God’s Promise to Uphold the Righteous

24 Tuesday Sep 2024

Tags

contrast, evil, God, justice, protection, Psalm, righteous, sin, trust, wicked

Reading: Psalm 37:12-17
The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
but the LORD laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.
The wicked draw the sword
and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.
But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.
Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;
for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous (NIV).

Righteousness-56a146ea3df78cf772691abd

Reflection
As stated in my first post on Psalm 37, this psalm is a stark night and day comparison of the life of the evil person with the life of the individual who does right in God’s eyes. The contrast is profound.

I cannot read the passage above without thinking of the evil that is loose in the world today. Here in Canada in recent years, we had the trial of Luka Magnotta for his slaying of Jun Lin, a Chinese born university student. Magnotta posted his killing of Lin with an icepick on YouTube. After dismembering his body Magnotta mailed various body parts to schools and political party headquarters.

In Iraq and Syria, ISIS militants defiantly beheaded journalists and international aid workers in a cowardly display of their depravity. Any who hold different religious views have been executed, their women raped, their children enslaved. It appears we live in a wicked world where hatred and evil are trumpeted as worthy pursuits—pursuits that attract adoring young fanatics.

The opening line of this psalm posting is as true today as when it was written three thousand years ago. The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them. The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright (v 12, 14).

The sin process is still at work in the hearts of men. When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death (James 1:13-15).

But thanks be to God! We have this promise: “for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous. God will uphold us as we put our trust in Him” (v. 17).

Response: LORD God, you are my upholder—my help in evil times, in times of trouble. I put my trust in you. Hold me in the palm of your hand. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Your Turn: How do you fight evil? Where does it start? Let’s examine our hearts.

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* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

Volume I of Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer won the Best Book of the Year Award from The Word Guild and Volume II has won the Best Devotional of the Year Award. For those who love God’s word, this three-book series is an ideal way to daily meet with the Lord. To purchase or for a closer look click here.

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Loving Your Neighbor

16 Monday Sep 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 35, Psalms

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justice, love your neighbor, neighbor, pure motives, revenge, slander, the LORD

Today’s quote and prayer from
“Psalms 365: Develop a Life of Worship and Prayer”
by David Kitz.

Reading: Psalm 35:26-28

Father God,
give me a heart of thanksgiving.
Help me appreciate the giftings
and success of others.
Grant me a pure heart with pure motives.
May I always delight in the well-being of your servants.
Amen.

— — —

“‘Do not curse the deaf
or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,
but fear your God. I am the LORD.

“‘Do not pervert justice;
do not show partiality to the poor
or favoritism to the great,
but judge your neighbor fairly.

“‘Do not go about spreading slander
among your people.

“‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life.
I am the LORD.

“‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart.
Rebuke your neighbor frankly
so you will not share in their guilt.

“‘Do not seek revenge
or bear a grudge against anyone
among your people,
but love your neighbor as yourself.
I am the LORD.
(Leviticus 19:14-18), NIV)*

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

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God’s Call to Peace: Beyond Eye for Eye

13 Friday Sep 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalms

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compassion, conflict, faith, forgiveness, Gaza, Israel, justice, Nonviolence, peace, Prayer, reconciliation, Reflection, Righteousness, Scripture, Suffering

Reading: Psalm 35:22-25
LORD, you have seen this; do not be silent.
Do not be far from me, Lord.
Awake, and rise to my defense!
Contend for me, my God and Lord.
Vindicate me in your righteousness, LORD my God;
do not let them gloat over me.
Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!”
or say, “We have swallowed him up” (NIV).

unity_hands-1184x791

Reflection
There’s an old saying, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” That certainly is true of the conflict in the Holy Land. About 3,000 years ago, in David’s time the Kingdom of Israel was in a struggle for survival. Chief among its enemies were the Philistines along the Gaza coast. On the day I wrote this post, Israel’s chief enemy Hamas was firing rockets into Israel from the Gaza coast.

David’s words from Psalm 35 have a present-day resonance. LORD, you have seen this; do not be silent. Do not be far from me, Lord. Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord. Many in present day Israel are praying this prayer with the fervor of those who are being attacked.

