THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 12
“Who is lord over us?” (Psalm 12:4)
With the so-called ‘death of God’ announced by Nietzsche, our world has lost its anchor.
The western world no longer has moral authority, each one can do as they feel is right.
If you are familiar with the Book of Judges, you’ll know it describes a messed up time in history.
The book concludes, “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.” (Judges 21:25)
David is describing a similar period, when people were rejecting God as their authority.
Some argue that the problem today is that God is still around through religious people.
They point to all the problems caused by religious people – terrorism, judgmentalism. legalism.
But the common denominator here is not ‘religion’ or ‘God’, but “the human race” (v.1).
It is humans that defy God, or twist God to their purposes.
The ‘God’ of the cruel and the violent is not the God of Jesus Christ.
Jesus, like David, understands God as the hope and help of the poor and needy.
Flattering lips and boastful tongues – religious or non-religious – were silenced by Jesus.
Jesus challenged the faithless hearts of the human race, and urged ALL to repent.
He is the kind of human ‘Lord’ we need, the servant leader we were meant to be.
He is “Lord over us”, and if we accept His Lordship, things will change for the better.
For Jesus silences “flattering lips and boastful tongues”, including mine.
He will “keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked…” (v.7)
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, our world needs Your Lordship, Your leadership. You have shown us the heart and way of God – radical love for the poor and needy, and firm rebuke for the proud and boastful.
This Psalm is about words and that brings many things to my mind such as:
– no one can tame the tongue
– out of the same mouth come cursing and blessing
– you are what you speak for it comes from the heart
– bite your tongue
– put mind in gear before mouth in motion
– etc
I need to listen what comes from my mouth – to be a blessing and not a curse. Guide my lips Lord by Your Spirit. And I need to pray that each day anew so that can speak the words of Christ and b an instrument of His peace.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.