Difficulties Produce Dependence Upon God

February 22, 2026 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

⁸For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. ⁹Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. ¹⁰He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. ¹¹You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many. – 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 ESV

Paul has just finished talking about the affliction he has suffered as a result of his ministry and the comfort he has received from God. He willingly accepted the first and gladly praised God for the second. He wants the Corinthians to know that his knowledge of suffering and affliction is firsthand and not academic. He knows what he is talking about. To make his point, he refers to a real-life incident of which they seemed to have some knowledge.

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. – 2 Corinthians 1:8 ESV

It’s unclear what occasion Paul is referring to, but we know that his life and ministry were marked by regular persecution and difficulty. The most likely event was the riot that took place in Ephesus at the instigation of “Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis” (Acts 19:24 NLT). This disgruntled artisan stirred up his fellow craftsmen by accusing Paul and his companions of destroying their business. He asserted, “This man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province!” (Acts 19:26 NLT). According to Demetrius, Paul’s declaration that there was only one true God had diminished their sales of “handmade gods.” Not only that, he asserted that “the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis—this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world—will be robbed of her great prestige!” (Acts 19:27 NLT).

Luke records the outcome of Demetrius’ efforts.

Soon the whole city was filled with confusion. Everyone rushed to the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, who were Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia. Paul wanted to go in, too, but the believers wouldn’t let him. Some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, also sent a message to him, begging him not to risk his life by entering the amphitheater. – Acts 19:29-31 NLT

The unrest continued to escalate and was only curtailed when the town clerk gave an impassioned speech warning that the local Roman authorities would be forced to take action if they did not disperse.

“I am afraid we are in danger of being charged with rioting by the Roman government, since there is no cause for all this commotion.” – Acts 19:40 NLT

For his own safety, Paul was forced to leave the city. Later in this same letter, Paul offers an autobiographical glimpse into additional trials and tribulations he endured on behalf of Christ.

Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. – 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 NLT

Whatever happened in Asia, it was enough to make Paul and his companions question whether they would make it out alive.

We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. – 2 Corinthians 1:8b NLT

This was an occasion when Paul felt like he had received a death sentence and was going to end up martyred for the cause of Christ. This provides an insight into how Paul viewed his life and ministry. While he knew affliction was to be expected and viewed it as sharing in the sufferings of Christ, he was human and felt the same apprehension anyone would when facing death. Paul never knew the outcome of his work on behalf of Christ. It could end well or turn out poorly, and he had experienced both. But he had also known the comfort of God, which enabled him to continue his ministry with boldness and confidence.

Paul had learned to accept the possibility of death with a certain degree of confident assurance, because it caused him to rely even more greatly on God. He always knew that his efforts on behalf of Christ could end with his death, and he was prepared for that outcome. The “sentence of death” hanging over their heads caused them to put all their trust in God.

…we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. – 2 Corinthians 1:9 NLT

The promise of the resurrection comes into much clearer focus when facing death. Every person will have to come face-to-face with death, and there is little they can do to prevent it. The question is whether there is anything after death. Because of his belief in the resurrected Christ, Paul was confident that he would experience life after death and receive his glorified, resurrected body. As he wrote to the Corinthians in his first letter, “For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies” (1 Corinthians 15:53 NLT).

But Paul’s reliance upon and confidence in God didn’t stop with his assurance of life after death. It was the promise of the resurrection that gave Paul his courage to face the trials and difficulties of life with boldness. He knew his future was in good hands. Since he had no fear of death, he was able live his life with a sense of abandonment. He even told the believers in Philippi:

But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. – Philippians 2:17 NLT

He told his young protege, Timothy:

Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you. As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. – 2 Timothy 4:5-8 NLT

Paul could suffer all the afflictions and difficulties that came with his job because he trusted God. He had not only experienced the comfort of God, but he had also been an eyewitness to the salvation of God. God’s constant intervention and protection gave him confidence.

And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. – 2 Corinthians 1:10 NLT

Paul also realized that the prayers of the saints played a big part in the success of his ongoing ministry and in God’s miraculous provision and protection. So he encouraged the Corinthians to continue praying for him; they were partners in his ministry because they lifted him up before God. While there was little they could do to physically assist Paul, they could pray and ask God to do what they could not.

Prayer is a form of dependence upon God. We place ourselves at His mercy and submit ourselves to His care, asking Him to act on our behalf. It is a call for Him to display His power and intercede for us in our weakness. Paul was a firm believer in the need to rely upon God. He had learned to trust God for everything, including his life.

Difficulties are designed to make us dependent upon God. Trials have a way of forcing us to trust Him. Afflictions can be perfect opportunities to experience His affection. It is in the daily affairs of life that God intends for us to see the faithful expression of his love.

Father, I’ll be honest, I don’t like to suffer. But the truth is, most of my suffering is self-inflicted and not the result of my efforts on Your behalf. Yet, even my mistakes and miscues can force me to come to You in prayer. They take me to my knees and cause me to turn to You for comfort and rescue. They reveal my weakness and remind me that You are the God of all power and all comfort. You care for me deeply, and are willing to step in and deliver me from my trials, even when they are self-induced. Thank You for this timely reminder that I serve a God who doesn’t keep score. You don’t make me clean up my own messes. You’re always willing to intervene in my life, and all You ask is that I humble myself and rely upon Your love, grace, mercy, and power. Forgive me for rejecting suffering because I believe it has no value. Help me to see that trials have a way of diminishing my self-sufficiency and increasing my dependence upon You, and that is always a good thing. 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.

Decency and Order

February 11, 2026 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

³³ As in all the churches of the saints, ³⁴the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. ³⁵If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

³⁶Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? ³⁷If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. ³⁸If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. ³⁹So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. ⁴⁰But all things should be done decently and in order. – 1 Corinthians 14:33b-40

This passage is a landmine of potential controversy. Over the centuries, there have been various attempts to soften its content and diminish its potential impact on the modern church. Its controversial content has resulted in Paul being labeled a sexist by many and has been used by some to prove their assertion that Christianity is archaic and out of touch with the modern world. Some claim that these words are simply Paul’s personal opinion and not a command from God. They use Paul’s similar statement written to his young protege, Timothy, as proof.

Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. – 1 Timothy 2:11-12 ESV

So what are we to do with these verses? Are we to simply ignore them, write them off as irrelevant, or are we to take them as the word of God and apply them to our local fellowships? To make matters even more difficult, it appears that Paul is contradicting himself. Earlier in this same letter, he states, “Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven” (1 Corinthians 11:4-5 ESV).

It would seem that the context he is referring to regarding prayer and prophesying is that of corporate worship. There would be no need to prophesy in private. Like all the other spiritual gifts, prayer and prophecy were intended for the edification of the body of Christ. So Paul seems to be saying that it is perfectly acceptable for women to pray and prophesy in a worship context. So why does he appear to change his mind and say, “women should keep silent in the churches”?

