Psalm 15 – Deal with it

We are a people of lists. We have to do lists, shopping lists, lists of things we want, lists of best restaurants in town, lists of potential names for babies, bucket lists, the list goes on and on (get it?). Lists help us organize our lives.

Throughout the Psalms we are given lists of things that lead to blessing, lead to God’s favor, are considered righteous, and help keep judgment at arms length. While how we think (attitude of the heart and mind) is certainly important, most often the lists are about how we act. Here we see it manifest in things we say and do for or about other people.

1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill?

2 He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from his heart

3 and has no slander on his tongue,
who does his neighbor no wrong
and casts no slur on his fellowman,

4 who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD,
who keeps his oath even when it hurts.”

– Psalm 15:1-4

There really is a ton of evil in the world. It’s amazing how deep rooted some of it is. Typically we can trace it back to a person, a leader, or an organization that has standards or values opposite to ours. As a Christian, I’ve felt guilt before for feeling disdain for those people. I’ve felt like I was being judgmental and possibly showing a shortage of love. But that’s a guilt I can often put on myself. And it’s not always wrong.

Scripture is clear that we don’t have to hold those who do great wrong with any type of esteem. We don’t have to respect them. In fact, the Hebrew uses two words to describe this person and how we should respond in verse 4. The first means to disesteem or disdain, and the second means to cast off or reject.

The Hebrew Lexicon translated directly in Verse 4 says, “In whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not.”

This is saying that as we see the deficiency in others that it’s okay to find disdain in it. But instead of taking action against them in response to our disdain or even “sweeping it under the table” in blind love, we should charge ourselves with what disdain we find in our own actions. And simply remove them.

Psalm 9 – Limited Perspective

The first few verses of Psalm 9 give us a reminder of what God has done in regards to his justice. It speaks of rebuking and destroying. It speaks of blotting out names and endless ruin. This is His response to evil nations and the wicked.

When we see an example of the power and judgment of God according to His ways it is always profound.

It’s interesting to me those who claim the absence of God when he “allows” evil in our world today. And I’m reminded through Psalm 9 that our timing is not His timing. That He is righteous. And that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The issue of Him “allowing” is not an issue of what, but more so an issue of when. Stand firm child of God, He will judge righteously. As the scripture claims (vs.10), He has never forsaken those who seek Him.

While our timeline is everything to us, it is but a blip on the radar of God’s agenda. Today is so small in respect to Eternity. We should be mindful not to allow our way of thinking and limited perspective to create doubt or concern in our faith. Instead, in considering His timelessness, we should find comfort.

“The LORD reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice. The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” – Psalm 9:7-10

2 Sam 16 - Throwing Stones

When I was a teenager growing up in western Colorado, we used to spend our summer days on the Colorado River. Most of the time we’d tie inner-tubes together with rope and float for miles to a downstream destination where we had dropped a friends jeep or truck earlier in the day. It was always a place strategically picked out for a day of swimming, jumping from bridges, and listening to loud music with the fella’s.

Along the way we would often find ourselves stopping, rummaging around, and quite often it ended in someone eventually picking up a rock and throwing it “near” another person. The initial act was typically intended to simply splash the other person, but it always escalated. Many times into full on, long distance, rock fight. We were never serious, always laughing, and we never really tried to hit each other (although an accidental hit on a leg or arm was quite often the only way the ridiculous testosterone driven activity would ever end). Luckily, no one ever got hit in the head. We were simply idiots. We had no idea what we were really risking. And there was simply no intentionality behind our senseless pitching of the stones.

Projecting a rock at someone was a very significant act in Biblical times. We see them come with words (cursing) and accusation in the New Testament. But they are based on Old Testament law and the judgment that would follow certain sins. It usually ended in death. Obviously we don’t see an official “stoning” taking place in 2 Samuel, not even close, but the symbolism is there through the cursing and throwing of stones by Shemei.

“Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head." 2 Samuel 16:9

David is in an interesting position here. While his men are ready to fight to the death in defending his honor, instead he replies with a new attitude reflecting a new perspective.

“But the king said, "What do you and I have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD said to him, 'Curse David,' who can ask, 'Why do you do this?' " 2 Samuel 16:10

The King of yesteryear would have cut Shemei’s head off himself. But David recognizes that he is experiencing the fruit of his sin. And he is hopeful that how he reacts to even this ridiculous moment might somehow create an opportunity to be reconciled with God.

“David then said to Abishai and all his officials, "My son, who is of my own flesh, is trying to take my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the LORD has told him to. It may be that the LORD will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today." 2 Samuel 16:11-12

Whether David was right or not and whether or not Shemei was acting from a word from the Lord to “throw stones”, David’s heart was leaning in the right direction. For the first time we see a warriors heart denied. David recognizes that the hand of God is distant from him, he sees the fruit, and he is willing to not only deny himself but also search for anything that might represent the movement of God.

The place of searching is a good place to be.