Asaph

Before You Cry Out, Confess

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A Song. A Psalm of Asaph.

1 O God, do not keep silence;
    do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
2 For behold, your enemies make an uproar;
    those who hate you have raised their heads.
3 They lay crafty plans against your people;
    they consult together against your treasured ones.
4 They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;
    let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”
5 For they conspire with one accord;
    against you they make a covenant—
6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
    Moab and the Hagrites,
7 Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,
    Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Asshur also has joined them;
    they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Selah

9 Do to them as you did to Midian,
    as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,
10 who were destroyed at En-dor,
    who became dung for the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,
    all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 who said, “Let us take possession for ourselves
    of the pastures of God.”

13 O my God, make them like whirling dust,
    like chaff before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest,
    as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15 so may you pursue them with your tempest
    and terrify them with your hurricane!
16 Fill their faces with shame,
    that they may seek your name, O LORD.
17 Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever;
    let them perish in disgrace,
18 that they may know that you alone,
    whose name is the LORD,
    are the Most High over all the earth. – Psalm 83:1-18 ESV

This final psalm of Asaph contains an impassioned plea for God to intervene on behalf of His chosen people. No context is given to explain Asaph’s despair, but he provides a lengthy list of Israel’s enemies who are causing them suffering and distress. He includes the Edomites, Ishmaelites, Moabites, Hagrites, Gebalites, Ammonites, Amalekites, Philistines, and the inhabitants of Tyre and Asshur. The New International Version rightly translates Asshur as “Assyria,” and states that this powerful northern kingdom “joined them to reinforce Lot’s descendants” (Psalm 83:8 NIV).

Asaph describes what he sees as an international conspiracy to wipe out God’s chosen people. According to Asaph, these disparate nations had nothing in common except their hatred for the Israelites and a shared desire to see them completely eradicated.

They devise crafty schemes against your people;
    they conspire against your precious ones.
“Come,” they say, “let us wipe out Israel as a nation.
    We will destroy the very memory of its existence.” – Psalm 83:3-4 NLT

From Asaph’s perspective, God has gone radio silent and allowed Israel’s enemies to go unchecked in their genocidal quest. Asaph attempts to make this personal by appealing to God’s pride.

Don’t you hear the uproar of your enemies?
    Don’t you see that your arrogant enemies are rising up?
They devise crafty schemes against your people;
    they conspire against your precious ones. – Psalm 83:2-3 NLT

Asaph can’t understand why these pagan nations have been allowed to operate unrestrained and without any retribution from God. They are idolatrous, immoral, and representative of all that stands opposed to God’s will. Their violent resistance to Israel’s existence is indicative of their hatred for Yahweh and their opposition to the covenant promises He made to Abraham.

So the Lord made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River— the land now occupied by the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.” – Genesis 15:18-21 NLT

“I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.” – Genesis 17:8 NLT

For Asaph, the situation was complicated by the presence of nations like the Ammonites and Moabites, who were distant relatives of Israel. These descendants of Abraham’s nephew, Lot, had joined forces against their own kin, enlisting the aid of the Assyrians to attack Israel. However, the Ammonites and Moabites were not the only blood relatives of Abraham who decided to make Israel their enemy number one. The Hagrites were also descendants of Abraham through his wife’s handmaiden, Hagar. When Abraham’s wife Sarah could not bear him an heir, she suggested that he use Hagar as a surrogate. In an act of faithlessness, Abraham complied, and Hagar bore Ishmael, whose descendants became the Ishmaelites. So, the Hagrites and Ishmaelites, despite sharing a common ancestry in Abraham, had chosen to align themselves against His chosen people.

In frustration, Asaph attempts to give Yahweh a history lesson, reminding Him of His past acts of deliverance. This unsolicited lecture was intended to stir God to action.

Do to them as you did to the Midianites
    and as you did to Sisera and Jabin at the Kishon River.
They were destroyed at Endor,
    and their decaying corpses fertilized the soil. – Psalm 83:9-10 NLT

Asaph recalls two battles in which Yahweh gave the Israelites decisive victories over the Midianites and Canaanites. Both of these events took place during the period of the Judges. The first is recorded in Judges 4, where the prophet Deborah led the Israelites in battle against the Canaanites and defeated Sisera, the Canaanite commander, and Jabin, the Canaanite king. The second victory took place under the judgeship of Gideon and is recorded in Judges 7-8. He led the Israelites in battle, but this time, it was against the Midianites. With a small force of 300 men, Gideon and the Israelites defeated a much larger Midianite force.

Asaph reminds God of Oreb and Zeeb, the Midianite commanders, and Zebah and Zalmunna, the Midianite kings. These pagans got what they deserved, and Asaph wants to know why God won’t do the same to Israel’s current foes. Just in case God doesn’t connect the dots, Asaph gives Him His marching orders.

O my God, scatter them like tumbleweed,
    like chaff before the wind!
As a fire burns a forest
    and as a flame sets mountains ablaze,
chase them with your fierce storm;
    terrify them with your tempest.
Utterly disgrace them
    until they submit to your name, O LORD.
Let them be ashamed and terrified forever.
    Let them die in disgrace. – Psalm 83:13-17 NLT

For Asaph, the solution is simple. God is all-powerful and fully capable of defeating any enemy of any size on any occasion. All He has to do is act. The identity and size of the foe don’t matter. If God can defeat Midianites and Canaanites, He can deal with Edomites, Ishmaelites, Moabites, Hagrites, Gebalites, Ammonites, Amalekites, and Philistines. Asaph believes God can deliver, but can’t understand why He has not yet done so. What is Yahweh waiting for? What is the reason for His delay? Why would Yahweh allow these nations to continue their harassment of God’s people and their mocking of God’s name?

Asaph ends his psalm with a not-so-subtle word of encouragement, appealing to Yahweh’s jealousy for His honor in the hopes that He will vindicate the people who bear His name.

Then they will learn that you alone are called the LORD,
    that you alone are the Most High,
    supreme over all the earth. – Psalm 84:18 NLT

But Asaph never stops to consider whether their suffering may be due to sin. He does not self-reflect or analyze their plight, to see if they have violated God’s will. This lack of personal or corporate culpability is telling. While Asaph is familiar with the stories of Deborah and Gideon, he seems to have conveniently left out that the Canaanites and Midianites were attacking because Israel had been unfaithful.

After Ehud’s death, the Israelites again did evil in the LORD’s sight. So the LORD turned them over to King Jabin of Hazor, a Canaanite king. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-haggoyim. Sisera, who had 900 iron chariots, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help. – Judges 4:1-3 NLT

The Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight. So the LORD handed them over to the Midianites for seven years. The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel, camping in the land and destroying crops as far away as Gaza. They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys. These enemy hordes, coming with their livestock and tents, were as thick as locusts; they arrived on droves of camels too numerous to count. And they stayed until the land was stripped bare. So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD for help. – Judges 6:1-6 NLT

Sin brought judgment, but when the Israelites cried out, God brought deliverance. The entire Book of Judges records the cycle of sin, judgment, repentance, and deliverance that Israel experienced during the period of the Judges. While Asaph fixated on God’s deliverance, he neglected to focus on Israel’s rebellion. He conveniently left out the fact that the Israelites had done evil in the LORD’s sight. God loves to deliver His people, but He requires an acknowledgment of sin and a humble recognition that He alone deserves glory, honor, and reverence.

Father, I love it when You deliver me from difficult situations, but I am less fond of admitting my guilt and shame. I don’t particularly like to shine the light on my own culpability or complicity for my suffering. So often, I am the cause of my pain and the author of my misfortune, but I demand that You step in and fix my mistakes and clean up my messes. Help me to honor You by willingly admitting that I am the undeserving recipient of Your grace and mercy. Give me the strength to admit my faults and allow You to convict me of the sins that produce so much hurt and heartache in and around me. And thank You for rescuing me from my own stupidty and stubbornness. You are a good and gracious God. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Obedience from the Heart and Not the Head

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To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. Of Asaph.

1 Sing aloud to God our strength;
    shout for joy to the God of Jacob!
2 Raise a song; sound the tambourine,
    the sweet lyre with the harp.
3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
    at the full moon, on our feast day.

4 For it is a statute for Israel,
    a rule of the God of Jacob.
5 He made it a decree in Joseph
    when he went out over the land of Egypt.
I hear a language I had not known:
6 “I relieved your shoulder of the burden;
    your hands were freed from the basket.
7 In distress you called, and I delivered you;
    I answered you in the secret place of thunder;
    I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah
8 Hear, O my people, while I admonish you!
    O Israel, if you would but listen to me!
9 There shall be no strange god among you;
    you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
10 I am the LORD your God,
    who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
    Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11 “But my people did not listen to my voice;
    Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
    to follow their own counsels.
13 Oh, that my people would listen to me,
    that Israel would walk in my ways!
14 I would soon subdue their enemies
    and turn my hand against their foes.
15 Those who hate the LORD would cringe toward him,
    and their fate would last forever.
16 But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat,
    and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” – Psalm 81:1-16 ESV

This psalm is divided into two contrasting halves. Verses 1-10 contain a call for the people of Israel to celebrate the appointed feasts and festivals ordained by God. Before entering the land of Canaan, the Israelites received a directive from God, ordering them to commemorate their divinely-ordained victories over their enemies by keeping the various annual feasts He prescribed.

“When you arrive in your own land and go to war against your enemies who attack you, sound the alarm with the trumpets. Then the LORD your God will remember you and rescue you from your enemies. Blow the trumpets in times of gladness, too, sounding them at your annual festivals and at the beginning of each month. And blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and peace offerings. The trumpets will remind your God of his covenant with you. I am the LORD your God.” – Numbers 10:9-10 NLT

The first of these annual feasts was the celebration of Passover, instituted by God just before their deliverance from captivity in Egypt. God gave them specific instructions for conducting the first Passover, leaving nothing to their imaginations or up to chance. Once God delivered them from bondage, they were to put this date on their calendars and celebrate it annually.