As always, when interpreting the meaning of a particular verse or verses, context must be considered. That includes the context of the passage in which the verses are contained. But it also includes the cultural context with which the particular book of the Bible is dealing. It is also essential to consider the original audience to whom the author was writing and the specific issues he was addressing.

In this letter, Paul writes to believers in the Greek city of Corinth, most of whom had come from pagan backgrounds and were relatively young in their faith. They were a gifted congregation, but because of their spiritual immaturity and the influence of their pagan past, they were experiencing considerable disorder and disunity in their corporate worship services. They were misusing the spiritual gifts and were failing to exhibit Christlike love for one another. There was an overemphasis on their freedoms in Christ, which resulted in quarrels and contentions over everything from eating food sacrificed to idols to who had the most important spiritual gift.

One of the issues Paul addresses repeatedly is disorder. When it comes to corporate worship, there was to be an atmosphere of order and decorum. Yet some within the church were using their gifts inappropriately, leading to confusion and a spirit of competition. It is important to note that just before Paul calls for the silence of women in the church, he states, “God is not a God of confusion but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33a ESV).

For Paul, the issue of order was directly tied to that of headship and submission. God not only had a manner in which the body of Christ should operate when gathered together, but He had also established a hierarchy of leadership. Back in Chapter 11, Paul discussed God’s ordained headship of the husband over his wife.

I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. – 1 Corinthians 11:3 ESV

This had nothing to do with the value or worth of the husband or the wife. Christ and God the Father are co-equals and both members of the Trinity, but Christ submits to the authority of God the Father. He does the will of His Father. In the garden, on the night of His betrayal, Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42 ESV). The issue concerns authority and order.

When Paul refers to God as a God of peace, the Greek word he uses denotes harmony and concord among individuals. There was a lack of amicability within the Corinthian church, and their worship services were marked by disorder. So in these verses, Paul once again addresses an apparent abuse of God’s call for order and harmony.

“It is clear from this that the apostle was not concerned about women who properly exercised their gifts in prophesying or in praying, but was greatly concerned about women who disrupted the meetings with questions and comments, and perhaps even challenged the teaching of apostolic doctrine with contrary views.” – Ray Stedman, Should A Woman Teach in the Church, RayStedman.org

It would seem from the context that there were women who were stepping out from under their husband’s God-ordained headship and asserting what they believed to be their right to participate in the worship experience. But their actions were viewed as disruptive to the service and disrespectful of their husband’s headship. Paul states that is is shameful for women to speak in the church, but it is important to note that the word he uses for “speak” means “to declare one’s mind and disclose one’s thoughts.” It has nothing to do with using their spiritual gifts. A woman using her spiritual gift would be under the authority of the Spirit of God. But for a woman to verbally “declare her mind” and state her opinion, seemingly in conflict with a spoken word of prophesy or revelation, would be out of place.

Paul states that “If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home” (1 Corinthians 14:35 ESV). Once again, the issue has to do with order, authority, and headship. The wife should honor her husband by bringing her questions and concerns to him first. Even though he might not have the answer to her questions, she would be encouraging him to step up and fulfill his role as God’s appointed spiritual head of the home. Undermining his authority or that of the leaders of the church would accomplish nothing in terms of the edification of the body of Christ. Disunity and disorder are always destructive.

This passage, while difficult to understand, appears to be a simple admonission to submit to God’s will regarding His preordained order for the church and the home. It is a call to unity and a warning to avoid disorder of any kind.

Paul ends this chapter with the words, “All things should be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40 ESV). It is easy to lose sight of his main point and get hung up on what appear to be inconsistencies or inequities in his teaching. But for Paul, the central concern was the well-being of the body of Christ, the family of God. There was no place for individual rights or self-seeking attitudes. Love was to be the primary motivating factor behind all that was done. The example of Christ was to be the focus of their attention, resulting in willing submission to God’s authority and a selfless desire for the good of others.

Father, Paul had a way with words but sometimes those words were difficult to understand. Even the apostle Peter admitted, “Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture” (2 Peter 3:16 NLT). When Paul writes something we find disagreeable or confusing, our first reaction is to rationalize a way to reject it or to consider it as not applicable to us. But all Scripture contains bibilical truth and principles that are not only relevant for today, but inspored by the Holy Spirit for the buiding up of the body of Christ. Forgive us for choosing to cherry pick Your Word and for treating it is as up for debate or no longer relevant. May Your Spirit give us the wisdom to discern the life-changing lessons these passages contain so that we might apply them for the good of the body of Christ and the glory of Your name. Amen

Nothing Is Too Difficult for God

November 10, 2025 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹ In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.’” ²Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, saying, ³“Now, O LORD, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. ⁴And before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: ⁵“Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD, ⁶and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David’s sake.” ⁷And Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs. And let them take and lay it on the boil, that he may recover.”

⁸And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the LORD on the third day?” ⁹And Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he has promised: shall the shadow go forward ten steps, or go back ten steps?” ¹⁰And Hezekiah answered, “It is an easy thing for the shadow to lengthen ten steps. Rather let the shadow go back ten steps.” ¹¹And Isaiah the prophet called to the LORD, and he brought the shadow back ten steps, by which it had gone down on the steps of Ahaz. – 2 Kings 20:1-11 ESV

Hezekiah was a good man who remained faithful to Yahweh throughout his tenure as Judah’s king. This made him a rather rare commodity among the other kings of Judah and Israel. Most of these men displayed a passion for idols and a propensity for godless behavior that brought God’s judgment upon them. Many of Hezekiah’s peers and predecessors had been nothing more than apostate idol worshipers. Yet, the author of 2 Kings saved his most glowing assessment for King Hezekiah.

He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him. – 2 Kings 18:5 ESV

Hezekiah had instituted a series of religious reforms in Judah that were meant to restore the people’s devotion to and confidence in Yahweh. He repaired and cleansed the Temple of God that had been allowed to fall into a state of disrepair. He reinstituted Temple worship by recommissioning the priests and Levites. He also called for the reinstatement of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the celebration of Passover, both of which had long been neglected. These annual celebrations had been commissioned by God and were intended to be reminders of God’s deliverance of the people of Israel from their captivity in Egypt. But when Hezekiah issued a royal decree that the nation of Judah gather in Jerusalem to re-commemorate these two God-ordained festivals, some of the people responded with derision and refused to attend. Many of those who did come to Jerusalem had failed to follow God’s requirements concerning purification.

Most of those who came from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not purified themselves. But King Hezekiah prayed for them, and they were allowed to eat the Passover meal anyway, even though this was contrary to the requirements of the Law. For Hezekiah said, “May the LORD, who is good, pardon those who decide to follow the LORD, the God of their ancestors, even though they are not properly cleansed for the ceremony.” And the LORD listened to Hezekiah’s prayer and healed the people. – 2 Chronicles 30:18-20 NLT

Yet all of Hezekiah’s reforms and his determination to restore the nation’s dedication to Yahweh did not prevent him from encountering difficulties during his reign. His faithfulness to God did not inoculate his kingship from potential trials or guarantee him a trouble-free kingdom. In fact, even this godly and faithful king found himself having to deal with the threat of destruction at the hands of the Assyrians.