But the residents of Gaza could pray this prayer with equal fervor. Their homes and businesses are also under bombardment. Where is God in all this suffering? Whose side is He on? Many in the Christian community affirm with great confidence that God is on the side of Israel. Does that make God complicit in the deaths of innocent children in Gaza?

Jesus gave this counsel to his disciples, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also” (Matthew 5:38-39). Present day Israel (and America for that matter) has a well-established policy of hard-hitting retaliation when attacked. What are the long-term consequences of this policy? Is the conflict resolved or is it inflamed?

Jesus’ admonition to turn the other cheek goes unheeded. Most feel that turning the other cheek implies weakness. In reality, it requires far more strength, but in the end, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness—not a righteousness that insists on its own way—but a righteousness that sees both sides of an issue and works hard for peace and reconciliation.

Jesus asks us to do the far harder thing. Retaliation is easy. It’s the natural response. Forgiving when we are wronged requires far more effort. Whose side is God on? He is on the side of peace. That’s something worth fighting for.

Response: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). LORD God, help me to be a local peacemaker in my world today—someone who builds bridges between people and communities. Amen.

Your Turn: Forgiveness and turning the other cheek works on a personal level. How can we make it work on a community, interracial, international level as well?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

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Seeking Divine Justice

08 Thursday Aug 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalms

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Tags

David, fairness, God, injustice, justice, Law, oppression

Reading: Psalm 28:1-5
Of David.
To you, LORD, I call;
you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me.
For if you remain silent,
I will be like those who go down to the pit.
Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.
Do not drag me away with the wicked,
with those who do evil,
who speak cordially with their neighbors
but harbor malice in their hearts.
Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work;
repay them for what their hands have done
and bring back on them what they deserve.
Because they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD
and what his hands have done,
he will tear them down
and never build them up again (NIV).

the-surprising-power-of-prayer

Reflection
David begins Psalm 28 with a plea for God to hear him. As the psalm progresses it becomes clear this is a plea not only for mercy, but also for justice. Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place. Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts (v. 2-3).

The cry for fairness is perhaps the most universal of all human desires. What is the most oft repeated complaint in a kindergarten class? If you guessed, “That’s not fair!” you win the gold star. A desire for equality of opportunity and fairness is simply part of our human constitution; it’s bred into us.

Governments are defeated and revolutions happen when leaders fail the test of fairness and equality under the law. But all too often we do not see justice served in this life. The murderous Pol Pot was never brought to justice though three million Cambodians died under his regime. On a personal level, you too may have suffered a grievous injustice. When we become aware of such offences and heinous crimes, David’s call for justice rings true and clear. Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work; repay them for what their hands have done and bring back on them what they deserve (v. 4).

The oppressed and the oppressor will meet the God of justice in the afterlife. But the redeemed have this assurance, ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

Response: LORD God, have mercy on me. Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil. I put my trust in the redeeming sacrifice of your Son, Jesus. You are my help and salvation. Amen.

Your Turn: When you see injustice around you, do you take it to God in prayer? Are there other biblical ways to respond to injustice?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

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Our God Will Not Be Silent

27 Saturday Jul 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 50

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Tags

beauty, covenant, God, justice, Psalms, Righteousness, sacrifice, the LORD

I will praise the LORD!

Morning calm — Petrie Island — photo by David Kitz

Reading: Psalm 50:1-6

A psalm of Asaph.

The Mighty One, God, the LORD,
    speaks and summons the earth
    from the rising of the sun to where it sets.
From Zion, perfect in beauty,
    God shines forth.
Our God comes
    and will not be silent;
a fire devours before him,
    and around him a tempest rages.
He summons the heavens above,
    and the earth, that he may judge his people:
“Gather to me this consecrated people,
    who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”
And the heavens proclaim his righteousness,
    for he is a God of justice. *

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

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Why Are You Blaming God?