“Remember, these instructions are a permanent law that you and your descendants must observe forever. When you enter the land the Lord has promised to give you, you will continue to observe this ceremony. Then your children will ask, ‘What does this ceremony mean?’ And you will reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. And though he struck the Egyptians, he spared our families.’” – Exodus 12:24-27 NLT

These annual feasts were intended to serve as reminders, prompting the people to recall God’s gracious acts of deliverance. By celebrating what Yahweh had done in the past, they would be encouraged to trust Him for the future. These annual holidays were designed to highlight God’s former demonstrations of faithfulness and instill a sense of hope for His ongoing provision. Asaph quotes where Yahweh reminded the people of Israel that He had heard their cries for deliverance and provided an answer.

“Now I will take the load from your shoulders;
    I will free your hands from their heavy tasks.
You cried to me in trouble, and I saved you;
    I answered out of the thundercloud
    and tested your faith when there was no water at Meribah.” – Psalm 81:6-7 NLT

All along their journey from Egypt to Canaan, God met their needs. He tested their faith by allowing them to run out of food and water, but when they grumbled and complained, He graciously and miraculously stepped in. He turned bitter water sweet, provided water from a rock, fed them manna and quail, and kept their sandals from wearing out. But God’s acts of mercy and grace came with a condition. He expected His people to show their appreciation by willingly keeping His commands and treating Him with the dignity and honor He deserved.

“There shall be no strange god among you;
    you shall not bow down to a foreign god.
I am the LORD your God,
    who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
    Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.” – Psalm 81:9-10 NLT

God would not tolerate spiritual infidelity among His people. If they would remain faithful, He would continue to pour out His blessings. But this is where the psalm takes a dramatic turn. Despite all of God’s gracious acts of kindness, mercy, and grace, the people of Israel proved to be unfaithful and disobedient.

“But my people did not listen to my voice;
    Israel would not submit to me.
So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
    to follow their own counsels.” – Psalm 81:9-10 NLT

It is interesting to note that they kept the annual feasts and festivals. They adhered to God’s laws concerning the sacrifices. On paper, they were rule-keeping, festival-celebrating, sacrifice-giving adherents to God’s commands. But it was all for show. God saw through their pretense and declared their efforts to be unacceptable.

“Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men.” – Isaiah 29:13 ESV

In the opening chapter of that same book, God declares His dissatisfaction with their hypocritical displays of religious rule-keeping.

“When you come to worship me,
    who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony?
Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts;
    the incense of your offerings disgusts me!
As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath
    and your special days for fasting—
they are all sinful and false.
    I want no more of your pious meetings.
I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals.
    They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them!
When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look.
    Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen,
    for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims.” – Isaiah 1:12-15 NLT

For God, it has always been about obedience. But He requires more than lip service and heartless adherence to a set of rules. Going through the motions is not enough. If our heart is not in it, our displays of outward obedience become nothing more than legalism masquerading as devotion.

Asaph provides another stinging quote from Yahweh that displays His desire for true, heartfelt obedience.

“Oh, that my people would listen to me!
    Oh, that Israel would follow me, walking in my paths!
How quickly I would then subdue their enemies!
    How soon my hands would be upon their foes!” – Psalm 81:13-14 NLT

The Book of 1 Samuel records the story of Saul attempting to cover up an act of disobedience by offering sacrifices to Yahweh. He had just defeated the Amalekites in battle, but failed to heed God’s command to take no plunder or leave any survivors. God had made His will clear, stating, “completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys” (1 Samuel 15:3 NLT). But Saul spared the life of the Amalekite king and “kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality” (1 Samuel 15:9 NLT). 

When Saul was confronted by the prophet Samuel for his disobedience, he tried to justify his actions.

“I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else. Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” – 1 Samuel 15:20-21 NLT

But Samuel wasn’t buying what Saul was selling. Even when Saul claimed that he intended to offer the animals as sacrifices to Yahweh, Samuel delivered the unexpected news that Saul’s actions would have unexpected and unpleasant consequences.

“What is more pleasing to the Lord:
    your burnt offerings and sacrifices
    or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,
    and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.
Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,
    and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.
So because you have rejected the command of the Lord,
    he has rejected you as king.” – 1 Samuel 15:22-23 NLT

Psalm 81 is a powerful reminder that God desires far more than outward obedience. He is looking for adherence that begins on the inside and works its way out. David understood this inside-out perspective on obedience. After being confronted by the prophet Nathan for his affair with Bathsheba, David declared his conviction to God.

“You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
    You do not want a burnt offering.
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
    You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.” – Psalm 51:16-17 NLT

Adrean Rogers relates a familiar story that puts Saul’s unacceptable attitude in terms we can all relate to.

“There is a classic story about a father who told his little four year old son to sit down, but the son didn’t sit down. So the father said a second time, “Son, I said sit down.” The boy still didn’t sit down. Finally, the father took him by the shoulders and forcefully placed him in the chair. He said, “Now, Son, sit there!” The little boy answered, “I may be sitting down on the outside, but—” he added defiantly, “I’m standing up on the inside!” – Adrean Rogers, oneplace.com

Saul was standing up on the inside. So were the Israelites. Yes, they were doing all the right things by keeping the prescribed feasts and festivals, offering the appropriate sacrifices, and adhering to the rules as they knew them. But God was not satisfied because their hearts were not in it.

But the solution to their problem was simple. All they had to do was obey from the heart. Their rule-keeping needed to come from the right place — a broken and repentant heart. If they would acknowledge their sin and love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, He promised to feed them “with the finest wheat” and satisfy them “with wild honey from the rock” (Psalm 81:16 NLT).

Father, obedience without love is meaningless. How often have I displayed the attitude of that small boy in Adrean Roger’s story. On the outside I may be sitting down, but on the inside I am standing in bold defiance to Your will and in rejection to Your ways. I may appear compliant, but my heart reveals a different reality. I want to be obey from the inside-out. I want my acts of submission to Your will to be heartfelt and not a legalistic form of religious rule keeping. Give me the attitude of David and not Saul. Help me to obey from the heart and not the head. So that my life might be a testimony to Your faithfulness and proof of my love for You. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Our Gracious God

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To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Testimony. Of Asaph, a Psalm.

1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
    you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
2     Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your might
    and come to save us!

3 Restore us, O God;
    let your face shine, that we may be saved!

4 O LORD God of hosts,
    how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
5 You have fed them with the bread of tears
    and given them tears to drink in full measure.
6 You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
    and our enemies laugh among themselves.

7 Restore us, O God of hosts;
    let your face shine, that we may be saved!

8 You brought a vine out of Egypt;
    you drove out the nations and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it;
    it took deep root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade,
    the mighty cedars with its branches.
11 It sent out its branches to the sea
    and its shoots to the River.
12 Why then have you broken down its walls,
    so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
13 The boar from the forest ravages it,
    and all that move in the field feed on it.

14 Turn again, O God of hosts!
    Look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
15     the stock that your right hand planted,
    and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.
16 They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;
    may they perish at the rebuke of your face!
17 But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
    the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
18 Then we shall not turn back from you;
    give us life, and we will call upon your name!

19 Restore us, O LORD God of hosts!
    Let your face shine, that we may be saved! – Psalm 80:1-19 ESV

Like the psalm that precedes it, this is a national psalm of lament, but it is difficult to determine the exact context surrounding its message. Some scholars believe Asaph is addressing the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC. But if Asaph was a resident of the southern kingdom of Judah, his prayer in verse 3 would appear to place the timing of this psalm after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC.

Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh,
stir up your might
    and come to save us! – Psalm 80:3 ESV

Asaph seems to indicate that something has happened to the people of Judah, the residents of the southern kingdom. In verses 5 and 6, he describes the extent of their suffering, which he attributes to God’s divine punishment.

You have fed us with sorrow
    and made us drink tears by the bucketful.
You have made us the scorn of neighboring nations.
    Our enemies treat us as a joke. – Psalm 80:5-6 NLT

Asaph’s reference to Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh is intended as a not-so-subtle reminder that the nation of Israel used to be a unified whole. There had been a time under the reigns of David and Solomon when the 12 tribes of Israel were unified and dominated the political landscape of Canaan. Ephraim was the primary tribe in the north, the Benjamites lived in the south, and the tribe of Manasseh was located east of the Jordan River in the Transjordan. So it makes more sense to see this psalm lamenting Israel’s abysmal condition after the northern and southern kingdoms had fallen to the Assyrians and Babylonians.

It is interesting to note that Asaph opens his psalm with a reference to Joseph, the son of Jacob, who had been sold into slavery by his brothers. Under God’s sovereign hand, this young man ended up in Egypt and rose to the second-highest position in the land. His miraculous and meteoric rise to prominence was God-ordained and for the sole purpose of providing a place of refuge for his family when a famine struck the land of Canaan.

Asaph opens his psalm by addressing Yahweh as the “Shepherd of Israel” (Psalm 80:1 ESV), who leads Joseph like a flock. Joseph’s two sons, born to him in Egypt, were adopted by his father Jacob, and their descendants became heirs of the land of promise. Ephraim and Manasseh, two of the tribes mentioned in verse 2, were the descendants of Joseph’s two sons and, at one time, enjoyed a place within the unified nation of Israel alongside the tribe of Benjamin.

But sin had disrupted Israel’s peace and prosperity. King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, behaved like a fool by fostering idolatry and apostasy in the kingdom. His actions resulted in God splitting the kingdom in half. From that point, the downward spiritual spiral continued in the north, south, and east, as all the tribes exhibited a penchant for unfaithfulness and a stubborn refusal to repent and return to Yahweh.

So, Asaph calls on God to step in and fix the problem.

Show us your mighty power.
    Come to rescue us! – Psalm 80:3 NLT

Asaph attributes their fate to God’s displeasure with them, but he never acknowledges their complicity and guilt. At no point does Asaph attempt to confess the sins of his fellow Israelites. Instead, he questions why God remains so angry and unwilling to answer their prayers for deliverance.

Asaph attempts to remind God of His past acts of kindness by chronicling how He had delivered the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt and established them in the land of Canaan.

You brought us from Egypt like a grapevine;
    you drove away the pagan nations and transplanted us into your land.
You cleared the ground for us,
    and we took root and filled the land.
Our shade covered the mountains;
    our branches covered the mighty cedars.
We spread our branches west to the Mediterranean Sea;
    our shoots spread east to the Euphrates River. – Psalm 80:8-11 NLT

Those were the good old days, when the Israelites enjoyed the blessings of God. They had been fruitful and filled the land of Canaan. Under the leadership of David and Solomon, their numbers grew and their kingdom spread, making them a force to be reckoned with in the region. But all that had changed. The conditions in Israel were markedly different when Asaph penned this psalm because sin had brought the judgment of God.

