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July 18, 2019
The word Sabbath means to cease. So as Dr. Brooks is away on sabbatical, we will be using his original devotionals from 2009 on the book of Psalms. He will resume The Bible Project devotionals upon his return. Thank you for reading with us and praying for him as he replenishes his soul for the next seven years of ministry.
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Psalm 44
1 We have heard it with our ears, O God;
our ancestors have told us
what you did in their days,
in days long ago.
2 With your hand you drove out the nations
and planted our ancestors;
you crushed the peoples
and made our ancestors flourish.
3 It was not by their sword that they won the land,
nor did their arm bring them victory;
it was your right hand, your arm,
and the light of your face, for you loved them.
4 You are my King and my God,
who decrees victories for Jacob.
5 Through you we push back our enemies;
through your name we trample our foes.
6 I put no trust in my bow,
my sword does not bring me victory;
7 but you give us victory over our enemies,
you put our adversaries to shame.
8 In God we make our boast all day long,
and we will praise your name forever.
9 But now you have rejected and humbled us;
you no longer go out with our armies.
10 You made us retreat before the enemy,
and our adversaries have plundered us.
11 You gave us up to be devoured like sheep
and have scattered us among the nations.
12 You sold your people for a pittance,
gaining nothing from their sale.
13 You have made us a reproach to our neighbors,
the scorn and derision of those around us.
14 You have made us a byword among the nations;
the peoples shake their heads at us.
15 I live in disgrace all day long,
and my face is covered with shame
16 at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me,
because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.
17 All this came upon us,
though we had not forgotten you;
we had not been false to your covenant.
18 Our hearts had not turned back;
our feet had not strayed from your path.
19 But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals;
you covered us over with deep darkness.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God
or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
21 would not God have discovered it,
since he knows the secrets of the heart?
22 Yet for your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
23 Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep?
Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever.
24 Why do you hide your face
and forget our misery and oppression?
25 We are brought down to the dust;
our bodies cling to the ground.
26 Rise up and help us;
rescue us because of your unfailing love.
New International Version (NIV)
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Friday the 13th carries unfortunate baggage in our culture, doesn't it? Even this day, especially this day "is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." The honesty of Psalm 44 mirrors the supposed darkness of this day. The Psalmist dares to ask God, "Why don't you work the way you used to?" He begins by recounting holy history. "We have heard with our ears, O God . . ." The people of Israel had a long history of God's intervention on their behalf. He gives credit where credit is due: "It was your right hand, your arm and the light of your face for you loved them."
Like his predecessors, the Psalmist does not take credit. "You are my King and my God. . . . I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory, but you give us victory over our enemies." The Psalmist boasts in God and praises his name forever.
At this moment, however, the Psalmist is not feeling the love of God. He asks honest questions about the problems Israel is facing. In fact, he virtually throws God under the bus with fierce and intense accusations. In verses 17-21, he denies that the present suffering stems from sinful choices. Like Isaiah 53, the psalmist points out, "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." It is true that the righteous sometimes suffer. In fact, sometimes the righteous suffer precisely because they are righteous. Countless martyrs like Bill Wallace, missionary to China, Dietrich Bonhoeffer of Germany and Jim Elliott and Nate Saint who died in Ecuador prove this point.
Even though he feels forgotten, the Psalmist turns to God for help. He invites God to awaken to their need and to rise up and help. Redemption only comes because of God's unfailing love. At the end of the day, even when we fail, and others fail us, God's love never fails. Join me in consecrating this day as a day to celebrate the unfailing love of our God.
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| This year our Every Day with Jesus readings will follow The Bible Project Read Scripture Plan. Copies of this reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download
the app at readscripture.org. Read through the Bible with us in 2019!
Joyfully,
Duane
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