It took me awhile to get on the same page with this Psalm. Here's what I got.
It hurts when someone says one thing and does the opposite. There's a feeling of betrayal mixed with a sense of disrespect. Did the person think I couldn't handle the truth? Did they think I was too stupid to figure out what's going on here? I remember working on web design and development, when one of the managers told me she wanted a girl to help me out. It sounded good, but when I talked to the girl she didn't understand anything about it. She barely knew how to turn on a PC. This wasn't help, it was a serious problem. I'd never make my deadlines. I wondered if they thought what I did was so simple anyone could do it. In reality, it took hours to put together a working web application. It was anything but simple. I much prefer having fun as to pouting, so I went to my manager and explained. The idea was stopped.
Psalms 120
In this Psalm the author is frustrated by what men tell him, and then what they actually do. I had to wonder if they were trying to please the author and keep him quiet. He wasn't fooled and went to his manager, God. He asks to have his soul delivered. God does heal us when we are told a lie. He loves us very much.
1 In my distress I cried to the Lord,
And He heard me.
2 Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips
And from a deceitful tongue.
Ouch! He's got some nasty plans for these guys. But these were the result of war in this time period- instead of peace.
3 What shall be given to you,
Or what shall be done to you,
You false tongue?
4 Sharp arrows of the warrior,
With coals of the broom tree!
Meshech and Kedar refer to foreign places. The author of this Psalm feels like he's in a foreign country- no one understands what he is saying. I can relate to that!
5 Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech,
That I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
6 My soul has dwelt too long
With one who hates peace.
7 I am for peace;
But when I speak, they are for war.
NKJV
This verse came to mind after I read this Psalm. Sometimes it seems more important to get the praise of men, than the praise of God. God's opinion of us always matters most. These verses are from the New Testament. Many of the rulers believed in Jesus, but were afraid of what the Pharisees would do. In my experience, I haven't missed out on anything worthwhile by following Him.
John 12:42-43
42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
NKJV
Today some still say Jesus isn't real. But that's a lie, a very sad lie. The inner love, joy and peace of knowing the Lord far outweighs the feeling of being cool once in awhile.
It hurts when someone says one thing and does the opposite. There's a feeling of betrayal mixed with a sense of disrespect. Did the person think I couldn't handle the truth? Did they think I was too stupid to figure out what's going on here? I remember working on web design and development, when one of the managers told me she wanted a girl to help me out. It sounded good, but when I talked to the girl she didn't understand anything about it. She barely knew how to turn on a PC. This wasn't help, it was a serious problem. I'd never make my deadlines. I wondered if they thought what I did was so simple anyone could do it. In reality, it took hours to put together a working web application. It was anything but simple. I much prefer having fun as to pouting, so I went to my manager and explained. The idea was stopped.
Psalms 120
In this Psalm the author is frustrated by what men tell him, and then what they actually do. I had to wonder if they were trying to please the author and keep him quiet. He wasn't fooled and went to his manager, God. He asks to have his soul delivered. God does heal us when we are told a lie. He loves us very much.
1 In my distress I cried to the Lord,
And He heard me.
2 Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips
And from a deceitful tongue.
Ouch! He's got some nasty plans for these guys. But these were the result of war in this time period- instead of peace.
3 What shall be given to you,
Or what shall be done to you,
You false tongue?
4 Sharp arrows of the warrior,
With coals of the broom tree!
Meshech and Kedar refer to foreign places. The author of this Psalm feels like he's in a foreign country- no one understands what he is saying. I can relate to that!
5 Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech,
That I dwell among the tents of Kedar!
6 My soul has dwelt too long
With one who hates peace.
7 I am for peace;
But when I speak, they are for war.
NKJV
This verse came to mind after I read this Psalm. Sometimes it seems more important to get the praise of men, than the praise of God. God's opinion of us always matters most. These verses are from the New Testament. Many of the rulers believed in Jesus, but were afraid of what the Pharisees would do. In my experience, I haven't missed out on anything worthwhile by following Him.
John 12:42-43
42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
NKJV
Today some still say Jesus isn't real. But that's a lie, a very sad lie. The inner love, joy and peace of knowing the Lord far outweighs the feeling of being cool once in awhile.
Yes. Funny, isn't it, how we weak vessels of clay usually prefer the blessings of men over those of our Savior. We become caught up in things of this world. Thanks for the reminder of the only thing that is important.
ReplyDeleteThanks Clint! God bless you.
ReplyDelete