Yet, Asaph never mentions their sin. He fails to acknowledge their complicity in their own demise, choosing instead to blame God.

But now, why have you broken down our walls
    so that all who pass by may steal our fruit?
The wild boar from the forest devours it,
    and the wild animals feed on it. – Psalm 80:12-13 NLT

While God had brought judgment upon the people of Israel, it had been as a result of their rebellion against Him. Asaph obsesses over the consequences they suffered and demands remediation, but he refuses to confess their guilt. He begs God to intervene and appears to try to shame God into action.

Take care of this grapevine
    that you yourself have planted,
    this son you have raised for yourself. – Psalm 80:14-15 NLT

Asaph freely admits that God had chosen Israel to be His treasured possession, but he couldn’t understand why they were suffering so greatly. It made no sense. As the nation that bore His name, the Israelites should have been prospering and enjoying all the benefits of their privileged position. But, according to Asaph, they were like a vineyard that had been “chopped up and burned by” (Psalm 80:16 NLT) by their enemies.

So, Asaph asks God to reverse the trend and restore His people to greatness.

May you give support to the one you have chosen,
to the one whom you raised up for yourself. – Psalm 80:17 NET

In response to God’s miraculous deliverance, Asaph promises the renewed allegiance of the people of Israel.

Then we will never abandon you again.
    Revive us so we can call on your name once more. – Psalm  80:17 NLT

By referring to God’s name, Asaph appeals to God’s reputation. He knows that Yahweh holds His name in high regard and will not allow it to be tarnished by those privileged to bear it. He had warned the Israelites that their behavior reflected on His character.

“You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you.” – Exodus 34:14 NLT

He would not allow them to drag His name through the mud by their repeated acts of apostasy and idolatry, and that is the reason for their current state of deprivation and despair. All 12 tribes were guilty of worshiping other gods and had angered Yahweh with their refusal to heed His warnings and repent of their sins. But Asaph longs to see God redeem and restore them.

Turn us again to yourself, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.
    Make your face shine down upon us.
    Only then will we be saved. – Psalm 80:19 NLT

He was right. God was the only solution to their problem. Their cities lay in ruins, and their economy was devastated. They had no king or army and no hope of improving their fortunes unless God stepped in. Asaph’s reliance upon God was commendable, but he failed to recognize the corporate need for repentance. The prophets made it clear that redemption and restoration were available but required repentance.

Seek the Lord while you can find him.
    Call on him now while he is near.
Let the wicked change their ways
    and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them.
    Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. – Isaiah 55:6-7 NLT

God would later inspire Jeremiah to deliver the following message to the Israelites living in exile in Babylon. He wanted them to know that their captivity had an expiration date, but to enjoy His deliverance, they must exhibit repentant hearts.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” – Jeremiah 29:11-14 NLT

Asaph was right to call on God, but neglected to call the people to repentance. God had promised to hear their prayers and restore their fortunes, but He required that they look for him “wholeheartedly.” God demanded their sold-out devotion to Him alone, instead of their usual brand of half-hearted, going-through-the-motions, on-again-off-again worship.

Yet, despite their failure to repent and return to Him in wholehearted devotion, God eventually released them from their exile in Babylon and restored them to the land of Canaan. Their covenant-keeping God graciously ended their captivity and arranged for a remnant to return to Jerusalem under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah. Yahweh proved to be faithful even when His people refused to keep their end of the covenant agreement. And, according to the Book of Ezekiel, God is far from done with His chosen people. The day is coming when He will perform a miracle of transformation that will ensure their unwavering devotion to Him.

“For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land.

“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.

“And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be my people, and I will be your God. I will cleanse you of your filthy behavior.” – Ezekiel 36:24-29 NLT

Father, You truly are amazing. Your love never fails. You always keep Your word. Your grace is always undeserved. Your mercy never runs out. Your patience is inexhaustible. And Your plan for Your people is unstoppable. Despite us, You continually pour out Your blessings through Jesus Christ. You have made a way where there was no way. You do the impossible and accomplish the improbable. And we don’t deserve it. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God Doesn’t Need to Earn Our Worship

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A Psalm of Asaph.

1 O God, the nations have come into your inheritance;
    they have defiled your holy temple;
    they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
2 They have given the bodies of your servants
    to the birds of the heavens for food,
    the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth.
3 They have poured out their blood like water
    all around Jerusalem,
    and there was no one to bury them.
4 We have become a taunt to our neighbors,
    mocked and derided by those around us.

5 How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever?
    Will your jealousy burn like fire?
6 Pour out your anger on the nations
    that do not know you,
and on the kingdoms
    that do not call upon your name!
7 For they have devoured Jacob
    and laid waste his habitation.

8 Do not remember against us our former iniquities;
    let your compassion come speedily to meet us,
    for we are brought very low.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation,
    for the glory of your name;
deliver us, and atone for our sins,
    for your name’s sake!
10 Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”
Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants
    be known among the nations before our eyes!

11 Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;
    according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die!
12 Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors
    the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord!
13 But we your people, the sheep of your pasture,
    will give thanks to you forever;
    from generation to generation we will recount your praise. – Psalm 79:1-13 ESV

The context for this psalm of lament appears to be the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 586 BC. Asaph describes the devastating impact of the years-long Babylonian siege, the subsequent breach of the city’s walls, and the brutally violent destruction. This psalm reflects the imagery and impassioned petition found in Psalm 74, as the author questions God’s failure to protect His people from their enemies.

O Lord, how long will you be angry with us? Forever?
    How long will your jealousy burn like fire? – Psalm 79:5 NLT

Asaph serves as a spokesman for the rest of the covenant community that is reeling from the unprecedented breach of Jerusalem’s defenses and the unfathomable destruction of human life and property. Asaph addresses Yahweh as if He is ignorant of the details surrounding Judah’s fall and the city’s decimation.

O God, pagan nations have conquered your land,
    your special possession.
They have defiled your holy Temple
    and made Jerusalem a heap of ruins. – Psalm 79:1 NLT

But God is not surprised and caught off guard by this news because He is the one who ordained it to happen. For years, Yahweh had warned His chosen people that their days were numbered unless they repented of their spiritual adultery and apostasy and returned to Him in humble contrition.

“You made me furious by worshiping idols you made with your own hands, bringing on yourselves all the disasters you now suffer. And now the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Because you have not listened to me, I will gather together all the armies of the north under King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, whom I have appointed as my deputy. I will bring them all against this land and its people and against the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy you and make you an object of horror and contempt and a ruin forever. I will take away your happy singing and laughter. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will no longer be heard. Your millstones will fall silent, and the lights in your homes will go out. This entire land will become a desolate wasteland. Israel and her neighboring lands will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.” – Jeremiah 25:7-11 NLT

God had spoken through His prophets, declaring His dissatisfaction with His people’s blatant rejection of their covenant relationship with Him.

“For my people have done two evil things:
They have abandoned me—
    the fountain of living water.
And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns
    that can hold no water at all!” – Jeremiah 2:13 NLT

The southern kingdom of Judah had witnessed the fall and destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel nearly 150 years earlier. But they had learned nothing from their northern neighbor’s demise.

“Plow up the hard ground of your hearts!
    Do not waste your good seed among thorns.
O people of Judah and Jerusalem,
    surrender your pride and power.
Change your hearts before the Lord,
    or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire
    because of all your sins.

“Shout to Judah, and broadcast to Jerusalem!
    Tell them to sound the alarm throughout the land:
‘Run for your lives!
    Flee to the fortified cities!’
Raise a signal flag as a warning for Jerusalem:
    ‘Flee now! Do not delay!’
For I am bringing terrible destruction upon you
    from the north.” – Jeremiah 4:3-8 NLT

So, Yahweh wasn’t surprised by Asaph’s vivid description of Judah’s epic fall. Not only was Yahweh aware, but He had ordained every aspect of their demise, including the desecration and demolition of the Temple that bore His name. Asaph and the remnant of Jews who remained in Judah couldn’t understand how God had failed to protect them. They were shocked as they surveyed the carnage left by the Babylonian invaders. Everywhere they looked, they saw the bodies of murdered neighbors and friends. Their homes had been destroyed, and the city had been plundered. Those who had not been taken captive were either dead or little more than the walking dead, who were tasked with the unpleasant responsibility of restoring order to the chaos.

They have left the bodies of your servants
    as food for the birds of heaven.
The flesh of your godly ones
    has become food for the wild animals.
Blood has flowed like water all around Jerusalem;
    no one is left to bury the dead. – Psalm 79:2-3 NLT

Asaph put words to the people’s confusion and consternation, begging God to step in and do something.

Pour out your wrath on the nations that refuse to acknowledge you—
    on kingdoms that do not call upon your name. – Psalm 79:6 NLT

But there is no admission of guilt or semblance of a confession on Asaph’s part. In fact, Asaph appears to pass the buck, blaming their predicament on a previous generation of unfaithful Israelites.

Do not hold us guilty for the sins of our ancestors!
    Let your compassion quickly meet our needs,
    for we are on the brink of despair. – Psalm 79:8 NLT

In a sense, Asaph is informing God that their judgment was undeserved. They had done nothing to merit such unjust treatment from Him. The closest he gets to an admission of guilt is when he states, “Save us and forgive our sins for the honor of your name” (Psalm 79:9 NLT). But he provides no specifics regarding what sins they may have committed. His plea is generic in nature and focuses more on God’s responsibility to forgive and protect the holiness of His name.

Asaph is under the impression that God is somehow obligated to step in and rescue his unjustly maligned and mistreated people, but he never offers up any semblance of an apology for their past actions.

Show us your vengeance against the nations,
    for they have spilled the blood of your servants. – Psalm 79:10 NLT

At the dedication of the Temple hundreds of years earlier, God made a promise to Solomon and the people of Israel, committing to forgive and restore them, but it came with a caveat.

“…if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT

And God added an addendum to His promise, stating what would happen if they failed to humble themselves, seek His face, and repent.