However, when the enemy showed up outside the gates of Jerusalem, Hezekiah didn’t rail against God, accusing the Almighty of having abandoned His people. The king didn’t waste time listing all of his reforms or recounting all his efforts to restore the worship of Yahweh to Judah. No, he simply prayed that God would intervene on their behalf, and He did. God had not prevented the enemy from showing up, but He did miraculously cause them to go away. In the midst of their greatest trial, when all looked hopeless and they found themselves helpless, Hezekiah and the people of Judah had their faith reinvigorated by the power and presence of God.

While God miraculously delivered His people from the threat of annihilation by the Assyrians, that was not the only difficulty Hezekiah faced. The author states that “in those days” or around the same time that the Assyrian threat was taking place, the king of Judah became deathly ill. Just when the kingdom was facing its most difficult trial, Hezekiah was given devastating news from the prophet of God: “Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness” (2 Kings 20:1 NLT).

Once again, Hezekiah didn’t respond in anger or resentment. He didn’t lash out at God in disappointment or hurl accusations of divine dereliction of duty. He simply prayed, turning his face to the wall and calling out to his God: “Remember, O LORD, how I have always been faithful to you and have served you single-mindedly, always doing what pleases you” (2 Kings 20:3 NLT). Then he simply wept.

Hezekiah wasn’t bragging or boasting. He wasn’t insinuating that God was somehow obligated to heal him. He was simply asking that God not forget his efforts to remain faithful. Hezekiah did not ask to be restored; he begged to be remembered. Due to the nature of his illness and God’s decree that it was terminal, he probably had his eternal state in mind when asking God to remember him. He was hoping that he had done enough to earn God’s favor and to secure entrance into His Kingdom. But his cries for Yahweh’s mercy did not go unheard or unheeded. He received an immediate and encouraging response.

“I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you, and three days from now you will get out of bed and go to the Temple of the LORD. I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my own honor and for the sake of my servant David.” – 2 Kings 20:5-6 NLT

God gave Hezekiah an additional 15 years to lead the people of Judah. On top of that, God assured Hezekiah that He would protect the city of Jerusalem from the Assyrian threat. He would miraculously eliminate the enemy outside the gates of the city and the illness inside Hezekiah’s body. And when the king asked Isaiah if he could provide any proof that these things would actually take place, God graciously obliged by providing a miracle.

…he brought the shadow back ten steps, by which it had gone down on the steps of Ahaz. – 2 Kings 20:11 ESV

Evidently, right before the eyes of the king and all those in his royal bedroom, the sun appeared to reverse itself. The shadow that had advanced ten steps suddenly went in the opposite direction, in direct violation of natural order. God’s particular choice of this sign was intended to demonstrate His ability to do the impossible. If He could cause the shadow to reverse its course, He could also reverse the effects of Hezekiah’s illness and the outcome of the Assyrian siege.

Nothing is too difficult for God. The one who spoke light into existence (Genesis 1:3) could command it to do His bidding. The one who created the sun was fully capable of controlling its shadow. The one who gave Hezekiah life could prolong it. And the one who gave kings the authority to conceive and implement plans could easily redirect or reverse those plans to suit His sovereign will. The shadow reversed. The king was healed. The Assyrians gave up their siege of Jerusalem.

God graciously displayed His power over sickness, nature, and the nations of the world, and Hezekiah was given 15 more years to prove his faithfulness to Yahweh. But as will soon become evident, his new lease on life will produce some unexpected outcomes. The glory of his former faithfulness will see its shadow reversed as the king struggles with pride and the seductive influence of success.

The Implications of Imprecation

July 20, 2025July 20, 2025 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

¹Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men;
    preserve me from violent men,
²who plan evil things in their heart
    and stir up wars continually.
³They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s,
    and under their lips is the venom of asps. Selah

⁴Guard me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked;
    preserve me from violent men,
    who have planned to trip up my feet.
⁵The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
    and with cords they have spread a net;
    beside the way they have set snares for me. Selah

⁶I say to the LORD, You are my God;
    give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O LORD!
⁷O LORD, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
    you have covered my head in the day of battle.
⁸Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked;
    do not further their evil plot, or they will be exalted! Selah

⁹As for the head of those who surround me,
    let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
¹⁰Let burning coals fall upon them!
    Let them be cast into fire,
    into miry pits, no more to rise!
¹¹Let not the slanderer be established in the land;
    let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!

¹²I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and will execute justice for the needy.
¹³Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
the upright shall dwell in your presence. – Psalm 140:1-13 ESV

This psalm reflects David’s reliance upon Yahweh as he pleads for deliverance from his enemies. There is no indication when this psalm was written, so it is impossible to know which adversaries or circumstances David had in mind when he penned these words. But David was a warrior and well accustomed to facing all manner of foes, including lions, bears, and even giants. David was an accomplished soldier with a track record of success, yet he called on Yahweh to deliver and guard him from those he describes as evil, violent, and wicked men.

The first word he uses is raʿ, which in Hebrew means “evil” or “malignant.” Whoever these individuals were, David viewed them as thoroughly evil. They were predisposed to causing pain and suffering, using everything at their disposal to “stir up trouble all day long” (Psalm 140:2 NLT), including their words.

Their tongues sting like a snake;
the venom of a viper drips from their lips. – Psalm 140:3 NLT

According to David, their evil hearts were the source of their venom. They were inherently evil at their core, causing them to conspire and plot the downfall of others for their own perverse pleasure or self-promotion. But their words were more than hurtful; they were inherently violent. David describes them as ḥāmās, another Hebrew word that conveys the idea of cruelty and injustice. They weren’t simply out to ruin David’s reputation; they were plotting his destruction and would use everything at their disposal to accomplish that goal.

In verses 4-5, David repeats his less-than-flattering assessment of his enemies by calling them wicked (rāšāʿ) and arrogant (gē’ê). The Hebrew word rāšāʿ describes someone who is morally wrong or guilty of a crime. In essence, they are sinners who have violated God’s law and are worthy of His condemnation. To David, these men were anything but God-fearers. They weren’t just an annoyance for David; they were inherently ungodly and deserved to be punished for their crimes.

Like a prosecuting attorney in a trial, David gives further evidence of their guilt by describing them as arrogant. The Hebrew word gē’ê paints the picture of someone being “high and lifted up.” To put it plainly, these men were full of themselves, holding undeserved thoughts of their own grandeur and greatness. The Proverbs provide an apt description of these kinds of individuals.

My child, if sinners entice you,
    turn your back on them!
They may say, “Come and join us.
    Let’s hide and kill someone!
    Just for fun, let’s ambush the innocent!
Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave;
    let’s swallow them whole, like those who go down to the pit of death.
Think of the great things we’ll get!
    We’ll fill our houses with all the stuff we take.
Come, throw in your lot with us;
    we’ll all share the loot.” – Proverbs 1:10-14 NLT

These are the kinds of men David was dealing with, and he longed for Yahweh to mete out well-deserved justice and judgment on them. But first, he asked to be delivered from them.

