 O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old: 2 you with your own hand drove out the nations, but them you planted; you afflicted the peoples, but them you set free;
3 for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them. 4 You are my King, O God; ordain salvation for Jacob! 5 Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down those who rise up against us. 6 For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me. 7 But you have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us. 8 In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah 9 But you have rejected us and disgraced us and have not gone out with our armies. 10 You have made us turn back from the foe, and those who hate us have gotten spoil. 11 You have made us like sheep for slaughter and have scattered us among the nations. 12 You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them. 13 You have made us the taunt of our neighbors, the derision and scorn of those around us. 14 You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples. 15 All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face 16 at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of the enemy and the avenger. 17 All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant. 18 Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from your way; 19 yet you have broken us in the place of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death. 20 If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, 21 would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart. 22 Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. 23 Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever! 24 Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression? 25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly clings to the ground. 26 Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love! Meditation Today’s Psalm re-orients our hearts to a higher focus than the struggle of national circumstances. Faith is strengthened when we trust the Lord in storms. The Psalmist laments the state of the nation described as sheep scattered for slaughter (11), taunted by other nations, and a global laughing stock (13-14). What is the reason for the national disaster? God knows the hearts of His people (21) and He sees they have not forgotten Him nor turned away (17-18). In Mark 4:38-41 disciples are in a storm with Jesus sleeping in the boat. They woke Jesus up and asked if He cared. Jesus calmed the storm and asked if they had faith- Isn’t the Lord’s presence security enough in the storm? The Psalmist seeks to shake God awake during the storm of his society asking, “Why are you sleeping (23)!?” In his fear we see what faith looks like during a storm of national uncertainty: -Hope in God’s faithfulness, believing testimonies of God’s past faithfulness (1-3). -Trust that God is a faithful King (4)! -Security in God’s promises and presence above the powers of this world (6). -Confidence that God can calm the storm, redeeming the nation for the sake of His steadfast love (23-26). -Peace that the national struggle is God’s sovereign plan, for His name sake (22). Paul uses this Psalm in Romans 8:35-37 to remind God’s people that the suffering of our world cannot separate us from God’s love. Christ secures us in the storms of our society. We can trust Him. Richly Dwelling -Are the storms of this season shaking your faith? Where is the instability of your circumstances or our world shaking you deepest? -The Lord promises to be with you, in the boat with you in the storm. Is His presence and His promises enough? Why or why not? -Look through the fabric of faith- Hope, trust, security, confidence, and peace. Which of these are the most tangible to you in Christ? Build on it and ask the lord to continue to deepen your faith in Him as the storm rages. Key Verse 23 Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever! Comments are closed.
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