WEEKEND LITURGY
Pray for the Persecuted Church
Spend some time praying for Christians who live in lands where the “scepter of wickedness” (Psalm 125) rests upon them. There are many nations and lands to pray for, but consider starting by praying for the Chinese Church and sign up to receive prayer prompts from our partner ministry, China Partnership.
Word
Read Psalm 55
2nd Reading: Psalm 56
(Psalm 55:14) “We used to take sweet counsel together; within God’s house we walked in the throng.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi: “You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you.”
David begins this psalm by describing the great turmoil he is facing. He cries out for God to hear him (vs 1) and to attend to him (vs 2). He needs God’s help desperately. Why? Because of the noise, and oppression of the wicked enemy (vs 3). This is similar to other psalms we have looked at (see Psalms 28, 31, 35, 43). David then describes how he is feeling. His heart is in anguish, horror has overwhelmed him. He wishes he has wings to fly away. This is so gritty and raw. While reading this I thought of times in my life that I have been devastated and felt very much like David is describing. Have you ever felt that way? Fear, trembling and horror at your situation is overpowering, and you just want to run away and hide from all that is distressing you.
David responds to his desire to fly away with another call to God to destroy. He is angry at how the wicked prosper and is calling upon God to take care of things; to clean house. Interestingly, he calls for God to “divide their tongues”. This may seem like a strange judgment to call on the wicked. It harkens back to the judgment God pronounced at the Tower of Babel. He wondrously changed the languages of all the inhabitants of earth so they could no longer efficiently build this great idolatrous tower. David is asking God to show his power in miraculous ways again to destroy his enemies.
Unfortunately, things get worse for David before they get better. Like the twist in a good thriller movie, we find out that David’s close friend has betrayed him (verse 13). Not just any close friend, but one who worshiped God with him (verse 14). How gut-wrenching is that? It reminds me of how Anakin, a fellow Jedi and close friend, betrayed Obi-Wan. But we also have another, greater example of betrayal in the Bible. All four gospels describe how Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ twelve close disciples, betrayed Jesus that first Maundy Thursday. He was with Jesus all the time, worshiping God with him, observing the miracles he performed, even having explanations of Jesus cryptic parables so he might understand more fully the kingdom of God. This same disciple betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin after partaking of the Passover with Him.
David returns again to calling on God, but this time he is crying for salvation. Evening, Morning and at noon he utters his complaint and moans (verse 17). This doesn’t seem like the eloquent petitions of the great king, but the sort of cries a child might give to their parents. God doesn’t need us to be eloquent when we cry out to him. He wants us to turn to Him all the time and even desires our moaning and complaining. God will give ear, he says in verse 19. In the same way, we should be quick to turn to God. He is the source of our salvation, and only He can sustain us (vs 22).
(David Bacon)