“But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the decrees and commands I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot the people from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make it an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations. And though this Temple is impressive now, all who pass by will be appalled. They will ask, ‘Why did the Lord do such terrible things to this land and to this Temple?’” – 2 Chronicles 7:19-21 NLT

That fateful day came because the people of God failed to uphold their end of the covenant agreement. Asaph even alludes to the mocking questions that people were asking about the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple. He states that their pagan neighbors ridiculed their faith in Yahweh by asking, “Where is their God?” (Psalm 79:10 NLT). But God was there all along. He had not abandoned them; He was simply punishing them for their refusal to worship Him alone. Their spiritual infidelity and blatant apostasy had finally caught up with them, and now they were suffering the consequences.

And, amazingly, Asaph has the gall to make a conditional promise to Yahweh.

O LORD, pay back our neighbors seven times
    for the scorn they have hurled at you.
Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture,
    will thank you forever and ever,
    praising your greatness from generation to generation. – Psalm 79:12-13 NLT

Don’t miss the word “then.” Asaph is demanding that God pay back the Babylonians for their actions. That is the non-negotiable clause in his proposed contract with the Almighty. Essentially, he says, “If you will rescue us, we will worship you.” But as Asaph has made clear in his other psalms, God had already proven His faithfulness over the years. He didn’t need to earn their worship, and He didn’t need to do anything to deserve their praise, honor, and thanksgiving.

Asaph should have called his fellow Israelites to humble themselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from their wicked ways. Confession and contrition would have gone a long way toward seeing God’s compassion and deliverance. If they would do those things, God had promised to hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land.

Father, I love to call of Your power in times of need. But sometimes I tend to overlook my own sin and fail to acknowledge the role I played in my own predicaments. I don’t want to be like Asaph, bringing all my burdens to You but refusing to acknowledge my sins against You. Your faithfulness is not in question. Your justice is not up for debate. Your goodness has been proven time and time again. But, like Asaph, I sometimes find myself making unjustified bargains with You. I offer my worship and adoration in exchange for Your rescue the difficulties of life. But You don’t have to prove Yourself to me. You don’t need to earn my adoration. Your are a great God and greatly to be praised – no matter what is happening in and around my life. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Stop, Stand, and See

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To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.

1 I cry aloud to God,
    aloud to God, and he will hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
    in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
    my soul refuses to be comforted.
3 When I remember God, I moan;
    when I meditate, my spirit faints. Selah

4 You hold my eyelids open;
    I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I consider the days of old,
    the years long ago.
6 I said, “Let me remember my song in the night;
    let me meditate in my heart.”
    Then my spirit made a diligent search:
7 “Will the Lord spurn forever,
    and never again be favorable?
8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
    Are his promises at an end for all time?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?
    Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” Selah

10 Then I said, “I will appeal to this,
    to the years of the right hand of the Most High.”

11 I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
    yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
12 I will ponder all your work,
    and meditate on your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy.
    What god is great like our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders;
    you have made known your might among the peoples.
15 You with your arm redeemed your people,
    the children of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

16 When the waters saw you, O God,
    when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
    indeed, the deep trembled.
17 The clouds poured out water;
    the skies gave forth thunder;
    your arrows flashed on every side.
18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
    your lightnings lighted up the world;
    the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was through the sea,
    your path through the great waters;
    yet your footprints were unseen.
20 You led your people like a flock
    by the hand of Moses and Aaron. – Psalm 77:1-20 ESV

Asaph once again found himself facing a difficult situation that left him lying awake in his bed at night. In his suffering state, he attempted to cry out to the LORD, but received no answer. Sleep eluded him, and he had begun to lose hope. His prayers went unanswered, and his need for relief went unmet.

All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven,
    but my soul was not comforted. – Psalm 77:3 NLT

Wide awake and with the entire evening to consider his circumstance, Asaph began to question the very presence and compassion of God.

Has the Lord rejected me forever?
    Will he never again be kind to me?
Is his unfailing love gone forever?
    Have his promises permanently failed?
Has God forgotten to be gracious?
    Has he slammed the door on his compassion? – Psalm 77:7-9 NLT

Nothing made sense. His pain was real, and his cries for help were heartfelt, but God felt distant and disinterested in his plight. There seemed to be a barrier between him and God, preventing his prayers from reaching their destination and leaving him in a state of desperation and deep despair. In assessing his situation, he reached a far-from-positive conclusion.

“This is my fate;
    the Most High has turned his hand against me.” – Psalm 77:10 NLT

The NET Bible translates verse 10: “I am sickened by the thought that the Most High might become inactive.” His greatest fear was not his ongoing pain and suffering but the thought that God might not intervene. He couldn’t imagine life without God’s gracious intervention. He could recall past occasions where God answered his prayers for help quickly and compassionately. But this time, he felt as if he had been abandoned to suffer in silence and solitude, all alone and with no hope of relief.

Yet, Asaph refused to give up on God. He would not allow his current circumstances to determine his view of God’s faithfulness. His sleepless nights, unanswered prayers, and ongoing suffering were difficult but not determinative of God’s character. Sometime during his “dark night of the soul,” Asaph made a conscious decision to remember God’s past acts of deliverance rather than to dwell on His seeming absence.

I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
    yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
I will ponder all your work,
    and meditate on your mighty deeds. – Psalm 77:11-12 NLT

If Asaph couldn’t see God in the present moment, he would look for Him in the stories of the past. Raised on the epic tales of God’s deliverance of the people of Israel, Asaph had a storehouse of soul-stirring, faith-building reports of God’s power and provision. He had grown up hearing the well-documented and faithfully preserved stories of Yahweh’s faithfulness. In his next psalm, Asaph promises to tell the next generation of the wonderous works of God.

I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—
    stories we have heard and known,
    stories our ancestors handed down to us.
We will not hide these truths from our children;
    we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
    about his power and his mighty wonders. – Psalm 78:2-4 NLT

Asaph knew that God’s past acts of deliverance were meant to remind His people of His presence in the present. Yahweh would always be with them and would never abandon them, no matter how dark and desperate things might appear.

When Moses was leading the people of Israel to the promised land, he gave them a sobering reminder to pass on the stories of God’s faithfulness to the next generation.

“For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on him? And what great nation has decrees and regulations as righteous and fair as this body of instructions that I am giving you today?

“But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren.” – Deuteronomy 4:7-9 NLT

As Asaph lay awake in the darkness of his despair, he reached back into the distant past to shed light on his circumstances. Recalling the familiar stories of God’s faithfulness led Asaph to conjure a more accurate image of God’s character.

O God, your ways are holy.
    Is there any god as mighty as you?
You are the God of great wonders!
    You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations.
By your strong arm, you redeemed your people,
    the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. – Psalm 77:13-16 NLT

When Asaph needed a reminder of God’s power, he recalled one of the most amazing moments in Israel’s storied past. As the waves of despair and doubt threatened to overwhelm him, Asaph imagined the scene that took place on the shores of the Red Sea centuries earlier. The recently released Israelites found themselves facing the advancing Egyptian army and trapped against the impassable waters of the Red Sea. Caught between a rock and a hard place and facing certain death, the panicked Israelites lashed out at Moses in anger and fear.

As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the Lord, and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’” – Exodus 14:10-12 NLT

But Moses responded with confidence and certainty, imploring them to trust in Yahweh, their deliverer.

“Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD [Yahweh] rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The LORD [Yahweh] himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” – Exodus 14:13-14 NLT

And Yahweh did rescue them.

…the LORD [Yahweh] opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. So the people of Israel walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side! – Exodus 14:21-22 NLT

It was this epic event that Asaph focused on in his darkest moment. When faced with his own Red Sea moment, Asaph recalled the people’s cries, Moses’ words, and the Almighty’s actions. Though he could see no way of escape or hear the voice of God, he could live vicariously through the lives of his ancestors and be reminded to stand firm, fear not, and see the salvation of the LORD. By looking back in time and recalling God’s past faithfulness to His covenant people, Asaph was encouraged.

When the Red Sea saw you, O God,
    its waters looked and trembled!
    The sea quaked to its very depths.
The clouds poured down rain;
    the thunder rumbled in the sky.
    Your arrows of lightning flashed.
Your thunder roared from the whirlwind;
    the lightning lit up the world!
    The earth trembled and shook.
Your road led through the sea,
    your pathway through the mighty waters—
    a pathway no one knew was there!
You led your people along that road like a flock of sheep,
    with Moses and Aaron as their shepherds. – Psalm 77:16-20 NLT

Notice Asaph’s emphasis on God’s provision of a “pathway no one knew was there” (Psalm 77:19 NLT). When the Israelites reached the shores of the Red Sea, they had no way of knowing that their salvation would be through the sea, not around it. Their path of deliverance would be through the waters of despair and doubt. What they thought would be the source of their demise would be the pathway to their salvation.

Asaph could not understand the nature of his suffering. He found it difficult to see any light in the darkness that engulfed him, but his recollection of Israel’s Red Sea experience was just the encouragement he needed to not give up.

There were so many stories Asaph could have recalled that would have bolstered his faith. The chronicles of God’s power and provision were many, and they each provided a much-needed reminder to trust and obey. Asaph could have focused his attention on the story of Abraham and Sarah when God announced their son’s pending birth.

“I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!” – Genesis 18:10 NLT

They had waited six decades for this news, but when Sarah heard it, she scoffed.

…she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?” – Genesis 18:12 NLT

But responded to Sarah’s doubt with a question of His own.

“Is anything too hard for the Lord?” – Genesis 18:14 NLT

This rhetorical question was meant to assure Abraham and Sarah that their God was faithful, powerful, and indomitable. Barrenness and old age were no match for God. An impassable sea was no problem for the God of the impossible. Asaph’s difficulties and the seemingly impenetrable darkness of his despair would fade in the light of God’s glory and goodness. All Asaph had to do was heed Moses’ advice: “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord” (Exodus 14:13 ESV).

Father, when things take a turn for the worse, I tend to allow my circumstances to distort my view of You. I let the darkness of life drown out the light of Your goodness, drawing faulty conclusions about Your love and faithfulness. This reminder from Asaph was much needed. In those moments when I can’t see You, I need to recall the countless stories of Your past provision in my life. When those become cloudy and difficult to remember, I need to turn to Your Word and recount one of the many occasions when You delivered Your people from far worse situations than anything I have ever faced. You are good, gracious, powerful, faithful, constant, and always reliable. Never let me forget that nothing is impossible with You. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God is Greatly to Be Feared and Praised

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To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

1 We give thanks to you, O God;
    we give thanks, for your name is near.
We recount your wondrous deeds.

2 “At the set time that I appoint
    I will judge with equity.
3 When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants,
    it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah
4 I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’
    and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn;
5 do not lift up your horn on high,
    or speak with haughty neck.’”

