Thursday, August 15, 2024

Psalm 34:6-7

6          This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him

                        and saved him out of all his troubles.

7          The angel of the LORD encamps

                        around those who fear him, and delivers them.

            Which fear surrounds you; the fears that come from the world, or the fear of the LORD? In the Old Testament reading for this week, we hear about Elijah who is running for his life because Jezebel is rather hot under the collar. Elijah just did in 450 of her priests. Do you remember the odds? It was 450 priests of false religion to ONE of Yhwh’s servants, Elijah. God worked His power in front of all the people that day showing that He, and He alone, is the One true and only God.

            Jezebel sends a messenger to Elijah stating that there’s a contract out on him, and that he is going to get slaughtered very soon. This sends Elijah into a panic—and fear!

            However, there was another messenger that came to him, the Angel of the LORD. (The Angel of the LORD is the Second person of the Trinity[1]—Jesus, before He enfleshed Himself and was born in the manger.[2]) This messenger also had a message for Elijah. “Get up and get going. There’s still work to be done. Don’t be afraid.”

            Elijah ate the food and drank the water, and then he lay down again! The Angel of the LORD came back a second time. “Let’s get going. The journey’s long.”

            Psalm 34:7 tells us that the Angel of the LORD encamps around those who honor and revere Him. “Encamp” is a military term. The Angel of the LORD is always on duty. He’s always alert. God never slumbers nor sleeps. He’s with His people 24/7/365. He works on Christmas and Easter, and He never takes union breaks.

            Satan seeks to instill fear in the lives of people, especially God’s people. The messengers of the world speak doom and gloom. The message of Jesus is “Do not fear.” In fact, there are 365 times in the Bible that tell us that we should not be afraid. How many days are there in the year? 365 days—one “don’t fear” for each day of the year.

            What are you afraid of? What causes you to panic? Remember that the Angel of the LORD is with you and fights for you.

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[1] Timothy E. Saleska, Psalms 1–50, ed. Christopher W. Mitchell, Concordia Commentary (Saint Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2020), 546.; Hans-Joachim Kraus, A Continental Commentary: Theology of the Psalms (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1992), 48–49.

[2] There are many different appearances of the Angel of the LORD in the Old Testament. These are called Christophanies because God is revealing, or manifesting, His Christ to people. The final Christophany takes place in the manger, and His name is Jesus.

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Psalm 34:4-5

4          I sought the LORD, and he answered me

                        and delivered me from all my fears.

5          Those who look to him are radiant,

                        and their faces shall never be ashamed.

            The title of this Psalm reminds of King David’s situation (see pages 3-4 above).

1Samuel 21:10   And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances,

             ‘Saul has struck down his thousands,

                        and David his ten thousands’?”

12        And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? 15 Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”

            By pretending madness and insanity David secured his release and escaped. However, David realized that it was not he himself who worked this out but rather Yhwh worked this out for him. I sought the LORD, and He answered me. It was God’s deliverance that brought about his salvation that day.

            God didn’t answer David because of his royal status. David is one of the humble, the lowly, one of “the bottom of the heap” guys. He is in the same boat as all the others of God’s people, just like you and me.
            David does not promote a “name it and claim it” theology. Sometimes God will deliver and, for reasons unknown to us, He may not deliver us in the way we would want Him to. However, God never abandons His people.

            The fear of the LORD is seeking, and that seeking is found in the cross of Jesus. Indeed, there are many things in this world that move us to fear. Death and dying are at the top of the list for many people. The ultimate and final deliverance comes when Jesus returns and finishes what He has already started. The ultimate deliverance is from the powers of sin, death and damnation, and the devil himself, which Jesus took care of on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. In Baptism God made a promise to you that He will be with you always—no matter what situation you might find yourself in. Those who look to Jesus will never be put to shame, and that means you.