O LORD, rescue me from evil people.
Protect me from those who are violent… – Psalm 140:1 NLT

O LORD, keep me out of the hands of the wicked.
Protect me from those who are violent… – Psalm 140:4 NLT

If this psalm was written while David was king, he would have had the full weight of the crown at his disposal. He could have mustered his troops and ordered the arrest of his adversaries. He could have declared war and eliminated the threat through violent means. But instead, David called on Yahweh and asked for His divine rescue and protection.

David was predisposed to trust Yahweh and reluctant to take matters into his own hands. During his days of fleeing from King Saul, he was presented with several opportunities to take Saul’s life, but he refused. Encouraged by his own men to kill his nemesis, David said, “The LORD forbid that I should do this to my lord the king. I shouldn’t attack the LORD’s anointed one, for the LORD himself has chosen him” (1 Samuel 24:6 NLT).

Years later, when David became king and was forced to flee the city of Jerusalem because his son Absalom had staged a successful coup, David was confronted by a relative of Saul, who cursed him for usurping the Benjamites’ rightful claim to the throne of Israel. When one of David’s men heard this man’s violent threats, he offered to take his life, but David responded with patience and understanding.

“No!” the king said. “Who asked your opinion, you sons of Zeruiah! If the LORD has told him to curse me, who are you to stop him?”

Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn’t this relative of Saul have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to do it. And perhaps the LORD will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today.” – 2 Samuel 16:12-13 NLT

David believed that Yahweh was sovereign over all things, including his life and the fate of his throne. That is what led him to turn to Yahweh for help.

“You are my God!”
    Listen, O LORD, to my cries for mercy!
O Sovereign LORD, the strong one who rescued me,
    you protected me on the day of battle.
LORD, do not let evil people have their way.
    Do not let their evil schemes succeed,
    or they will become proud. – Psalm 140:6-8 NLT

David knew he needed God’s mercy, protection, and rescue. His hope was not based on his own strength or self-reliance, but upon Yahweh. David had experienced Yahweh’s rescue in the past, and he knew it was the best solution to his present problem.

But this psalm is more than a prayer for intervention; it is also a request for imprecation (cursing). David wanted his enemies to be dealt with severely, and he felt free to provide Yahweh with his opinions about the fate of his adversaries.

Let my enemies be destroyed
    by the very evil they have planned for me.
Let burning coals fall down on their heads.
    Let them be thrown into the fire
    or into watery pits from which they can’t escape.
Don’t let liars prosper here in our land.
    Cause great disasters to fall on the violent. – Psalm 140:9-11 NLT

David’s words are difficult to read because they seem to lack any sense of mercy, forgiveness, and grace. They certainly don’t reflect the teachings of the Proverbs.

Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall;
don’t be happy when they stumble.
For the LORD will be displeased with you
and will turn his anger away from them. – Proverbs 24:17-19 NLT

If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat.
If they are thirsty, give them water to drink.
You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads,
and the LORD will reward you. – Proverbs 25:21-22 NLT

David’s request seems to contradict the message that Jesus would later deliver in His Sermon on the Mount.

“But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.” – Matthew 5:44-45 NLT

David’s prayer of imprecation or cursing is understandable but not necessarily acceptable. Just because it appears in Scripture and comes from the pen of the man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), it does not mean that David’s request was either acceptable to or answered by God. In his mind, David was reciting the moral code of lex talionis, which was found in the Mosaic Law.

But if there is further injury, the punishment must match the injury: a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot, a burn for a burn, a wound for a wound, a bruise for a bruise. – Exodus 21:23-25 NLT

David was under the impression that the wicked deserved exactly what they had planned for him. It seemed only just and fair that the tables be turned and Yahweh pour out on them the troubles they had planned for David. This all made sense to David, and he felt free to share his honest assessment with Yahweh. But in his summation of the psalm, David provides a hint as to what he was really interested in: Justice.

But I know the LORD will help those they persecute;
he will give justice to the poor.
Surely righteous people are praising your name;
the godly will live in your presence. – Psalm 140:12-13 NLT

David knew that whatever the outcome might be, Yahweh would be the one to dispense justice as He saw fit. As human beings, it is only normal and natural for us to consider retaliation and vengeance as non-negotiable outcomes of Yahweh’s justice. We want to see the wicked suffer. We demand that evil people get what they deserve. But, in the end, we must trust the LORD to do what He deems best. In another psalm, Ethan the Ezrahite points out that Yahweh alone has the right to determine what justice looks like and how it should be delivered.

Powerful is your arm!
    Strong is your hand!
    Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
    Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants. – Psalm 89:13-14 NLT

David was free to share his thoughts with God. He could wish for the worst on his enemies, but when all was said and done, he would have to leave justice in the hands of his sovereign LORD.

Father, I don’t always understand Your ways, and there are times when I grow weary of the wicked, violent, and evil people that populate this world. I find myself wishing nothing but ill-will on them. I want to see Your justice delivered — on my terms. But Your Son called me to pray for them. He told me not to worry about they can do to me, but focus my thoughts on Your righteousness and Your expectations that I live up to the holy standard to which You have called me. I want to trust You with my life and leave the fates of my enemies up to You. Hep me to live by the trust found in Psalm 118:6-7. “The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me.” Amen

Learning to Wait on God

July 4, 2025 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

A Song of Ascents.

¹To you I lift up my eyes,
    O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
²Behold, as the eyes of servants
    look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant
    to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
    till he has mercy upon us.

³Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us,
    for we have had more than enough of contempt.
⁴Our soul has had more than enough
    of the scorn of those who are at ease,
    of the contempt of the proud. – Psalm 123:1-4 ESV

In the previous psalm, David focused his attention on Jerusalem, which he referred to as “the house of the LORD” (Psalm 122:1 ESV). He reveled in his privilege to call the city his home and the dwelling place of Yahweh. But in this psalm, the author turns his attention to heaven, where Yahweh is enthroned. He seems to paint a different picture of God’s presence, describing Him as somewhat distant and remote. He has a more transcendent view of Yahweh, and it seems to be related to the current circumstances surrounding the people of Israel.

Describing their situation in desperate terms, he cries out to Yahweh for mercy.

We keep looking to the LORD our God for his mercy… – Psalm 123:2 NLT

Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy,
for we have had our fill of contempt. – Psalm 123:3 NLT

He provides little in the way of details, but leaves the impression that the nation of Israel is being treated with scorn and contempt by its enemies. The word “contempt” is bûz in Hebrew, and it carries the idea of disrespect and shame stemming from another’s pride and arrogance. The enemies of Israel are casting dispersions on the people of God, denigrating them as a nation and showing disrespect for their God. The Israelites had witnessed this many times over the years. All the way back in Egypt, when Moses attempted to free them from their captivity, Pharaoh had responded, “And who is the LORD? Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I don’t know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go” (Exodus 5:2 NLT).

