Day 68: Psalm 12- Groan

​Save, O Lord, for the godly one is gone; for the faithful have vanished from among the children of man. 2 Everyone utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. 3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, 4 those who say, “With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is master over us?”
 
5 “Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise,” says the Lord; “I will place him in the safety for which he longs.” 6 The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.
 
7 You, O Lord, will keep them; you will guard us from this generation forever. 8 On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man.
 
 
Meditation
What moves God to action? Is God motivated by our moral performance? Does God get up and go when He sees our discipline and drive?
 
How you fill in the blank of this Divine quote reveals what you believe motivates the Lord to move: “Because ___________ I will now rise.” What do you say? How does Scripture fill in the blank?
 
12:5 reveals that God moves when people know their need and groan.  Read it again and see for yourself!  He provides the security longed for (5) and he guarantees His promise with His word. (6)
 
Danger is all around in our fallen world (1-5; 8) and God is moved to secure, save, and sanctify by our need alone- period. God is not moved or motivated by moral performance.  God gets up and goes when we groan.
 
Jesus teaches, “Blessed are the poor in Spirit.” (Matthew 5:3) Jesus does not teach, “Blessed are those who serve the poor or help the poor.” God is moved by our poverty of Spirit, our need, and not by our performance. This truth is a theme from Genesis 4 to Revelation 22. God promises to get up and go when we groan, and His promise to save is pure and reliable (6-7).
 
Stop taking your moral performance more seriously than God’s grace. Embrace the reality of your need, turning in faith to the power of God’s promise. He loves you and will care for you.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Do you take more seriously your need or your moral performance?
 
-What are specific areas you need to groan over, the fallen nature of the world manifest in sin struggle, death, division and dysfunction?
 
-Cry out to the Lord! Groan to Him and experience the blessing of His Kingdom. He promises to save- and His word is pure and reliable.
 
Key Verse
6 The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. 7 You, O Lord, will keep them…