Psalm 34:1

1          I will bless the LORD at all times;

                        his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

            What are some of the things in your life that bring you joy? What are some of the things in your life that give you strength? David writes, “I will bless the LORD.” Indeed, we give thanks to God for these things.

            But what about in difficult times? What about those situations and events that weaken us rather than strengthen us; are we to bless the LORD then? And those times that bring afraidness into our lives; we’re supposed to bless God then too? The answer is yes. We are to bless the LORD at all times.

This is a message for the afflicted, for those who are at the bottom of the heap.[1] The word “bless” ḇrḵhere means “to declare God to be the source of the special power.”[2] Kraus writes:

A distinctive feature of the Psalms is the fact that they speak of the blessing of Yahweh in such a way that Yahweh is the recipient, the object of human “blessing.” For example, Psalm 34 begins with the statement, “I will bless the Lord at all times” (Ps. 34:1*). … What does this mean concretely? Horst explained the significance as follows: “To recognize someone in every form of his power and of his innate majesty” (1947–1948, p. 31). … Whoever “blesses” Yahweh praises and honors his sovereign might.^[3]

            It’s easy to bless Yhwh when things are going swimmingly well. The Christian also blesses Yhwh when things are not going so swimmingly.

 St. Augustine writes:

When are you to “bless the Lord?” When he showers blessings on you? When earthly goods are plentiful? When you have a plethora of grain, oil, wine, gold, silver, slaves, livestock; while your mortal body remains healthy, uninjured and free from disease; while everything that is born on your estate is growing well, and nothing is snatched away by untimely death; while every kind of happiness floods your home and you have all you want in profusion? Is it only then that you are to bless the Lord? No, but “at all times.” So you are to bless him equally when from time to time, or because the Lord God wishes to discipline you, these good things let you down or are taken from you, when there are fewer births or the already-born slip away. These things happen, and their consequence is poverty, need, hardship, disappointment and temptation. But you sang, “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be in my mouth always,” so when the Lord gives you these good things, bless him, and when he takes them away, bless him. He it is who gives, and he it is who takes away, but he does not take himself away from anyone who blesses him. EXPOSITIONS OF THE PSALMS 34.3[4]

Even in hardships or times of fear, the Christian praises the LORD from whence comes our strength and courage.

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[1] J.A. Motyer, The Psalms, ed. D. A Carson et al., New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition. Accordance electronic ed. (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1994), 505.

[2]   HALOT, s.v. “ברך_{,” 1:160.}

^[3] Hans-Joachim Kraus, A Continental Commentary: Theology of the Psalms (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1992), 70–71.

[4] Blaising, Craig A. and Carmen S. Hardin, eds., Psalms 1–50. ACCS 7. ICCS/Accordance electronic edition, version 2.6. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2008. 259.

Psalm 34:2-3

2          My soul makes its boast in the LORD;

                        let the humble hear and be glad.

3          Oh, magnify[1] the LORD with me,

                        and let us exalt his name together!

            We are to boast AND be humble? Aren’t these two traits diametrically opposed to each other? Well, yes and no.

            David speaks about his boast in Yhwh and invites the humble to do the same. David is not encouraging prideful boasting. Rather his boasting is couched in humility. He knows and has experienced deliverance from the hand of Yhwh.[2] Without the LORD David would have been toast and he knows this.

            David now invites the poor and the needy to join together with him in exalting God. The poor and needy are not used as economic terms. In fact, the poor and the needy have nothing at all to do with someone’s socio-economic situation. I’ve met some very wealthy people who are “poor and needy.” On the other side of the coin, I’ve met people who are very poor economically who do not meet the Biblical definition of “poor and needy” because there’s not an ounce of humility coursing through their heart.