Centuries later, King Sennacherib of Assyria threatened to destroy Jerusalem and warned its inhabitants that their God was too weak to deliver them from his hands.

“Don’t let Hezekiah mislead you by saying, ‘The LORD will rescue us!’ Have the gods of any other nations ever saved their people from the king of Assyria? What happened to the gods of Hamath and Arpad? And what about the gods of Sepharvaim? Did any god rescue Samaria from my power? What god of any nation has ever been able to save its people from my power? So what makes you think that the LORD can rescue Jerusalem from me?” – Isaiah 36:18-20 NLT

Asaph, the author of the 73rd Psalm, described his frustration over the prideful arrogance of the wicked, who cast dispersions on Yahweh as they gloat about their own success.

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.
They wear pride like a jeweled necklace
    and clothe themselves with cruelty.
These fat cats have everything
    their hearts could ever wish for!
They scoff and speak only evil;
    in their pride they seek to crush others.
They boast against the very heavens,
    and their words strut throughout the earth.
And so the people are dismayed and confused,
    drinking in all their words.
“What does God know?” they ask.
    “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?”
Look at these wicked people—
    enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply. – Psalm 73:2-12 NLT

The author of this psalm expresses his own growing frustration over the relentless ridicule of the godless.

We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud
and the contempt of the arrogant. – Psalm 123:4 NLT

His words convey a sense of hopelessness and powerlessness. He has had his fill of their disrespectful treatment, but is even more frustrated by his inability to do anything about it. So, he cries out to Yahweh for mercy. The Hebrew word for mercy is ḥānan, and it conveys the idea of favor, grace, and even pity. The psalmist calls on Yahweh like a slave would cry out to his master or a slave girl would look to her mistress for mercy. He is not suggesting that his relationship with God is that of a slave to his unjust and unmerciful master. He is simply describing his feeling of abject need and total dependence upon Yahweh for help.

While the wicked cast dispersions on God’s power and presence, the psalmist is casting his hope on Yahweh’s favor, mercy, and pity. His God is enthroned in the heavens and sees all that is going on. Far from distant and disinterested, Yahweh is fully aware of what is going on and ready to do something about it. That is why the psalmist appeals to Him for mercy. Their lives are in Yahweh’s hands, just as a slave is entirely dependent upon his master to meet all his needs.

The psalmist describes their utter reliance upon Yahweh when he states, “our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us” (Psalm 123:2 ESV). This terminology is used throughout the Psalms to express a faith-based trust in the sovereign will of the Almighty.

My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted. – Psalm 25:15-16 ESV

But my eyes are toward you, O God, my LORD;
in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless! – Psalm 141:8 ESV

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
    and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the LORD
    more than watchmen for the morning,
    more than watchmen for the morning. – Psalm 130:5-6 ESV

Each of these psalms reflects a patient reliance upon Yahweh even when things look bleak and hopeless. Rather than focusing on their circumstance, each author turns his attention to the LORD, whom he believes will intervene and rectify the situation.

The apostle Peter recommended the same God-focused mindset, encouraging believers to cast all their worries, cares, and concerns on Him. However, Peter tied this reliance on God to a need for humility.

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. – 1 Peter 5:5-7 ESV

The psalmist illustrates what Peter had in mind, viewing himself as little more than a slave crying out to his master. He has no power of his own and no right to make demands of his master. There are no ultimatums given and no demands expressed. He simply asks that Yahweh show him unmerited mercy and favor. And he believes that His gracious LORD and Master will answer.

Father, I can be a fairly demanding servant. I come to You far too often with a sense of entitlement, expecting You to give me what I want, when I want it. I tend to lack the attitude Peter talked about. Humility can be difficult and waiting can be next to impossible. Like the psalmist, I can get to the point where I have had my fill of the circumstance, and demand that You fix it, on my terms and according to my timeline. But I want to learn to wait expectantly, but also patiently. Forgive me for my presumption, impatience, and impertinence. Help me learn to fix my eyes on You so I can cast my cares on You. I spend far too much time focusing on my perceived problems, rather than fixing my eyes on the solution: You. Amen

Knowing God

June 29, 2025 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Qoph

¹⁴⁵With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O LORD!
    I will keep your statutes.
¹⁴⁶I call to you; save me,
    that I may observe your testimonies.
¹⁴⁷I rise before dawn and cry for help;
    I hope in your words.
¹⁴⁸My eyes are awake before the watches of the night,
    that I may meditate on your promise.
¹⁴⁹Hear my voice according to your steadfast love;
    O LORD, according to your justice give me life.
¹⁵⁰They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose;
    they are far from your law.
¹⁵¹But you are near, O LORD,
    and all your commandments are true.
¹⁵²Long have I known from your testimonies
    that you have founded them forever.

Resh

¹⁵³Look on my affliction and deliver me,
    for I do not forget your law.
¹⁵⁴Plead my cause and redeem me;
    give me life according to your promise!
¹⁵⁵Salvation is far from the wicked,
    for they do not seek your statutes.
¹⁵⁶Great is your mercy, O LORD;
    give me life according to your rules.
¹⁵⁷Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,
    but I do not swerve from your testimonies.
¹⁵⁸I look at the faithless with disgust,
    because they do not keep your commands.
¹⁵⁹Consider how I love your precepts!
    Give me life according to your steadfast love.
¹⁶⁰The sum of your word is truth,
    and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.

Shin

¹⁶¹Princes persecute me without cause,
    but my heart stands in awe of your words.
¹⁶²I rejoice at your word
    like one who finds great spoil.
¹⁶³I hate and abhor falsehood,
    but I love your law.
¹⁶⁴Seven times a day I praise you
    for your righteous rules.
¹⁶⁵Great peace have those who love your law;
    nothing can make them stumble.
¹⁶⁶I hope for your salvation, O LORD,
    and I do your commandments.
¹⁶⁷My soul keeps your testimonies;
    I love them exceedingly.
¹⁶⁸I keep your precepts and testimonies,
    for all my ways are before you. – Psalm 119:145-168 ESV

The psalmist’s ongoing prayer for deliverance from his enemies was based on his desire to obey Yahweh’s commands. He longed to live so he could continue observing and applying all the truths found in Yahweh’s written word.

I cry out to you; rescue me,
that I may obey your laws. – Psalm 119:146 NLT

It would be an understatement to say that he was obsessed with God’s word. He confesses to staying awake at night thinking about God’s promises. The Scriptures were his hope for healing and deliverance because he knew obedience was rewarded with blessing. That is why he made the pursuit of God’s word a high priority in his life. He had made a lifelong habit of putting the written word of God ahead of all else and was committed to spending the rest of his days seeking to know Yahweh by searching the Scriptures.

