The first and last verses of this Psalm are the Gospel message of this Psalm while everything in between is Law. Kind of reminds me of parenting...let me explain.
As a parent now for some 15 years I'm finally beginning to learn that when your child needs to be disciplined, if you come at them "full-bore" right from the beginning, they tend to run away and hide in their rooms (if you saw how messy their rooms were you would understand just how brilliant a plan that is). However, when I begin the conversation with, "Hey (name of child), come here for a minute let's talk" things tend to go a lot better. It's especially helpful when the issue at hand is some sort of an argument between siblings and coming to me allows one of them to escape the fracus. Then we talk about what they did or what needs to change, and I will point out all the bad consequences which will probably result from their actions including groundings, going without desert, etc. Then, after they have fooled me into thinking they have fully understood all we talked about and have made a sollomn vow to obey all I have commanded, I tell them how much I love them and how I want to see them being a good boy/girl from now on.
Now, what I just described is probably a whole lot niceer than how you might have recieved the Psalm we read for today--and for good reason. Our God is our creator and the Holy One. He demands adhearence to his laws and expects righteousness from his people. This Psalm is very negative in tone because, through the Psalmist, he wants us to know that he doen't just turn a blind eye to sin. It is, indeed, an affront to him and he will dissown all those who sin and so these words are not only a warning for us to avoid sin, but also a sentencing of those who are wicked.
The Psalm begins with "In the Lord I take refuge". Isn't that a little crazy? I mean, I know I sin and I'm certain you know that too, so why in the world would we find refuge in the very person who promises to punish that sin? Because only he can grant mercy.
Our God is a just God, and so someone had to pay the price for our sin and that person was Jesus. All those who believe in him are declared righteous--"upright," as in verse 7--and therefore we can come to our Lord with out fear and watch as those who are against God are condemned and sent to eternal punishment and separation from God.
While we must be careful not to inturpret specific tragedy as direct punishment from God for specific sin, we can be certain that all pain, suffering, and catastrophe in this world ARE a result of sin in the world and that these come to both the godly and the godless. But along with this Psalm we also take comfort in the words of Isaiah where God promises to be beside us and to protect us through the floods and firestorms of life because we were reclaimed by him as his own. For us in the New Testament that reclaimation came when we were baptized and God marked us with the sign of the cross on our forheads and on our hearts to mark us as one of Jesus' little lambs. Here is how Isaiah expressed that love:
1 But now thus says the LORD,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
your Savior. Isaiah 43:1-3 (ESV)
Now that's a God I can take refuge in. How about you? Leave a comment our two on when you have sought refuge in the Lord or when you have experinced him upholding you and your good descisions in the face of others who where not following God's commands. Be an encouraging witness to others by this bold proclamation of God's mighty deeds and eternal mercy
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