Today’s reading is Psalm 123.
Do as I say, And As I dO First
Some say familiarity breeds contempt. Perhaps. On a more surprising note, familiarity breeds ignorance. That is, being so familiar with a person, topic, principle, institution leads us to assume we know things we don’t actually know. Familiarity can cause us to cut corners and take shortcuts which make us miss important details and take issues for granted. Psalm 123 provides a good example of the principle.
We who grew up in the Bible, hearing Bible teaching, among Bible believers, see the familiar, comforting term “mercy” in Psalm 123:2, 3. We love that term, believe we understand that term, and quickly jump to discussions of that term. After all, we know of the mercy of Jesus and how important that is.
Folks unfamiliar, however, might get snagged on different terms: servant, slave, master, maidservant, mistress. Those familiar with the Bible grow accustomed to those terms and read past them without thinking of their significance. When unbelievers bring them up, we wish they would look at “mercy” instead.
But let’s face it. This psalm calls pilgrims slaves. I understand why someone new to the Bible would balk at this. Why travel out of Meshech and Kedar into Jerusalem if doing so leads to slavery? Can you believe God expects us to do anything like that?
Before we get too put out by the notion, let’s notice God is not asking anything of us He hasn’t been willing to do Himself. In fact, in Philippians 2:5-8, we discover God, in the person of Jesus Christ, left the throne of heaven, came into our world, and took the form of a slave. The Son enslaved Himself to the Father, being obedient to the point of death on a cross. At the same time, He enslaved Himself to us, going to the cross because He viewed us and our needs as more significant than His own. He didn’t go to the cross merely to obey the Father, but to save us from our sin.
In other words, God doesn’t command us, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Rather, He encourages us, “Do as I say, and as I did first.” He did first. He sacrificed first. He acted the slave first. He loved first. Then He calls us to follow in His footsteps.
This is the ultimate humility: Jesus living Psalm 123. He left His home. He made a pilgrimage to the world and then into Jerusalem. And there, He placed Himself completely in the Father’s hands, facing the scoffing and contempt of those at ease. And, as a slave, looked to the Father’s hand for mercy. What came first did not seem like mercy. The people He came to save arrested Him, mocked Him, tortured Him, then crucified Him. The Father watched while all that happened and did nothing. Then Jesus was buried. It seemed the Master did not extend mercy. But, on the third day, Jesus rose. Mercy abounded. Now, the Son sits at the Father’s right hand with the name above all names, watching as every knee bows and listening as every tongue confesses Him as Lord.
Yes, Psalm 123 is a big ask. It is also a big promise. Jesus blazed the trail, showing us how to make the journey. May we follow in His humble footsteps.
Praise the Lord!
Next week’s reading is Psalm 124.
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PATHS:
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