I have known from my earliest days
that your laws will last forever. – Psalm 119:152 NLT

Life is filled with uncertainties, and the things of this earth will pass away, but the word of God is reliable and eternal. Yahweh’s decrees are unchanging and completely trustworthy, through all generations. They don’t change with the times or require updating due to the constantly evolving nature of world conditions. The psalmist believed in the constancy and consistency of God’s word and wholeheartedly embraced the teaching of the prophet Isaiah.

“The grass withers and the flowers fade
    beneath the breath of the LORD.
    And so it is with people.
The grass withers and the flowers fade,
    but the word of our God stands forever.” – Isaiah 40:7-8 NLT

He expressed this belief earlier in this psalm.

Your word, O LORD, is everlasting; it is firmly fixed in the heavens. – Psalm 119:89 BSB

And he states it again in the next strophe.

The very essence of your words is truth;
all your just regulations will stand forever. – Psalm 119:160 NLT

His unwavering belief in the divine nature of Scripture and its timeless wisdom kept him going during the darkest moments of his life. Verses 153-160 contain some of the strongest statements regarding his current circumstances.

Look upon my suffering and rescue me… – vs 153 NLT

Argue my case; take my side! – vs 154 NLT

Many persecute and trouble me… – vs 157 NLT

Give back my life because of your unfailing love… – vs 159 NLT

His situation was dire, but his dedication to God’s word remained strong. He refused to allow the difficulties of his life to distract him or cause him to doubt God’s promises.

I have not forgotten your instructions. – vs 153 NLT

I have not swerved from your laws. – vs 157 NLT

See how I love your commandments… – vs 159 NLT

He accuses his enemies of not only neglecting God’s word but of having no concern for it whatsoever. “They care nothing for your word” (Psalm 119:158 NLT), he declares. They refuse to give it the honor it deserves and reject its authority over their lives. But for the psalmist, the Scriptures are more essential to human life and flourishing than air, water, and food. He knows his life depends upon the life-sustaining power of God’s word. Earlier in this psalm, he described God’s word as “sweeter than honey” (Psalm 119:103 NLT). This confession echoes the words ofJeremiah the prophet.

When I discovered your words, I devoured them.
They are my joy and my heart’s delight… – Jeremiah 15:16 NLT

The psalmist would have been familiar with the story of Job and his epic bout with sorrow and suffering. But the beleaguered Job was able to write the following words during some of his darkest moments.

For I have stayed on God’s paths;
I have followed his ways and not turned aside.
I have not departed from his commands,
but have treasured his words more than daily food. – Job 23:11-12 NLT

It was King David who wrote:

The laws of the Lord are true;
    each one is fair.
They are more desirable than gold,
    even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
    even honey dripping from the comb.
They are a warning to your servant,
    a great reward for those who obey them. – Psalm 19:9-11 NLT

My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.

You satisfy me more than the richest feast. – Psalm 63:1, 5 NLT

Like the great king, the psalmist found hope and sustenance in the word of God. They were more than words on paper or quaint stories from the ancient past; they were life-giving truths that revealed God’s power and confirmed His presence among His people. That is why the psalmist could say, “I rejoice in your word like one who discovers a great treasure” (Psalm 119:162 NLT). God’s words were more precious than gold or silver. They were more nourishing than the finest feast and as vital to life as fresh water.

But the psalmist found God’s word more than life-sustaining; it was also praise-producing.

I will praise you seven times a day
because all your regulations are just. – Psalm 119:164 NLT

The Scriptures are more than information on a page or stories in a book. They are the revelation of God to man and make the unknowable God knowable. They make the unapproachable God accessible and relatable. His words reveal His will and make His divine ways understandable and applicable.

The psalmist had discovered the viability and reliability of God’s word. The Scriptures contained the truth concerning His power, trustworthiness, and love. They revealed His character and affirmed His covenant faithfulness. And as another psalmist put it, they were the proof of God’s presence and the key to wisdom.

All he does is just and good,
and all his commandments are trustworthy.
They are forever true,
to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.

Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom.
All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. – Psalm 111:7-8, 10 NLT

Father, Your word is reliable. From Genesis to Revelation, we have a compendium of insights into Your character and a powerful reminder of Your goodness, greatness, mercy, and love for Your people. But it is so easy to treat Your word flippantly by seeing it as nothing more than a historical narrative of ancient peoples and past events. But Your word is alive and active. It is relevant and powerfully productive in bringing about life change and heart transformation. But it takes a commitment to reading it and allowing the Holy Spirit to apply it to our lives. Help me to see Your word as more vital than food and water and more valuable than silver or gold. May it become the highest priority in my life so that I might become more Christ-like and praise-prone. Amen

An Uncomfortable But Honest Prayer

June 13, 2025 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

¹Be not silent, O God of my praise!
²For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
    speaking against me with lying tongues.
³They encircle me with words of hate,
    and attack me without cause.
⁴In return for my love they accuse me,
    but I give myself to prayer.
⁵So they reward me evil for good,
    and hatred for my love.

⁶Appoint a wicked man against him;
    let an accuser stand at his right hand.
⁷When he is tried, let him come forth guilty;
    let his prayer be counted as sin!
⁸May his days be few;
    may another take his office!
⁹May his children be fatherless
    and his wife a widow!
¹⁰May his children wander about and beg,
    seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit!
¹¹May the creditor seize all that he has;
    may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil!
¹²Let there be none to extend kindness to him,
    nor any to pity his fatherless children!
¹³May his posterity be cut off;
    may his name be blotted out in the second generation!
¹⁴May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD,
    and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out!
¹⁵Let them be before the LORD continually,
    that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth!

¹⁶For he did not remember to show kindness,
    but pursued the poor and needy
    and the brokenhearted, to put them to death.
¹⁷He loved to curse; let curses come upon him!
    He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him!
¹⁸He clothed himself with cursing as his coat;
    may it soak into his body like water,
    like oil into his bones!
¹⁹May it be like a garment that he wraps around him,
    like a belt that he puts on every day!
²⁰May this be the reward of my accusers from the LORD,
    of those who speak evil against my life!

²¹But you, O God my Lord,
    deal on my behalf for your name’s sake;
    because your steadfast love is good, deliver me!
²²For I am poor and needy,
    and my heart is stricken within me.
²³I am gone like a shadow at evening;
    I am shaken off like a locust.
²⁴My knees are weak through fasting;
    my body has become gaunt, with no fat.
²⁵I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
    when they see me, they wag their heads.

²⁶Help me, O LORD my God!
    Save me according to your steadfast love!
²⁷Let them know that this is your hand;
    you, O LORD, have done it!
²⁸Let them curse, but you will bless!
    They arise and are put to shame, but your servant will be glad!
²⁹May my accusers be clothed with dishonor;
    may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!

³⁰With my mouth I will give great thanks to the LORD;
I will praise him in the midst of the throng.
³¹For he stands at the right hand of the needy one,
to save him from those who condemn his soul to death. – Psalm 109:1-31 ESV

One word comes to mind when I read a psalm like this: Uncomfortable, or maybe even shocking. I read it and am surprised that these words came from the pen of David, the man after God’s own heart. But here they are for all to see and read in all their black and white glory.