12 Wednesday Jun 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 9, Psalms

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blaming God, David, justice, praise, Prayer, Psalms, the LORD, the needy, trouble

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365

Reading: Psalm 9:11-20
Sing the praises of the LORD, enthroned in Zion;
    proclaim among the nations what he has done.
For he who avenges blood remembers;
    he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted.
LORD, see how my enemies persecute me!
    Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death,
that I may declare your praises in the gates of Daughter Zion,
    and there rejoice in your salvation.
The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug;
    their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.
The LORD is known by his acts of justice;
    the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.
The wicked go down to the realm of the dead, all the nations that forget God.
But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish.
Arise, LORD, do not let mortals triumph;
    let the nations be judged in your presence.
Strike them with terror, LORD;
    let the nations know they are only mortal (NIV). *

Early morning fog — photo by Louie Foster

Reflection
If only life was easy, if only life was just and fair! But it isn’t. Life is filled with struggles and difficulties. I’m not always treated fairly, nor are you. Here in this psalm David cries out, “LORD, see how my enemies persecute me!” You can sense the frustration in his voice. Though additional words are not recorded, David might have added, “This isn’t fair, LORD. You aren’t being fair!”

But David doesn’t say that. Instead, he assigns blame where blame is due. He blames his troubles on his enemies—his human oppressors—not on the LORD. By way of contrast, David has nothing but praise for the LORD. He declares, “Sing the praises of the LORD, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done.”

If the source of your affliction is human, why are you blaming God for it? We need to always keep this statement in mind. The LORD is known by his acts of justice. In this life we may not always see His justice prevail, but rest assured on that great final Day, He will prevail. Ultimately, His justice will be seen and known by all.

In times of trouble God is our source of help and strength. Human help may fail us. Friends may let us down. We can wrongly blame the LORD for our troubles, or we can run to Him for help. In all our troubles, we must keep this promise in mind: God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish (Psalm 9:18).

Response: LORD, in times of trouble, you are my help. I lay my troubles and my requests before you. I wait expectantly for you. I praise you for your goodness to me even in difficult times. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you been blaming God rather than thanking Him? Take some time to praise Him.

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.

* NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, COPYRIGHT ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA

Please pray for peace to return to Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine!

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Justice Psalm 7 Style

07 Friday Jun 2024

Posted by davidkitz in Psalm 7, Psalms

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cartoons, God, God's wrath, Jesus, justice, Psalm, reward, selfishness, the LORD, Wile E. Coyote and The Road Runner

Today’s Devotion from Psalms 365

Reading: Psalm 7:10-17
My shield is God Most High,
who saves the upright in heart.
God is a righteous judge,
a God who displays his wrath every day.
If he does not relent, he will sharpen his sword;
he will bend and string his bow.
He has prepared his deadly weapons;
he makes ready his flaming arrows.
Whoever is pregnant with evil
conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.
Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out
falls into the pit they have made.
The trouble they cause recoils on them;
their violence comes down on their own heads.
I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness;
I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High (NIV). *

judgement scale and gavel in judge office

Photo by Sora Shimazaki on Pexels.com

Reflection
Ah justice, sweet justice! When we take justice into our own hands, it always has a boomerang effect. I am reminded of Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner when I read these words from Psalm 7: Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made.

In those Saturday cartoons of my youth, poor Wile E. must have dug a hundred pits and he fell into them every time. Every clever scheme backfired catastrophically. The Roadrunner always escaped. To paraphrase the words of this psalm, the trouble Wile E. caused recoiled on him; his violence came down on his own head. Even now can you picture the anvil falling on the hapless coyote, as he lies in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the canyon? The cartoonist and the psalmist must have been reading from the same script!

Somehow, we often have the mistaken impression getting even works—that scoring points at the expense of our neighbor elevates us somehow. If snide sarcasm and putdowns elevate us, then it’s the kind of elevation we often see in cartoons. Our clever, cutting remarks run us out off the edge of a cliff, and like the cartoons, there we stand in the middle of thin air—the last one to realize we are heading down fast. That’s justice, sweet justice, Psalm 7 style.

If as this psalm states, God displays his wrath every day, it’s because we reap the reward of our sinful actions. In our selfishness, we harm instead of building up those around us. We try to pull ahead by pulling others down. It’s a strategy doomed to failure. It always backfires. God and the Roadrunner will see to that.

Response: Heavenly Father, today show me how I can build others up instead of tearing them down. I want to be more like you, Lord Jesus. You came to lift others. In my interactions today, help me do the same. Amen.

Your Turn: Have you encouraged someone lately with a positive word? Did that bring a reward?

Para la publicación de Salmos 365 de hoy en español haga clic aquí.