6 For not from the east or from the west
    and not from the wilderness comes lifting up,
7 but it is God who executes judgment,
    putting down one and lifting up another.
8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup
    with foaming wine, well mixed,
and he pours out from it,
    and all the wicked of the earth
    shall drain it down to the dregs.

9 But I will declare it forever;
    I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10 All the horns of the wicked I will cut off,
    but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up. – Psalm 75:1-10 ESV

In this psalm of thanksgiving, Asaph speaks on behalf of the people of God, expressing their gratitude for His presence and power to deliver them. Asaph infers explicitly that God’s name is near, a fact that was intended to provide comfort and confidence to His people. For centuries, the Israelites had known God as Yahweh, the name Moses was instructed to use when he gave them God’s message of deliverance in Egypt.

God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The LORD [Yahweh], the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.” – Exodus 3:15 ESV

That name was tied to God’s presence. He is the great “I Am,” the one who was, is, and always will be. He is ever-present and always near, no matter the circumstances. During their 400 years of captivity in Egypt, God had been aware of their less-than-ideal conditions and He had heard their cries of despair.

“I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.” – Exodus 3:7-10 NLT

Yahweh had always been with them, even in their darkest moments. It was Yahweh who had heard and delivered them from their bondage in Egypt. He had led them across the Red Sea on dry land. He guided them across the wilderness, providing them with food and water along the way. He went before them and gave them victories over their enemies as they occupied the land of promise.

The name Yahweh was near and dear to the Israelites’ hearts because it represented their unique relationship with Him. It was the name by which they knew Him as their personal and intimate God. He was always near and constantly interceding on their behalf. No other nation enjoyed that kind of relationship with Him. In fact, Moses reminded the people of Israel that the Law had been given to them by God to set them apart as His chosen people.

“Look, I now teach you these decrees and regulations just as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy. Obey them completely, and you will display your wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!’ For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on him? And what great nation has decrees and regulations as righteous and fair as this body of instructions that I am giving you today?” – Deuteronomy 4:5-8 NLT

God was near and always ready to assist His people, but He demanded obedience and faithfulness. Their relationship with God was reciprocal, requiring them to keep their part of the covenant by worshiping Him alone.

“Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.” – Exodus 19:5-6 NLT

In his psalm, Asaph provides a short but powerful monologue spoken by Yahweh.

“At the time I have planned,
    I will bring justice against the wicked.
When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil,
    I am the one who keeps its foundations firm. 

“I warned the proud, ‘Stop your boasting!’
    I told the wicked, ‘Don’t raise your fists!
Don’t raise your fists in defiance at the heavens
    or speak with such arrogance.’” – Psalm 75:2-5 NLT

This divine speech is intended to remind the Israelites of Yahweh’s sovereignty and to call the wicked to repentance. He is a God of justice who deals with the boastful and defiant. He can rescue, but also pour out His wrath on the unrighteous. They were not to take His nearness for granted or to treat His mercy with disdain. Yahweh was holy and expected those who bore His name to reflect His character.

“Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the LORD [Yahweh] your God, am holy.” – Leviticus 19:2 NLT

“So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the LORD [Yahweh] your God. Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the LORD [Yahweh] who makes you holy.” – Leviticus 20:7-8 NLT

“You must be holy because I, the LORD [Yahweh], am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own.” – Leviticus 20:26 NLT

Through the medium of song, Asaph reminds his audience that it is Yahweh “alone who judges; he decides who will rise and who will fall” (Psalm 75:7 NLT). While expressing gratitude to Yahweh for His goodness and grace, Asaph also wants to stress the painful reality of God’s judgment against the prideful, disobedient, and wicked. He describes Yahweh as pouring out a cup of judgment designed to leave all those who drink it staggering from its effects. This imagery of God’s judgment as intoxicating wine is found throughout the Scriptures.

Wake up, wake up, O Jerusalem!
    You have drunk the cup of the LORD’s [Yahweh] fury.
You have drunk the cup of terror,
    tipping out its last drops. – Isaiah 51:17 NLT

You have rejected us, O God, and broken our defenses.
    You have been angry with us; now restore us to your favor.
You have shaken our land and split it open.
    Seal the cracks, for the land trembles.
You have been very hard on us,
    making us drink wine that sent us reeling. – Psalm 60:1-3 NLT

Asaph wants his fellow Israelites to remember that their gracious, loving God is also jealous and holy and demands fidelity and faithfulness from His people. Picking up on the cup of wrath imagery, Asaph warns, “He pours out the wine in judgment, and all the wicked must drink it, draining it to the dregs” (Psalm 75:8 NLT). Yahweh’s love is worth celebrating, but His penchant for pouring out His judgment on the unrighteous also deserves remembering.

But Asaph closes his psalm on a positive note by expressing His trust in Yahweh’s sovereignty and justice.

But as for me, I will always proclaim what God has done;
    I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
For God says, “I will break the strength of the wicked,
    but I will increase the power of the godly.” – Psalm 75:9-10 NLT

He knows that as long as he lives obediently, he will have nothing to fear. Yahweh knows and sees all, and He will always reward the righteous and punish the wicked. Asaph will always have ample reason to praise Yahweh because he intends to obey Yahweh’s commands.

Father, You are a gracious and good God who pours out blessings on Your people. But You are also a holy and righteous God who hates sin and demands that Your people live in keeping with their identity as Your children. You are holy and You expect those who bear Your name to reflect Your character. But You don’t expect us to do it in our own strength. You have given us the Holy Spirit, Your Word, and the Body of Christ to make our holiness possible. As Peter put it, You have “given us everything we need for living a godly life” (2 Peter 1:3 NLT). We don’t have to manufacture holiness in our own strength because You have clothed us in the righteousness of Christ. That is why we owe You our praise and thanksgiving. With Asaph, I say, “I will always proclaim what God has done; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.” Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

No Restoration Without Repentance

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A Maskil of Asaph.

1 O God, why do you cast us off forever?
    Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?
2 Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old,
    which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage!
    Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.
3 Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins;
    the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary!

4 Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place;
    they set up their own signs for signs.
5 They were like those who swing axes
    in a forest of trees.
6 And all its carved wood
    they broke down with hatchets and hammers.
7 They set your sanctuary on fire;
    they profaned the dwelling place of your name,
    bringing it down to the ground.
8 They said to themselves, “We will utterly subdue them”;
    they burned all the meeting places of God in the land.

9 We do not see our signs;
    there is no longer any prophet,
    and there is none among us who knows how long.
10 How long, O God, is the foe to scoff?
    Is the enemy to revile your name forever?
11 Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?
    Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them!

12 Yet God my King is from of old,
    working salvation in the midst of the earth.
13 You divided the sea by your might;
    you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters.
14 You crushed the heads of Leviathan;
    you gave him as food for the creatures of the wilderness.
15 You split open springs and brooks;
    you dried up ever-flowing streams.
16 Yours is the day, yours also the night;
    you have established the heavenly lights and the sun.
17 You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth;
    you have made summer and winter.

18 Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs,
    and a foolish people reviles your name.
19 Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild beasts;
    do not forget the life of your poor forever.

20 Have regard for the covenant,
    for the dark places of the land are full of the habitations of violence.
21 Let not the downtrodden turn back in shame;
    let the poor and needy praise your name.

22 Arise, O God, defend your cause;
    remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day!
23 Do not forget the clamor of your foes,
    the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually! – Psalm 74:1-23 ESV

In the previous psalm, Asaph sought help and hope in the sanctuary of God, where his disgruntled outlook about the prosperity of the wicked was altered by a glimpse of God’s goodness and glory.

I tried to understand why the wicked prosper.
    But what a difficult task it is!
Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
    and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. – Psalm 73:16-17 NLT

Now, in Psalm 74, Asaph is no longer talking about the prosperity of the wicked; he is questioning the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the sanctuary. This unexpected and inexplicable tragedy has left Asaph shaken and questioning God’s presence and power. Israel’s beloved sanctuary, the dwelling place of Yahweh, has been destroyed, leaving Asaph and his fellow Israelites in a state of shock and dismay. Still reeling from this devastating calamity, Asaph calls on God to remedy the situation.

Remember that we are the people you chose long ago,
    the tribe you redeemed as your own special possession!
    And remember Jerusalem, your home here on earth.
Walk through the awful ruins of the city;
    see how the enemy has destroyed your sanctuary. – Psalm 74:2-3 NLT

While no timeline or details are provided that might explain what Asaph is describing, it seems safe to assume he is writing about the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 586 BC. The Book of Jeremiah provides graphic details concerning this fateful event, and its record corroborates Asaph’s description of Jerusalem’s fall.

On August 17 of that year, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard and an official of the Babylonian king, arrived in Jerusalem. He burned down the Temple of the Lord, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem. He destroyed all the important buildings in the city. Then he supervised the entire Babylonian army as they tore down the walls of Jerusalem on every side. Then Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took as exiles some of the poorest of the people, the rest of the people who remained in the city, the defectors who had declared their allegiance to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the craftsmen. But Nebuzaradan allowed some of the poorest people to stay behind to care for the vineyards and fields. – Jeremiah 52:12-16 NLT

The Babylonians were methodical in their plunder and destruction, using axes to completely obliterate the Temple’s ornate interior. Anything of value was carted off to fill the treasury of the Babylonian king. Then, Asaph states, “they burned down all the places where God was worshiped” (Psalm 74:8 NLT). With the Temple’s destruction, the sacrificial system was effectively eliminated, leaving the people of Israel with no way to receive atonement for their sins and reconciliation with God. And as if that was not bad enough, Asaph informs God that the news just kept getting worse.

We no longer see your miraculous signs.
    All the prophets are gone,
    and no one can tell us when it will end.
How long, O God, will you allow our enemies to insult you?
    Will you let them dishonor your name forever?
Why do you hold back your strong right hand?
    Unleash your powerful fist and destroy them. – Psalm 74:9-11 NLT

It was as if God had completely abandoned His people, leaving them without a place for His presence to dwell and providing them with no communication as to when their fate would improve. Asaph can’t fathom why the sovereign, all-powerful God of Israel would allow their enemies to destroy the Temple, defame His name, and turn His chosen people into chattel.