            The poor and needy are those who seek life, and life is found only in the source of life—Yhwh. Kraus writes:

Since life—not in its immanent power, but as the gift of Yahweh, life in the presence of Israel’s God—was for the people of the Old Testament the highest good, they prayed for and waited expectantly for “long life” as the most precious gift and the most marvelous blessing (Ps. 21:4*; 61:6*; 91:16*; 133:3*). Decisive, however, is the direction of one’s life, its openness to Yahweh.^[3]

Dr. Martin Luther writes:

 Let them hear is set here in an absolute sense, for the haughty and wrathful want to be heard and not hear, but it is characteristic of the gentle to hear and receive the Word in patience. And therefore, as hearing and, consequently, training belongs only to the gentle, so also rejoicing. So the psalmist says in Ps. 122:1: “I was glad when they said to me.” But those people want to rejoice at what they themselves say. They do not want to be taught, but they want to teach; they seek to be masters and rabbis, but not disciples (cf. Matt. 23:7–8). So the Jews stopped their ears against Stephen in Acts 7:57 and against Paul in Acts 22:22.

Therefore the attribute “meek” is noteworthy, because they are patient to hear, they are blessed and made joyful. The others, however, refuse to let anyone tell them anything, as the Germans express it. Because they rely too much on their own prudence, they fall into evil.^[4]

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[1]  “’Magnify’ (גדלו), or ‘make great’; in one sense, it is impossible to conceive of mankind making God great. God is already great, without any human help. Yet the essence of praise is the acknowledgment and public declaration of God’s greatness; such praise does not change the divine essence, but creates awareness of God’s greatness in the perception of others. And, as an expression of awareness, it is also a personal acknowledgment of divine majesty and glory.” Peter C. Craigie, Psalms *1–50, vol. 19 of Word Biblical Commentary. Accordance electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983), 279.

[2] Ringgren, TDOT, s.v. “הלל הִלּוּלִים תְּהִלָּה,” 3:409-410.

^[3] Hans-Joachim Kraus, A Continental Commentary: Theology of the Psalms (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1992), 164.

^[4] Martin Luther, Luther’s Works, Vol. 10: First Lectures on the Psalms I: Psalms 1-75, ed. Jaroslav Jan Pelikan, Hilton C. Oswald, and Helmut T. Lehmann, electronic ed., vol. 10 (Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1999), 160.

Saturday, July 20, 2024

Moving Forward With Christmas

Psalm 85:12-13

12        Yes, the LORD will give what is good,

                        and our land will yield its increase.

13        Righteousness will go before him

                        and make his footsteps a way.

   Christmas is that time of year when most all people seem to walk differently, they’re happier and filled with more joy. Even curmudgeons have a change in their demeanor during the Christmas season.

   People emphasize “peace” during this time of the year as well. This peace is not something that can be found in the world and in worldly ways. The peace that people seek will never be found in this world or among governments. The peace that surpasses all human understanding is found exclusively in the Prince of Peace, the Christ child, Jesus. He alone is the conduit between God and Creation, between the holy and the sinner. This is why God sent His Son into this world—in order to reconcile the world and sinners to Himself bringing hope and eternal life in God’s New Creation.

   Marvin Tate shares an aspect of shalom in his commentary on Psalm 85:

“Shalom is the comprehensive concept of well-being, peace, and welfare which includes love, faithfulness, righteousness, prosperity, and glory. W. Brueggemann (Living Toward a Vision: Biblical Reflections on Shalom [Philadelphia: United Church Press, 1982] 16) has summarized Shalom in vigorous descriptive language with reference to Lev 26:4–6 and Ezek 34:25–29a: ‘It is well-being that exists in the very midst of threats—from sword and drought, and from wild animals. It is well-being of a material, physical, historical kind, not idyllic pie in the sky, but salvation in the midst of trees and crops and enemies—in the very places where people always have to cope with anxiety, struggle for survival, and deal with temptation. It is well-being of a very personal kind . . . but it is also deliberately corporate. If there is to be wellbeing, it will not be just for isolated, insulated individuals; it is rather security and prosperity granted to a whole community—young and old, rich and poor, powerful and dependent. Always we are all in it together.’ This is the word of Yahweh for his people.”[1]

And from Reardon:

Christ, then, “is our peace” (Eph. 2:14), and likewise our “righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). It is of these things that our psalm says: “Righteousness shall go before Him, and He will set His footsteps in the way.” This is the Christ who “came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near” (Eph. 2:17). This the Christ, “being both begotten of the Father before all ages, and created from the Virgin in these final times” (Ambrose, op. cit. 3.9.60).

