Reading
SAA Notes
David knew God from first hand experience! So David the Messiah has this glorious irrepressible hope in God. In the present there are many battles and enemies, but He will keep His promises! This same hope we find in Jesus’ heart and lips. (Luke 18:31-34) Is it in your heart and on your lips?
SJA Notes
* Father God, please help us to be like the wise man who built his house on the rock, and not like the foolish man – so that the storms of life will not shift our foundation. For You are our rock and our deliverer.
“… You delivered me from a man of violence.”
It is good to remember that David wrote this psalm after the Lord delivering him from his enemies.
How do we reconcile the above statement with what we read elsewhere in this psalm,
“I beat them fine as dust before the wind; I cast them out like the mire of the streets.”
On the one hand David clearly states that God empowered him to pursue his enemies, overtake them, destroy them.
On the other hand David gives thanks that the Lord has brought deliverance from violent men, enemies, people who rose against him.
How do we understand this?
An important thing to wrestle with.
Sometimes we might hear people speak of there being an “Old Testament” God (wrath and judgement) vs a different “New Testament” Jesus (love and peace).
David recognises the difference between justice and blood-list.
The man of violence is different to the man who finds his refuge in the Lord.
In Matthew 23 Jesus tells us that the weightier matters of the law are JUSTICE, MERCY and FAITHFULNESS.
Jesus, the King of Peace, clearly points to the importance of justice in all of God’s word.
And we are to remember that Revelation tells us Jesus will return as the conquering king, the rider of the white horse who judges and makes war in righteousness.
“From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations,”
Jesus is not a peace-loving mung-bean!
He is the Prince of Peace and the King of Righteousness, the one who gave Himself for sinners such as you and I and He is the one who will return in majesty and splendour to tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
* God Above,
Please open the eyes and ears of our hearts to what You have for us today.
Please write You word on our hearts today, that we might not sin against You.
Please let us see You a little better, know You a little more, trust You a little deeper.
Amen.