Psalm 146: Trustworthy

Today’s reading is Psalm 146.

Put Your Confidence in the Right Person

Asa was a great king for most of his reign (see 2 Chronicles 14-16). He did what was good in the eyes of the Lord most of the time. He took away foreign altars and cut down the Asherim. He commanded Judah to seek the Lord. When Zerah the Ethiopian came out against Judah, Asa put his confidence in the Lord to fight on their behalf. He did. Asa even removed his own mother from being queen mother because she made a detestable image in honor of Asherah.

But, in the thirty-sixth year of his reign, Baasha king of Israel decided to attack. This time, instead of crying to the Lord for help, Asa sent gifts to Ben-hadad king of Syria. This venture was successful on one level. Baasha backed off. However, Hanani the seer came to Asa and prophesied:

Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you. Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the LORD, he gave them into your hand. For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.
–2 Chronicles 16:7-9 (ESV)

Asa didn’t repent. He arrested the prophet. Then inflicted cruelty on some of his own people. He became diseased in his feet, and instead of seeking help from the Lord, he relied merely on physicians.

Perhaps our psalmist recalled this even when praising the Lord. He writes:

Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
–Psalm 146:3-4 (ESV)

We are in a war. We battle against forces too great for us (see Ephesians 6:12). Where will we put our confidence? Presidents? Princes? Prime Ministers? Will we put our trust in psychologists, therapists, counselors? Will we put our faith in preachers, shepherds, ministers? No doubt, each of these have their place and a role in our own lives. But should we rely on these at the most fundamental level? Or worse, will we simply be self-reliant? Will we depend on ourselves?

The people listed above can only help us as long as they live. God, however, never dies. God made all things. Everything else is contingent upon God. God is contingent upon nothing. His plans never die and never fail. Further, His love is everlasting so that He cares for and provides for those who are His and brings judgment on the wicked.

Put your trust in the Lord. Give your allegiance to the Lord. Find your refuge in the Lord. He is the only one truly trustworthy for deliverance, rescue, and salvation.

Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 146.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 146 admonish you?

Psalm 119:161-176: Seven Times a Day I Praise You

Today’s reading is Psalm 119 (vss. 161-176).

Praise Without Ceasing

Other than the very first line, this stanza is the brightest of the psalm. The psalmist rejoices, praises, hopes, loves, endures. But it is the first line that really sets the stage for the rest of it.

Princes persecute me without cause…
Psalm 119:161a (ESV)

The psalmist has been faithful to the Lord. The psalmist has loved God and loved God’s Word. The psalmist has walked with God. For 160 verses, the psalmist has demonstrated his faith and trust. Yet, the enemies still persecute. And what powerful enemies they are. Princes.

At some point, we might expect the psalmist to give up. But he doesn’t. He says it this way even after all this time:

Seven times a day I praise you
for your righteous rules.
Psalm 119:164 (ESV).

Morning, noon, evening, midnight and more, he praises God. His day is full of praising not because his day is easy, pleasurable, convenient, enjoyable. His day is full of praising God because God’s Word is righteous. Not just His Word, his rules. That is, His decrees, His judgments, His rulings. In God’s judgments, the princes have been able to keep on persecuting without repercussion. God has yet to bring justice into the psalmist’s life condemning those who would rather the psalmist be condemned. Yet, the psalmist trusts God’s judgments and keeps on praising.

What a response. It parallels Paul’s instruction in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17:

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (ESV).

I don’t know what you’re going through. I don’t know what you wish God would have already handled, dealt with, judged. I don’t know the Lord’s time table. However, I know His judgments and decrees are the right ones. If He hasn’t brought the justice yet, it is only because it has not yet been the best time to do so. Praise the Lord! Praise Him again and again. Rejoice in Him. Be thankful He has the strength, the courage, the love to act at the very best time even while He is sad over our pain and struggle. And remember, our trials actually grow us to perfection (see James 1:2-4).

What’s going on in your world today? What can you find to praise God for? Find something and praise Him. He deserves it. You need it.

Praise the Lord!

Today’s reading is Psalm 119 (vss. 161-176).

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 119 prompt or improve your praise of God?

Trust: “God is My Helper”

Today’s reading is Psalm 54.

In this psalm, David trusted God.

He had six hundred warriors with him. He had the friendship of Jonathan. However, when he extolled his helpers, the one that mattered was God.

Apparently, the translations of Psalm 54:4 fall into two camps. The more literal camp, which allow God to be “with” or “among” David’s helpers. The more theocentric camp, which have God alone helping David. The latter want us to understand God’s help is singularly significant. The former want us to recognize our other helpers only matter if God is helping.

Psalm 118:7 brings to mind this point from Psalm 54. Psalm 118:7a says, “The Lord is on my side as my helper,” bringing Psalm 54:4 to mind. Psalm 118:7b says, “I shall look in triumph on those who hate me,” bring to mind Psalm 54:7, “my eye has looked in triumph on my enemy.” If we continue reading in Psalm 118 we find, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes” (ESV).

I may receive help from many sources, unless God is one of them and behind all of them, though they be an army of thousands, their help counts for little. I may receive help from few sources, even only one, but if God is that one, it is more than an army of thousands.

Trust God. He is the helper that counts.

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 54.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family

1. What are your initial reactions to the chapter and the written devo above?
2. Do you find other reasons to trust God from Psalm 54? If so, what are they?
3. What hinders trusting God when we face trouble as David did?
4. What advice would you give others to increase our trust in God even in the face of difficulties like David’s?
5. What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this chapter and today’s post?