We pray with confidence, then, in the words of our psalm: “I shall hear what the Lord God speaks within me, for peace will He speak to His people, and to His saints, and to those who turn their hearts to Him.”^[2]

   Christmas isn’t what “it used to be.” The culture seems to have taken hold of Christmas and molded it into its own image of what it thinks Christmas is all about. However, this is nothing new. This has been going on for the last 2000 years in attempt to ignore the reason for the season.

   Yet God is greater and more powerful than societies, cultures, and civilizations. He is the Creator of all things and all people. The Christ child continues to call people who are looking for answers, who are looking for hope, who are seeking that for which only Jesus is the answer. And so, Christmas continues to walk forward bringing hope and salvation to all who will hear.

St. Luke’s Account of the Christ child’s birth; Christmas!

Luke 2:1-14 (King James Version)

   Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

   8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Luke 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest,

and on earth peace, good will toward men.

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[1] Tate, Marvin E. Psalms 51–100. WBC 20. Accordance electronic edition, version 2.7. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990.

^[2] Patrick Henry Reardon, Christ in the Psalms (Chesterton, IN: Ancient Faith Publishing, 2000), 168.

Friday, July 19, 2024
 
Holly & Mistletoe
Psalm 85:10-11
10        Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
                        righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11        Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
                        and righteousness looks down from the sky.
 
 
   If you’re a romantic, you’re sure to have a mistletoe hung up somewhere in your home during the Christmas season. If you’re standing under the mistletoe—awares or unawares—you’re going to give or receive at least a peck on the cheek.
   For whatever reason, this reminds of the childhood song sung by children in days of yore. Don’t ask me the connection. This is simply how my brain works.
 
Mary and Michael sitting in a tree;
K-I-S-S-I-N-G
First comes love,
Then comes marriage,
Then comes baby in a baby carriage.
 
   The ‘kissing’ in this song is the beginning of a relationship between two people. There’s an attraction there, which grows stronger.
   Psalm 85:10-11 is packed with great promises and attributes of God. “Steadfast love” is expressed in God’s act of strength and victory, salvation and deliverance. “Faithfulness” is God’s truthfulness to His people (wouldn’t it be great if all our relationships were based on full truth). Righteousness is well-being and salvation that comes from God.
   These are all words that are relational. Most Christians understand, or at least can grasp, God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. However, “righteousness” is a word that seems get a little confusing in the life of the Christian. “What is righteousness? How do I get righteous? What needs to be done to maintain righteousness before God?” and so forth.
   Righteousness is not a norm. Rather, it’s a relationship. ^[1]
   Patrick Henry Reardon comments on this verse citing St. Ambrose of Milan:
Psalm 84 (Hebrew 85) is a further canticle honoring both facets of the Incarnation, for the latter is that history-defining encounter of two worlds, wherein “the Lord will grant His mercy, and our earth shall give its fruit.” “Truth has arisen from the earth,” we pray in this psalm, speaking of the Child born unto us, “and righteousness has stooped down from the heaven,” we go on, telling of the Son given unto us. This union is the sacrament of God become Man, in which “mercy and truth have met together; righteousness and peace have shared a kiss.”^[2]
   Maybe we should hang mistletoe all year ‘round?


^[1] Hans-Joachim Kraus, A Continental Commentary: Theology of the Psalms (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1992), 154.
^[2] Patrick Henry Reardon, Christ in the Psalms (Chesterton, IN: Ancient Faith Publishing, 2000), 167.