May his children become fatherless,
    and his wife a widow.
May his children wander as beggars
    and be driven from their ruined homes.
May creditors seize his entire estate,
    and strangers take all he has earned.
Let no one be kind to him;
    let no one pity his fatherless children.
May all his offspring die. – Psalm 109:9-13 NLT

To say that David is feeling vindictive would be a mild understatement. He is incensed, and his words are incendiary. Remember, this is a song, and is addressed to the choirmaster. It was meant to be sung and performed as an act of worship. Yet, it is filled with shockingly blunt and surprisingly hateful petitions aimed at an unnamed enemy of David.

Psalm 109 is what is known as an imprecatory prayer. It is a prayer for evil or misfortune to come upon someone else, usually an enemy. In the Bible, an imprecatory prayer is the prayer of a righteous man asking God to carry out justice by bringing punishment or destruction on those who have done evil and mistreated or abused him. A first read of this Psalm can be a little disconcerting.

David’s requests are severe and seem motivated by extreme hatred. He is obviously upset and has been suffering greatly at the hands of this enemy. David doesn’t disclose the identity of his enemy, but he wishes nothing but ill will against them. He makes it painfully clear what he wants God to do to them. He basically wants him dead, leaving his wife a widow and his children little more than beggars.

Is David wrong for praying this prayer? Is he letting his anger get the best of him? If so, why does God include this psalm in the Bible?

While David’s requests may make us uncomfortable, we can probably relate at some level. We have all had similar thoughts concerning someone in our lives. Perhaps we never put those ideas into the form of a prayer, but we definitely conjured up images of those individuals getting their just desserts. We may not have been quite as harsh as David, but we likely wanted to see some kind of harm come to the one who had harmed us.

This is a purely human reaction. We want revenge and desire vengeance to be done. This is not necessarily wrong, especially if what was done to us is truly evil and sinful. But David knew something we all need to know: Vengeance is God’s business, not ours. That is why David took his issue to God.

Help me, O Lord my God!
Save me because of your unfailing love.
Let them see that this is your doing,
that you yourself have done it, LORD. – Psalm 109:26-27 NLT

I think there is a point at which David knew that what this person had done to him was in direct opposition to the will of God. David had shown them love, and their response had been evil.

I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusations
even as I am praying for them!
They repay evil for good,
and hatred for my love. – Psalm 109:4-5 NLT

Their actions were sinful and ungodly, and David knew that God was opposed to everything they had done to him. So he took his case to the Lord, pleading for justice in the form of vengeance. He was familiar with God’s declaration found in the Book of Deuteronomy.

“Is not this laid up in store with me,
    sealed up in my treasuries?
Vengeance is mine, and recompense,
    for the time when their foot shall slip;
for the day of their calamity is at hand,
    and their doom comes swiftly.” – Deuteronomy 32:34-35 ESV

This passage is part of another song, written by Moses near the end of the Israelites’ 40-year journey from Egypt to the promised land. The elderly liberator and leader of God’s chosen people is nearing the end of his own earthly journey and preparing the people of Israel for their conquest of Canaan. He would not be going with them, and so he pens this epic poem to remind them of their need to leave behind their apostasy and idolatry and obey God. His record of God’s promise of vengeance was directed at the people of Israel, not their enemies. Moses was warning them that God would not tolerate their infidelity and unfaithfulness. Their successful conquest of the land would require obedience and obeisance, their willing submission to God’s will.

But David had a different kind of vengeance in mind that was not self-directed but other-oriented. He was asking God to vindicate him by turning the tables on his enemy and giving him a taste of his own medicine. Basically, David was asking God to let this man reap what he sowed.

It gets really uncomfortable for most of us when David starts asking for bad things to happen to the guy’s wife and kids. This seems a bit extreme. But this does not mean David had unbridled hatred for the man’s family. It only reveals David’s understanding of how things worked in their society. These were the natural consequences of life in the culture of David’s day. A man and his offspring were inseparably linked. The actions of one directly influenced the other. This man’s sins and punishment would be felt by his wife, children, and ancestors. That was the way things worked in their society. So David is praying for the natural consequences of this man’s deserved punishment.

David knew God hated sin and injustice, so his prayer was not inappropriate or sinful. He was simply expressing a hatred for sin that mirrored that of God. He wanted to see God’s will done. Sure, he was not shy in expressing his own opinion as to what that will should be, but at the end of the day, he wanted to see God mete out justice and vengeance on someone he believed to be an enemy of God.

But what balances this psalm out is David’s request that God express His love and faithfulness to him.

But deal well with me, O Sovereign LORD,
for the sake of your own reputation!
Rescue me
because you are so faithful and good. – Psalm 109:21 NLT

David understood that God wanted to bless the righteous and punish the wicked. That is what this prayer is all about. It is a request for God to be God, and do what only God can do. Only God could rescue David and turn the evil that this person intended into a blessing. Only God could punish this individual justly and righteously, returning on him the kind of evil he had been dishing out.

Imprecations are effective only when we see sin from God’s point of view and ask Him to deal with it according to His Word. David was simply praying back to God what he knew to be true about His character and His divine outlook on sin. David was praying for the kind of punishment for sin God had already expressed as proper and just.

The most crucial point is that David prayed with a pure, innocent heart. He had done nothing to deserve the treatment he had received. He was innocent, which is critical when praying an imprecatory prayer. Had David been guilty of mistreating this man, his prayers would have been improper and unheeded by God. But he stood guiltless before God and suffered unjustly, so he knew God would intervene. God protects His own. He defends His sheep.

David’s prayer came from a firm understanding of who God was and what He stood for. This song is much more than an expression of hatred for his enemy. His prayer was driven by a desire to see justice done and for God to intervene.

I will give repeated thanks to the LORD,
praising him to everyone.
For he stands beside the needy,
ready to save them from those who condemn them. – Psalm 109:30-31 NLT

David wanted to see God’s will done and His power manifested to all those around him. God’s glory was David’s foremost desire, and he was willing to wait on God to intercede on his behalf. He believed justice would be done, and he was ready to praise God even before the deliverance became a reality.

Father, give me a hatred for evil that is more powerful than my hatred for any particular individual and what they might do to me. May I learn to see any injustice done to me as an injustice done to You. This is more about You than me. May I learn to desire Your glory by seeing Your will be done – in my life and circumstances. Give me a greater understanding of Your hatred of evil and the manner in which You punish it, so that I might pray according to Your will and not mine. Amen

Some Things Never Change

June 6, 2025 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the Lord.

¹Hear my prayer, O LORD;
let my cry come to you!
²Do not hide your face from me
in the day of my distress!
Incline your ear to me;
answer me speedily in the day when I call!

