July 26, 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.
Psalm 52
1 Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero?
    Why do you boast all day long,
    you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God?
2 You who practice deceit,
    your tongue plots destruction;
    it is like a sharpened razor.
3 You love evil rather than good,
    falsehood rather than speaking the truth.
4 You love every harmful word,
    you deceitful tongue!
5 Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin:
    He will snatch you up and pluck you from your tent;
    he will uproot you from the land of the living.
6 The righteous will see and fear;
    they will laugh at you, saying,
7 “Here now is the man
    who did not make God his stronghold
but trusted in his great wealth
    and grew strong by destroying others!”
8 But I am like an olive tree
    flourishing in the house of God;
I trust in God’s unfailing love
    for ever and ever.
9 For what you have done I will always praise you
    in the presence of your faithful people.
And I will hope in your name,
    for your name is good.
New International Version (NIV)
 Remember the television show and movie called The Fugitive?  Like the television character’s story, David spent years running for his life from Saul.  When he was hungry physically and spiritually, he turned to Ahimelech a priest in Nob.  The story is told in 1 Samuel 21 and 22.  As Ahimelech provided food and spiritual counsel, a servant of Saul’s, an Edomite named Doeg overheard.  Later he reported this news to Saul and Saul ordered him to kill the priest and all of his family and fellow priests at Nob.      

David wrote this Psalm in response to Doeg, taking him to task for his boasting and for the damage his tongue has done.  Like James in the New Testament, David recognizes the damage words can do.  Serving on a committee with Texas Baptists years ago, my friend Bill Brian said, “Loose lips sink ships.”  Are we tempted today to speak words which may indirectly bring harm to others?  Let us only speak words that build others up for their eternal good.  With David and Habakkuk we struggle when the evil prosper.  The scales do not always balance here.  Nothing could bring Ahimelech and his family back.  Because Doeg has killed innocent people, David envisions his destruction as everlasting.  Our actions here lead to eternal consequences.     Imagine that somebody purposes to cause you harm.  What can we do to protect ourselves in a world where violent people abound?  Finally, David rejoices in God’s protection of him.  Saul’s malicious intentions are thwarted once again.  David will be like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God.  Olive trees live long lives.  In the year 2000, in the Garden of Gethsemane we saw Olive trees which likely sheltered Jesus and his disciples on the nights he prayed there.  David trusts in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.  He places his hope in God’s name because God’s name is good.
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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