In verses 12-17, Asaph reminisces about God’s past displays of power and deliverance. He uses creation imagery to describe Yahweh’s victory over the chaos that ruled over the universe.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. – Genesis 1:1-3 NLT

But Asaph seems to be using the creation account as a metaphor for God’s victory over the Egyptians when He parted the waters of the Red Sea and destroyed the army of Pharaoh.

You split the sea by your strength
    and smashed the heads of the sea monsters.
You crushed the heads of Leviathan
    and let the desert animals eat him.
You caused the springs and streams to gush forth,
    and you dried up rivers that never run dry. – Psalm 74:13-15 NLT

Yahweh was all-powerful and fully capable of destroying Israel’s enemies, but in this case, Asaph felt as if God was doing nothing. He not only allowed the Babylonians to invade and destroy Jerusalem, but He also did nothing to pay them back for their actions. Asaph and his fellow Israelites waited for God to remember His covenant promises and act. He couldn’t understand God’s apparent apathy and inactivity. What was He waiting for? Why wouldn’t He avenge His people and defend the holiness of His name?

See how these enemies insult you, Lord.
    A foolish nation has dishonored your name.
Don’t let these wild beasts destroy your turtledoves.
    Don’t forget your suffering people forever. – Psalm 74:18-19 NLT

In his desire to see God intervene, Asaph conveniently overlooked Israel’s role in their own destruction. God had repeatedly warned them that their destruction was imminent and could only be avoided if they would repent of their idolatry and faithfully serve Him alone.

The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, “Go to the entrance of the Lord’s Temple, and give this message to the people: ‘O Judah, listen to this message from the Lord! Listen to it, all of you who worship here! This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says:

“‘Even now, if you quit your evil ways, I will let you stay in your own land. But don’t be fooled by those who promise you safety simply because the Lord’s Temple is here. They chant, “The Lord’s Temple is here! The Lord’s Temple is here!” But I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice; only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if you stop your murdering; and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols. Then I will let you stay in this land that I gave to your ancestors to keep forever.

 “‘Don’t be fooled into thinking that you will never suffer because the Temple is here. It’s a lie! Do you really think you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and burn incense to Baal and all those other new gods of yours, and then come here and stand before me in my Temple and chant, “We are safe!”—only to go right back to all those evils again? Don’t you yourselves admit that this Temple, which bears my name, has become a den of thieves? Surely I see all the evil going on there. I, the Lord, have spoken!” – Jeremiah 7:1-11 NLT

But the people had failed to heed God’s warnings, and He sent the Babylonians to carry out His judgment. While Asaph is persistent in his pleas for God’s mercy and intervention, he makes no mention of Israel’s sin and their need to repent. There are no words of confession or signs of contrition. He wants God to keep His covenant promises, but never admits that the Israelites had failed to hold up their end of the agreement.

Arise, O God, and defend your cause.
    Remember how these fools insult you all day long.
Don’t overlook what your enemies have said
    or their growing uproar. – Psalm 74:22-23 NLT

Asaph seems to have conveniently forgotten the words that God spoke to Solomon at the dedication of the Temple hundreds of years earlier. Yahweh made it painfully clear that His presence, power, and provision would be tied to the Israelites’ covenant faithfulness. He would dwell among them as long as they remained faithful to Him and Him alone.

“But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the commands and decrees I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot Israel from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make Israel an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations. And though this Temple is impressive now, all who pass by will be appalled and will gasp in horror. They will ask, ‘Why did the Lord do such terrible things to this land and to this Temple?’” – 1 Kings 9:6-8 NLT

Asaph wanted to see God work. He longed for the Almighty to use His vast power to rectify their problem, but he never acknowledged their role in their own destruction. He wanted deliverance without confession and restored fellowship without repentance. But God had made His requirements known. At the dedication of the Temple, He told Solomon what the people would need to do if they wanted to receive forgiveness and experience restoration.

“…if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14 NLT

Father, what a sobering reminder that my sin has consequences and while I am free to call on Your to deliver me from the suffering sin produces, You demand my contrition and confession. You have told us that if we confess our sins, You are faithful and just to forgive them and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But we tend to want the cleansing without confession. We want restoration without repentance. Help me to understand that my sins, while forgiven, can never be overlooked or treated as irrelevant. You still demand faithfulness. You still require humility of Your people. And when we take ownership for our sin, You always keep Your promise to restore and renew us. Thank you! Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Change of Perspective

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A Psalm of Asaph.

1 Truly God is good to Israel,
    to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled,
    my steps had nearly slipped.
3 For I was envious of the arrogant
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 For they have no pangs until death;
    their bodies are fat and sleek.
5 They are not in trouble as others are;
    they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace;
    violence covers them as a garment.
7 Their eyes swell out through fatness;
    their hearts overflow with follies.
8 They scoff and speak with malice;
    loftily they threaten oppression.
9 They set their mouths against the heavens,
    and their tongue struts through the earth.
10 Therefore his people turn back to them,
    and find no fault in them.
11 And they say, “How can God know?
    Is there knowledge in the Most High?”
12 Behold, these are the wicked;
    always at ease, they increase in riches.
13 All in vain have I kept my heart clean
    and washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all the day long I have been stricken
    and rebuked every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”
    I would have betrayed the generation of your children.

16 But when I thought how to understand this,
    it seemed to me a wearisome task,
17 until I went into the sanctuary of God;
    then I discerned their end.

18 Truly you set them in slippery places;
    you make them fall to ruin.
19 How they are destroyed in a moment,
    swept away utterly by terrors!
20 Like a dream when one awakes,
    O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.
21 When my soul was embittered,
    when I was pricked in heart,
22 I was brutish and ignorant;
    I was like a beast toward you.

23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
    you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
    you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
28 But for me it is good to be near God;
    I have made the Lord God my refuge,
    that I may tell of all your works. – Psalm 73:1-28 ESV

In this, the first of the Psalms of Asaph, he laments the unjust and seemingly unfair prosperity of those who practice wickedness. While he opens his psalm with an acknowledgement of God’s goodness to His chosen people, he confesses that he came close to “losing his faith” because of the inexplicable success of the ungodly.

I almost lost my footing.
    My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
For I envied the proud
    when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
They seem to live such painless lives;
    their bodies are so healthy and strong.
They don’t have troubles like other people;
    they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.
They wear pride like a jeweled necklace
    and clothe themselves with cruelty. – Psalm 73:2-6 NLT

Asaph pulls no punches when assessing the unfair advantage that the proud and prosperous enjoy, and he seems to blame God for the uneven playing field on which he has to compete. These pride-filled, scoffing, and evil-speaking individuals “boast against the very heavens” (Psalm 73:9 NLT), and God does nothing about it. This inequity on God’s part creates confusion and consternation among His people, causing them to cry out in dismay, “What does God know?” (Psalm 73:11 NLT). This query really calls into question God’s sovereignty and omniscience. He’s either ignorant of the situation, which would suggest that He is not all-knowing, or He is aware and doesn’t care. Frustrated, Asaph asks, “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”

This topic is a recurring theme in religious texts, philosophical discussions, and real-world observations, raising questions about justice, divine order, and the nature of good and evil. The concept of the “prosperity of the wicked” explores the seeming contradiction of why evil individuals and groups often achieve success and wealth, while those who are righteous or moral may experience hardship or suffering. 

In the book that bears his name, Job expresses his frustration with this seeming conundrum of life.

“Why do the wicked prosper,
    growing old and powerful?
They live to see their children grow up and settle down,
    and they enjoy their grandchildren.
Their homes are safe from every fear,
    and God does not punish them.” – Job 21:7-9 NLT

Even the prophet Jeremiah had to question the justice of God when he witnessed the seeming success of those who practiced unrighteousness.

Lord, you always give me justice
    when I bring a case before you.
So let me bring you this complaint:
Why are the wicked so prosperous?
    Why are evil people so happy?
You have planted them,
    and they have taken root and prospered.
Your name is on their lips,
    but you are far from their hearts. – Jeremiah 12:1-2 NLT

In the Book of Malachi, God confronts His chosen people because they have accused Him of being unjust and unfair in His dealings with men. They had concluded that a life of godliness was not worth the effort because God seemed to have stacked the deck against them.

“You have said, ‘What’s the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying his commands or by trying to show the Lord of Heaven’s Armies that we are sorry for our sins? From now on we will call the arrogant blessed. For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them suffer no harm.’” – Malachi 3:14-15 NLT

Asaph is unapologetic when communicating his dissatisfaction to God. He questions the return on investment a life of godliness brings and declares that playing by God’s rules has left him in a deficit.

Did I keep my heart pure for nothing?
    Did I keep myself innocent for no reason?
I get nothing but trouble all day long;
    every morning brings me pain. – Psalm 73:13-14 NLT

As long as Asaph focused his attention on the problem, he became more confused and angry at the seeming disparity of it all. From his earthly perspective, the tables were stacked against him. He was doing all the right things, but others were reaping all the benefits. He sowed righteousness but harvested nothing but pain and suffering.

His fixation on the inequities of life left him disgruntled and disappointed. But then, Asaph reoriented his attitude by refocusing his attention. He took his eyes off the problem and turned to the Lord.

Then I went into your sanctuary, O God,
    and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. – Psalm 73:17 NLT

By relocating to the sanctuary, Asaph gained a new perspective on life. Entering the house of God forced him to leave the inequities and inequalities of the world behind. The sanctuary was a place of sacrifice, atonement, and forgiveness. It is where God’s presence dwelt, and His people could find acceptance and peace. The wicked might enjoy health, wealth, and prosperity, but they could not enter God’s presence. Their sin separated them from God and kept them from experiencing His peace and receiving His forgiveness.

Asaph operated under the misconception that the righteous somehow deserved better from God. They were His people, and He owed them for their faithfulness and obedience. But no one enters God’s presence on their own merit. It was David who wrote, “There is no one who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God. All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:1-3 BSB). The apostle Paul quoted this passage when he wrote, “Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23 NLT).He went on to add that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23 NLT).

