits that those very rules are right and are sourced in the faithfulness of the Lord himself. Verses 137-138

Righteous are you, O Lord,
    and right are your rules.
You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness
    and in all faithfulness.

The term “Rules” certainly is being used as a synonym for all of God’s word. Yet it points to the heart of the matter—who makes “the rules?” The one who makes “the rules” is the one who rules, either externally or internally. The psalmist is not settling for mere compliance with external directives, he has internalized the rules of the Lord as the core convictions of his life!

He also confesses being pretty burned up on the inside because his enemies don’t live by God’s word (v.139). If they did, then so many problems would be solved! However, the attacks of those who forget God and deny his commands (e.g., do not commit murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness) so that they can oppress others and feed their own appetites for power and wealth, have repeatedly forced God’s people to take refuge in God’s promises. Hence the psalmist can write,

Your promise is well tried,
    and your servant loves it. (v. 140)

Can we stand with the psalmist today knowing that we have deeply trusted in the Lord’s promises and seen them come to pass? I love the fact that the Lord is always faithful to his promise, even if that means that I don’t get what I want when I want it. His promise is bigger and “righter” than that.

O Lord, may we never forget your words of loving guidance, powerful protection, compassionate comfort, and holistic healing, for your rules are but signs that you are our rightful Ruler and King! When you tell us “No” it is sourced in your holy love for us, when you tell us to wait it flows from your faithfulness. We do not begin to grasp the scope of your knowledge nor the depth of your love, but as we love your word we begin to see, we start to understand, and we enter the rest provided in a personal relationship with you. Open our eyes today to see how your rules are right!