³For my days pass away like smoke,
    and my bones burn like a furnace.
⁴My heart is struck down like grass and has withered;
    I forget to eat my bread.
⁵Because of my loud groaning
    my bones cling to my flesh.
⁶I am like a desert owl of the wilderness,
    like an owl of the waste places;
⁷I lie awake;
    I am like a lonely sparrow on the housetop.
⁸All the day my enemies taunt me;
    those who deride me use my name for a curse.
⁹For I eat ashes like bread
    and mingle tears with my drink,
¹⁰because of your indignation and anger;
    for you have taken me up and thrown me down.
¹¹My days are like an evening shadow;
    I wither away like grass.

¹²But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever;
    you are remembered throughout all generations.
¹³You will arise and have pity on Zion;
    it is the time to favor her;
    the appointed time has come.
¹⁴For your servants hold her stones dear
    and have pity on her dust.
¹⁵Nations will fear the name of the LORD,
    and all the kings of the earth will fear your glory.
¹⁶For the LORD builds up Zion;
    he appears in his glory;
¹⁷he regards the prayer of the destitute
    and does not despise their prayer.

¹⁸Let this be recorded for a generation to come,
    so that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD:
¹⁹that he looked down from his holy height;
    from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,
²⁰to hear the groans of the prisoners,
    to set free those who were doomed to die,
²¹that they may declare in Zion the name of the LORD,
    and in Jerusalem his praise,
²²when peoples gather together,
    and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.

²³He has broken my strength in midcourse;
    he has shortened my days.
²⁴“O my God,” I say, “take me not away
    in the midst of my days—
you whose years endure
    throughout all generations!”

²⁵Of old you laid the foundation of the earth,
    and the heavens are the work of your hands.
²⁶They will perish, but you will remain;
    they will all wear out like a garment.
You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,
²⁷    but you are the same, and your years have no end.
²⁸The children of your servants shall dwell secure;
    their offspring shall be established before you. – Psalm 102:1-28 ESV

This is one of those psalms most of us can relate to because we’ve all had times in our lives when we felt just as the psalmist did. He cried out to God, asking that his prayer be heard, but felt as if God had turned a deaf ear to his plight. Things were so bad that he couldn’t sleep, had lost his appetite, and felt like everything was caving in on him.

My heart is sick, withered like grass,
and I have lost my appetite.
Because of my groaning,
I am reduced to skin and bones. – Psalm 102:4-5 NLT

Does that sound familiar? It does to me. The fact is, we all go through moments like that because we live in a fallen world. We are surrounded by hurt and heartache. People do mean things to other people. Difficulties and trials come, and almost always at the wrong time. It was true in the psalmist’s day, and it is true in ours as well. Some things never change. Centuries pass, generations come and go, but the sinful state of humanity remains the same as it always has been.

Yet, while describing his life’s dark and depressing circumstances, the psalmist breaks up his lament with the word “but.”

But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever;
you are remembered throughout all generations. – Psalm 102:12 ESV

He recognizes that there is one other unchanging feature surrounding his life: The consistency and constancy of Yahweh. While his sorrow and heartache remained, he reminded himself that his God was still on His throne and in complete control of all the affairs of men.

For the psalmist, the Temple in Jerusalem was the dwelling place of God. In the Holy of Holies, the glory of God rested over the Mercy Seat on top of the Ark of the Covenant. This manifestation of God’s presence and power was meant to provide His people with assurance and confidence. It was in the Most Holy Place that God met with His people. But the psalmist describes a scene in which the Temple and the city of Jerusalem were in disarray and needed God’s intervention.

You will arise and have mercy on Jerusalem—
and now is the time to pity her,
now is the time you promised to help. – Psalm 102:13 NLT

Something had happened. Not only was the psalmist’s life in turmoil, but the capital city had also suffered some significant loss. Yet, the psalmist knew that God was still enthroned on high, and from His unique vantage point, He could look down on the sufferings of mankind and intervene. God could hear the groanings of the prisoner set free those doomed to death. God was not bound by time or limited in how He could deal with our difficulties.

The psalmist compares the brevity of his own life to God’s eternality.

He broke my strength in midlife,
cutting short my days.
But I cried to him, “O my God, who lives forever,
don’t take my life while I am so young!” – Psalm 102:23-24 NLT

Man is finite, but God is infinite and will outlast the world He created. He will be around long after we are gone. Unlike those He made, Yahweh’s years will never end. He has no birth date or death date. And while our lives will end, God will still be there faithfully and sovereignly interacting with those who follow after us.

Suffering and God’s sovereignty are part of life. When we think everything is out of control, we need to remind ourselves that He is not. He remains unchanged and unaffected by the affairs of life. His strength never weakens, His sovereignty never wanes, and His ability to hear and respond to the needs of His people never diminishes. God sits on His throne and rules over the affairs of men, whether we recognize it or not. So, despite his personal circumstances and the current conditions surrounding Jerusalem, the psalmist can say, “You are always the same; you will live forever.
The children of your people will live in security. Their children’s children will thrive in your presence” (Psalm 102:27-28 NLT).

No matter what happens in this life, God remains unchanging and reliable. He is always consistent, caring, powerful, and present, even when our circumstances seem to prove otherwise. God said of Himself, “For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken” (Isaiah 54:10 NLT). He promises to show His children mercy. And Jeremiah, who was known as “the weeping prophet,” echoed his confidence in Yahweh’s unwavering mercy and compassion.

For no one is abandoned
    by the Lord forever.
Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion
    because of the greatness of his unfailing love.
For he does not enjoy hurting people
    or causing them sorrow. – Lamentations 32:31-33 NLT

God is unchanging, and His compassion is unwavering. Even when He appears distant or disinterested in our circumstances, He is there and cares. He hears and answers. His power remains constant, and His plans for our lives remain firmly established and unstoppable.

“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.” – Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

Father, help me to continue to learn to focus on You and not my circumstances. You are the unchanging one. You are the ONLY thing I can count on in this life. You are consistent and constant, faithful and unfailing. And Your eternalness reminds me that I have a secure future – forever. This life is NOT all there is. Amen

God Doesn’t Need to Earn Our Worship

May 14, 2025May 15, 2025 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

A Psalm of Asaph.

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

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

⁸Do not remember against us our former iniquities;
    let your compassion come speedily to meet us,
    for we are brought very low.
⁹Help us, O God of our salvation,
    for the glory of your name;
deliver us, and atone for our sins,
    for your name’s sake!
¹⁰Why 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!

¹¹Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;
    according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die!
¹²Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors
    the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord!
¹³But 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

God is Greatly to Be Feared and Praised

May 10, 2025 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

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

¹We 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.
³When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants,
    it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah
⁴I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’
    and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn;
⁵do not lift up your horn on high,
    or speak with haughty neck.’”

⁶For not from the east or from the west
    and not from the wilderness comes lifting up,
⁷but it is God who executes judgment,
    putting down one and lifting up another.
⁸For 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.

⁹But I will declare it forever;
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
¹⁰All 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

Devotionary

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