Then, the author of Hebrews pointed out that, under the Mosaic Law, “nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22 NLT). That is what the sanctuary was all about. It was in the sanctuary that blood was shed, sins were atoned for, and sinful men were reconciled to a holy God through the shedding of innocent blood.

Entering the sanctuary gave Aspah an eternal outlook that exposed mankind’s sin and emphasized God’s grace and mercy. As long as Asaph focused on the so-called prosperous wicked, he missed the point. The sanctuary was a vivid reminder that he was no less wicked or deserving of God’s judgment. Wealth, health, and prosperity were the wrong metrics by which to judge a man’s righteousness.

The sanctuary was where heaven intersected with earth, and where God met with man, and mercy replaced merit as the sole criterion for acceptance. The sanctuary was where the glory of God overshadowed the glory of man. By entering God’s presence and focusing on His glory, Asaph had his priorities realigned.

Then I realized that my heart was bitter,
    and I was all torn up inside.
I was so foolish and ignorant—
    I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
Yet I still belong to you;
    you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
    leading me to a glorious destiny. – Psalm 73:21-24 NLT

Despite his whining and moaning about his less-than-satisfactory lot in life, Asaph discovered that God had not left or forsaken him. His bitterness toward God was undeserved and bordering on blasphemy. Yet God had not turned His back on Asaph. The prosperity of the wicked became a moot point when Asaph considered the goodness of God. Despite his own sin, Asaph enjoyed God’s forgiveness, guidance, and blessings.  His accessibility to God was not something he took lightly or for granted. Entering the sanctuary provided a much-needed reminder of God’s grace and goodness, and reignited his gratitude for and dependence upon God.

Whom have I in heaven but you?
    I desire you more than anything on earth.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
    but God remains the strength of my heart;
    he is mine forever. – Psalm 73:5-6 NLT

By the time Asaph wraps up his psalm, his attitude has taken a turn for the better. He has done a 180 and gone from grousing about the prosperity of the wicked to singing the praises of Yahweh.

Those who desert him will perish,
    for you destroy those who abandon you.
But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
    I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,
    and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do. – Psalm 73:27-28 NLT

It is amazing how quickly our outlook can change when we focus on God instead of our problems. It is reminiscent of Peter’s experience when he stepped out of the boat at the sight of Jesus walking on the water. As long as he kept His eyes on Jesus, he was fine. The storm didn’t dissipate, and the waves didn’t diminish. He was able to walk on the water despite the presence of pressing problems. But as soon as he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on his circumstances, he sank like a rock. The presence of the waves and wind was not the problem; it was his failure to focus his attention on Jesus.

In Asaph’s case, the wicked continued to prosper even after he entered the sanctuary, but it no longer bothered him. Their presence no longer controlled his countenance or diminished his view of God. A change of venue provided a refreshing change of perspective that gave Asaph a new lease on life.

Father, when I take my eyes off of You, I get distracted and discouraged by the apparent inequities and injustices in the world. I start to worry about things over which I have no control. But when I step into Your presence and focus on Your goodness, grace, love, and mercy, I get a new outlook that paints the world in a whole new light. Your glory shines into the darkened corners of life and illuminates the truth of Your presence and power in the darkest of moments. Thank you! Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Their Hearts Are Far From Me

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A Psalm of Asaph.

1 The Mighty One, God the LORD,
    speaks and summons the earth
    from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
    God shines forth.

3 Our God comes; he does not keep silence;
    before him is a devouring fire,
    around him a mighty tempest.
4 He calls to the heavens above
    and to the earth, that he may judge his people:
5 “Gather to me my faithful ones,
    who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!”
6 The heavens declare his righteousness,
    for God himself is judge! Selah

7 “Hear, O my people, and I will speak;
    O Israel, I will testify against you.
    I am God, your God.
8 Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;
    your burnt offerings are continually before me.
9 I will not accept a bull from your house
    or goats from your folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is mine,
    the cattle on a thousand hills.
11 I know all the birds of the hills,
    and all that moves in the field is mine.

12 “If I were hungry, I would not tell you,
    for the world and its fullness are mine.
13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls
    or drink the blood of goats?
14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
    and perform your vows to the Most High,
15 and call upon me in the day of trouble;
    I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

16 But to the wicked God says:
    “What right have you to recite my statutes
    or take my covenant on your lips?
17 For you hate discipline,
    and you cast my words behind you.
18 If you see a thief, you are pleased with him,
    and you keep company with adulterers.

19 “You give your mouth free rein for evil,
    and your tongue frames deceit.
20 You sit and speak against your brother;
    you slander your own mother’s son.
21 These things you have done, and I have been silent;
    you thought that I was one like yourself.
But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you.

22 “Mark this, then, you who forget God,
    lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!
23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
    to one who orders his way rightly
    I will show the salvation of God!” – Psalm 50:1-23 ESV

Asaph, the apparent author of this psalm, was a Levite who headed up a contingent of musicians who provided worship music to accompany the people’s offering of sacrifices before the Ark of the Covenant in the Temple.

David appointed the following Levites to lead the people in worship before the Ark of the LORD—to invoke his blessings, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel. Asaph, the leader of this group, sounded the cymbals. Second to him was Zechariah, followed by Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel. They played the harps and lyres. The priests, Benaiah and Jahaziel, played the trumpets regularly before the Ark of God’s Covenant. – 1 Chronicles 16:4-6 NLT

Asaph’s role in leading the people in worshipping Yahweh must have inspired him to write this psalm. Observing his fellow Israelites as they offered their sacrifices to God gave him a perfect vantage point to witness their hypocrisy and duplicity. Asaph was not a Levitical priest, so he had no authority to address what he believed to be the people’s blatant disregard for Yahweh. This prompted him to write this psalm as an extended speech. from the lips of God Himself.

He opens the psalm with a description of Yahweh’s glory.

The LORD [Yahweh], the Mighty One, is God,
    and he has spoken;
he has summoned all humanity
    from where the sun rises to where it sets. – Psalm 50:1 NLT

What God had to say would be addressed to “all humanity,” not just the people of Israel. This extended audience was intended to make what He had to say all the more convicting for His chosen people. He was about to expose their dirty laundry for all the world to see. And Asaph goes out of his way to establish God’s glory and majesty, describing Him as beautiful and radiant but also surrounded by a consuming fire. God’s splendor is contrasted with His judgment, setting up the bad news the people of Israel are about to hear.

He calls on the heavens above and earth below
    to witness the judgment of his people. – Psalm 50:4 NLT

This will not be a private rebuke, but instead, it will be a public declaration of Israel’s disobedience and well-deserved judgment. Asaph portrays Yahweh as a justifiably angry husband whose wife has committed adultery. They have broken their covenant relationship with Him by refusing to remain faithful and responding to His care and compassion with disinterest and disrespect. In a command laced with sarcasm, Asaph has God call His covenant people to the stand.

“Bring my faithful people to me—
    those who made a covenant with me by giving sacrifices.” – Psalm 50:5 NLT

Asaph recalls the fateful day when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the Book of the Covenant containing God’s laws. He had read every one of God’s commands, making sure the people understood the nature of the commitment they were about to make.

Then Moses went down to the people and repeated all the instructions and regulations the LORD had given him. All the people answered with one voice, “We will do everything the LORD has commanded.”

Then Moses carefully wrote down all the LORD’s instructions. Early the next morning Moses got up and built an altar at the foot of the mountain. He also set up twelve pillars, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent some of the young Israelite men to present burnt offerings and to sacrifice bulls as peace offerings to the LORD. Moses drained half the blood from these animals into basins. The other half he splattered against the altar.

Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it aloud to the people. Again they all responded, “We will do everything the LORD has commanded. We will obey.” – Exodus 24:3-7 NLT

They had repeatedly expressed their intentions to keep the Lord’s commands. But now, Asaph was exposing their failure to live up to their commitment, and he did so by having Yahweh deliver the bad news.

“O my people, listen as I speak.
    Here are my charges against you, O Israel:
    I am God, your God!” – Psalm 50:7 NLT

But what God has to say to His people is surprising. He doesn’t complain about the quality of their sacrifices or their failure to keep the various rituals associated with Temple worship.

“I have no complaint about your sacrifices
    or the burnt offerings you constantly offer.” – Psalm 50:8 NLT

They weren’t guilty of bringing shoddy sheep or blemished lambs. They hadn’t offered improper or inappropriate sacrifices. It wasn’t the quality of their offerings that was the problem; it was the condition of their hearts. Asaph has Yahweh expose the meaninglessness of their repeated sacrifices by declaring His lack of need for them.

“But I do not need the bulls from your barns
    or the goats from your pens.
For all the animals of the forest are mine,
    and I own the cattle on a thousand hills.” – Psalm 50:9-10 NLT

God isn’t hungry. He has no need or insufficiency that requires their provision of food. He is the Creator of the universe who spoke all life into existence. So, He is fully capable of meeting His own needs without their help. But He makes the real problem clear.

“Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God,
    and keep the vows you made to the Most High.” – Psalm 50:14 NLT

Gratefulness and obedience were the missing ingredients to their sacrifices. Bulls and goats were not what God was looking for. The prophet Isaiah records a similar indictment from God, accusing His covenant people of simply going through the motions when it came to their worship of Him.

“What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?”
    says the LORD.
“I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams
    and the fat of fattened cattle.
I get no pleasure from the blood
    of bulls and lambs and goats.
When you come to worship me,
    who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony?
Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts;
    the incense of your offerings disgusts me!
As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath
    and your special days for fasting—
they are all sinful and false.
    I want no more of your pious meetings.” – Isaiah 1:11-13 NLT

Asaph was expressing a similar dissatisfaction without the behavior of his fellow Israelites. As he witnessed their repeated sacrifices, he could tell their hearts were not in it. It had all become nothing more than a ritualistic observance that no longer carried any weight and was missing any sincerity or passion. And to drive home his point, Asaph has God be the bearer of bad news.

“Why bother reciting my decrees
    and pretending to obey my covenant?
For you refuse my discipline
    and treat my words like trash.
When you see thieves, you approve of them,
    and you spend your time with adulterers.
Your mouth is filled with wickedness,
    and your tongue is full of lies.
You sit around and slander your brother—
    your own mother’s son.” – Psalm 50:16-20 NLT

From God’s perspective, it was all pretense and posturing. Their sacrifices were meaningless and heartless. The people of Israel were guilty of saying one thing and doing another. Their worship of Yahweh, expressed through their offerings and sacrifices, was all a hypocritical and worthless display. Again, the prophet Isaiah recorded God’s displeasure with this disengenuous behavior on the part of His people.

And so the Lord says,
    “These people say they are mine.
They honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
And their worship of me
    is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.” – Isaiah 29:13 NLT

In his role as a Levitical musician, Asaph had repeatedly witnessed this egregious behavior and been appalled by it. Now, he was taking the opportunity to highlight it by having the LORD condemn it for what it was – disobedience and disrespect for His glory. To accentuate the gravity of their transgression, Asaph has God declare that His patience has run out. No longer willing to tolerate their breaking of their covenant vows to Him, Yahweh threatens rebuke unless they repent.

“While you did all this, I remained silent,
    and you thought I didn’t care.
But now I will rebuke you,
    listing all my charges against you.
Repent, all of you who forget me,
    or I will tear you apart,
    and no one will help you.” – Psalm 50:21-22 NLT

If Asaph intended to compose a song that would stir the people to change their ways, this one is more of a dirge than a call to contrition and recommitment. It is more depressing than inspiring. Yet, he closes his song with a merciful call from Yahweh, offering the people of Israel an opportunity to do the right thing.

“But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me.
    If you keep to my path,
    I will reveal to you the salvation of God.” – Psalm 50:23 NLT

It was King David who declared the real sacrifice that God required of His people. Having been convicted of his adulterous affair with Bathsheba and his role in the murder of her husband, David expressed the valuable lesson he had learned from this self-induced but highly painful experience.

You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
    You do not want a burnt offering.
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
    You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. – Psalm 51:16-17 NLT

That is what Asaph longed to see in the people of Israel, and so he composed a song that would lead them to worship God rightly, respectfully, and reverently.

Father, Iit is so easy to just go through the motions when it comes to worshiping You. Showing up to church each Sunday is easy. Making the effort to spend time in Your Word takes discipline, but none of that matters if my heart is far from You. I can do all the right things but miss the point that my heart is not right with You. I don’t want to be hypocritical or duplicitous. I know I can fool others but I can’t fool You. Help me to live openly and honestly before You, displaying abroken and contrite heart when necessary, but also a grateful and fully submissive heart each day of my life. Because You are worthy and well-deserving of my honor, love, time, and attention. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Life Doesn’t Always Make Sense

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

1 Then Job answered and said:

2 “Keep listening to my words,
    and let this be your comfort.
3 Bear with me, and I will speak,
    and after I have spoken, mock on.
4 As for me, is my complaint against man?
    Why should I not be impatient?
5 Look at me and be appalled,
    and lay your hand over your mouth.
6 When I remember, I am dismayed,
    and shuddering seizes my flesh.
7 Why do the wicked live,
    reach old age, and grow mighty in power?
8 Their offspring are established in their presence,
    and their descendants before their eyes.
9 Their houses are safe from fear,
    and no rod of God is upon them.
10 Their bull breeds without fail;
    their cow calves and does not miscarry.
11 They send out their little boys like a flock,
    and their children dance.
12 They sing to the tambourine and the lyre
    and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.
13 They spend their days in prosperity,
    and in peace they go down to Sheol.
14 They say to God, ‘Depart from us!
    We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.
15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
    And what profit do we get if we pray to him?’
16 Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand?
    The counsel of the wicked is far from me.” – Job 21:1-16 ESV

Job’s friends have a theology of consequences. Their arguments are based on their belief that Job’s circumstances are the obvious result of his sinful behavior. He is suffering the consequences of pursuing wickedness. They take a look at the recent events of his life and conclude that God must be punishing him.

All of their speeches are based on this assumption and, the truth is, we can easily find ourselves doing the same thing. When we see someone suffering, we can easily jump to the conclusion that they’ve done something wrong and are being punished by God in some way. Many of us have the same you-reap-what-you-sow mentality as Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad. It creeps into our thinking and influences our views on life. For instance, if something negative happens in our day, we can quickly find ourselves asking the question, “What did I do wrong?”

We can easily assume that we are suffering the consequences of some past action or thought. God must be punishing us for something we’ve done. And, if we’re not careful, we can just as easily view the sufferings or trials of others in the same simplistic way.

But Job points out a very logical argument against this sin-has-consequences theology. He asks his accusers to take a look at the world around them and explain why it is that most wicked people don’t ever suffer the way he has. In fact, they seem to thrive.

“Why do the wicked prosper,
    growing old and powerful?
They live to see their children grow up and settle down,
    and they enjoy their grandchildren.
Their homes are safe from every fear,
    and God does not punish them.” – Job 21:7-9 NLT

Great question, Job.

Life is not as black and white as it sometimes appears. Not everything fits into a neat and clean cause-and-effect paradigm.

Job points out that they tend to grow old and rich, and their kids grow up to enjoy the wealth they leave behind. From all appearances, there doesn’t seem to be any punishment from God on their lives. These very same people openly dismiss God and deny any need for his help or his forgiveness. They mockingly portray God as useless and totally unnecessary because they view their success or failure as completely up to them alone. Job argues that these wicked individuals don’t suffer, despite their dishonoring treatment of the Almighty.

“Go away. We want no part of you and your ways. Who is the Almighty, and why should we obey him? What good will it do us to pray?” – Job 21:14-15 NLT

Job points out that these people show no fear or respect for God, but they don’t seem to suffer for it. The truth is that they actually prosper, and “they think their prosperity is of their own doing” (Job 21:16 NLT). 

And Job is not alone in his outlook on the wicked. The prophet Jeremiah also voiced his confusion over the seeming success of those who dishonor God.

Lord, you always give me justice
    when I bring a case before you.
So let me bring you this complaint:
Why are the wicked so prosperous?
    Why are evil people so happy?
You have planted them,
    and they have taken root and prospered.
Your name is on their lips,
    but you are far from their hearts. – Jeremiah 12:1-2 NLT

The prophet Malachi had to address the growing consternation of the people of God who were questioning whether it was worth it to remain faithful. From their perspective, it seemed that the wicked were better off.

“You have said, ‘What’s the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying his commands or by trying to show the Lord of Heaven’s Armies that we are sorry for our sins? From now on we will call the arrogant blessed. For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them suffer no harm.’” – Malachi 3:14-15 NLT

An honest and objective look at the world would seem to indicate that the wicked don’t always suffer for their actions. Good doesn’t always win out over evil. The righteous don’t always come out on top. After all, Jesus Christ Himself died at the hands of wicked and unrighteous men. Most, if not all, of the disciples suffered martyrdom. History tends to validate Job’s conclusion.

This beleaguered man understood that life was not always easily explainable. We don’t know why some suffer and others do not. We can’t explain why a massive earthquake strikes one nation and not another. Sure, science can provide geological explanations, but no one can fully comprehend the moral implications of such devastating natural disasters.

We don’t know why one person suffers from cancer while another doesn’t. We don’t know why one couple loses their child in a car accident while another couple is allowed to watch their child grow up and live a long life. The fact is, there are things we do not know. There are mysteries to life that we can’t explain.

That is where faith comes in. That is where trust in a holy, mighty, all-knowing God comes in. Rather than turning to our conclusions, we must turn to Him. Even God Himself reminds us, “My thoughts are completely different from yours,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT).

When it comes to the egocentric ramblings of self-made men who claim that their prosperity is their own doing, Job simply states, “I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking” (Job 21:16 NLT). He refuses to take credit for his success but he also refuses to take ownership for his seeming failure. Just because things have not turned out the way he had envisioned, that doesn’t mean he is wicked and reaping the righteous judgment of God. Job refused to draw that pessimistic conclusion.

What he needed and greatly desired was for his friends to comfort and console him in his time of need. He didn’t need correction or caustic comments concerning his guilt. He could have used the heart-warming words of

Don’t worry about the wicked
    or envy those who do wrong.
For like grass, they soon fade away.
    Like spring flowers, they soon wither.

Trust in the Lord and do good.
    Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you your heart’s desires. – Psalm 37:1-4 NLT

These words were written by a man who had experienced his fair share of suffering and sorrow. He had spent years running for his life, attempting to escape the bounty that King Saul had placed on his head. He had been anointed by the prophet of God to become the next king of Israel and yet he was forced to live like a fugitive and was treated like a convicted felon. Yet, he was able to pen the following words.

Be still in the presence of the Lord,
    and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
    or fret about their wicked schemes. – Psalm 37:7 NLT

Life can be difficult to understand because things don’t always turn out the way we expect. Even the psalmist, Asaph, expressed his confusion and frustration with the incongruities of living in a fallen and sin-damaged world.

Truly God is good to Israel,
    to those whose hearts are pure.
But as for me, I almost lost my footing.
    My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.
For I envied the proud
    when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.
They seem to live such painless lives;
    their bodies are so healthy and strong.
They don’t have troubles like other people;
    they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else. – Psalm 73:1-5 NLT

But Asaph came to his senses and recognized the futility of his faulty thinking.

Then I realized that my heart was bitter,
    and I was all torn up inside.
I was so foolish and ignorant—
    I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you.
Yet I still belong to you;
    you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
    leading me to a glorious destiny.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
    I desire you more than anything on earth.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
    but God remains the strength of my heart;
    he is mine forever. – Psalm 73:21-26 NLT

Job was not there yet. He had not reached the same conclusion as Asaph, but that time would come. He would eventually understand and appreciate the ways of God. But in the moment of his distress what he really needed was friends who would stand beside him and not gloat over him. He could have used a few encouraging words from a David or an Asaph. But he was stuck with Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar.

The question we must ask ourselves is what kind of friends are we? Do we reach conclusions about the suffering of others based on conjecture and solely on our examination of the consequences? Are we too quick to question the wickedness of others or to doubt the goodness of God? May the following prayer reflect the desire of our hearts as we live our lives in this fallen and sometimes confusing world.

Father, forgive me for reaching conclusions about You that are based solely on conjecture and poor conclusions based on consequences and nothing more. You are inexplicable and Your ways are always unquestionably right and good. Help me to look for You in any and all circumstances of life. Help me to see the good You are bringing about in my life and the lives of others – in spite of what I may see. Your ways are not my ways. Your plans are beyond my knowledge and understanding, but they are always right and true. Thank You for that reminder and assurance. Amen.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.