when it’s all a wash

Posted on February 23, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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when it’s all a wash

Psalm 46:1-3 (JDV)

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.
Psalm 46:2 Therefore we will not be afraid, even if the land trembles and the mountains topple into the depths of the seas,
Psalm 46:3 or if its water roars and foams and the mountains quake with its uproar. Selah

when it’s all a wash

Let’s stop at this Selah and think about this part of the psalm before going to the next.

These verses bring up the image of a great flood, shaking the mountains and tossing them into the depths of the sea.

If you have ever seen the power of rushing water, you get the idea. There are natural disasters that threaten us, and we wonder where we can go to escape. The answer is God. He is our refuge during such times of trouble.

Thank you, Lord, for being there when everything else washes away.

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forgetting our past

Posted on February 22, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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forgetting our past

Psalm 45:10-17 (JDV)

Psalm 45:10 Listen, daughter, focus and consider: forget your people and your father’s house,
Psalm 45:11 and the king will desire your beauty. Bow down to him, because he is your lord.
Psalm 45:12 The daughter of Tyre, the wealthy people, will seek your favor with gifts.
Psalm 45:13 In her chamber, the royal daughter is all glorious, her clothing embroidered with gold.
Psalm 45:14 In colorful garments she is led to the king; after her, the virgins, her companions, are brought to you.
Psalm 45:15 They are led in with gladness and celebrating; they enter the king’s palace.
Psalm 45:16 Your sons will succeed your ancestors; you will make them princes throughout the land.
Psalm 45:17 I will cause your name to be remembered for all generations; therefore the peoples will praise you permanently and always.

forgetting our past

These first words in the psalm are mostly addressed to the newly crowned king, praising him because God has blessed him with greatness. But these later verses are addressed to the king’s bride. She is advised to forget her people and her father’s house, because in place of her fathers shall be her sons. There is a lesson for those of us who are the bride of king Jesus as well. We need to let go of the baggage of the past, and concentrate on the joy that awaits us. Our future is what the marriage is all about.

LORD, help us to forget what is behind, and press on to the joy that awaits us.

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the best place to be

Posted on February 21, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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the best place to be

Psalm 45:8-9 (JDV)

Psalm 45:8 Myrrh, aloes, and cassia emit from all your garments; from ivory palaces harps bring you joy.
Psalm 45:9 Kings’ daughters are among your honored women; the queen, adorned with gold from Ophir, stands at your right hand.

the best place to be

The king’s glory was a common theme in the psalms, and the songs about him always hinted at the greater king to come.

Oh, to be in the presence of the king! To catch a whiff of his exotic fragrance — to hear the strumming of the strings as they play in his honor — it is the best place to be.

And the people you see! Do you see that queen, adorned in gold? And other kings’ daughters are there, just adding to the splendor of his presence. It is the best place to be.

Today, I want you to know that experience. My king in all his glory is coming. You don’t want to miss the thrill of being in his presence.

Come, Lord Jesus! Your presence is the best place to be.

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a permanent throne

Posted on February 20, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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a permanent throne

Psalm 45:6-7 (JDV)

Psalm 45:6 Your throne, God, is permanent and always; the scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of justice.
Psalm 45:7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you more with the oil of joy than he has your companions.

a permanent throne

God has no companions, no competitors. So, who is this God who gains the throne and is anointed by God with the oil of joy? It can only be his Christ, who is the true God and eternal life.

Lord, we bless your name this day, and thank you for the justice you are bringing to this universe by your permanent reign.

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good leaders

Posted on February 19, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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good leaders

Psalm 45:2-5 (JDV)

Psalm 45:2 You are more handsome than other sons of Adam; charm flows from your lips. That is why God has empowered you forever.

Psalm 45:3 Mighty warrior, strap your sword at your side. In your height and splendor –

Psalm 45:4 in your splendor ride triumphantly in the cause of truth, humility, and justice. May your right hand show your awe-inspiring acts.

Psalm 45:5 Your sharpened arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s enemies; the peoples fall under you.

good leaders

I’m looking at the leadership traits that are portrayed in this psalm about the king.

  • appearance – Good leaders are careful not to appear sloppy or shaggy.
  • words – Good leaders know what to say, and what not to say.
  • tools – Good leaders have skill with the instruments they need to get the job done.
  • bearing – Good leaders ride confidently into their calling.
  • passion – Good leaders care about things that matter, like truth, humility and justice.
  • conflict – Good leaders do not avoid conflict, but see it as a way to demonstrate that their calling is from God.

Lord, instill in us the qualities and attributes that make good leaders.

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bragging about the king

Posted on February 18, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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bragging about the king

Psalm 45:1 (JDV)

Psalm 45:11 My heart keeps moving to a good word as I recite my verses to a king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful scribe.

bragging about the king

It is not too hard to see how so many see this psalm as addressed to Christ. But I want to address this psalm from the standpoint of its original context. The sons of Korah are singing a song about their king, as part of their worship. As the anointed leader of their people, the king represented the special relationship with God and the model for his people in both the Davidic and Mosaic covenants. He was the example for both leaders and disciples.

When the Israelites had good things to say about their king, things just seemed better in the world.

I have two words of application for us today as we think about this psalm:

  • First, when was the last time you said something good about your leaders — in your job, in your school, in your government, in your church?
  • Secondly, — those of you who lead – when was the last time you gave someone a reason to say something good about you?

Lord, may we lead with such integrity that people are forced to brag about us.
[1] Superscription: For the choir director: according to “The Lilies.” A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A love song.

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we get frantic, he is faithful

Posted on February 17, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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we get frantic, he is faithful

Psalm 44:23-26 (JDV)

Psalm 44:23 Wake yourself up, Lord! Why are you sleeping? Get up! Don’t reject us forever!

Psalm 44:24 Why are you hiding and forgetting our misery and oppression?

Psalm 44:25 You see, we have sunk down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground.

Psalm 44:26 Get up! Help us! Redeem us because of your covenant faithfulness.

we get frantic, he is faithful

There was an incident in the life of Jesus and his disciples that parallels this psalm. Jesus had gone to sleep in a boat, and a storm came up. His disciples became frantic, and screamed for Jesus to wake up, get up and help them.

The sons of Korah sounded pretty frantic here too. They were deep in the middle of a national tragedy, and the Lord seemed to them to be asleep in the boat. They were experiencing misery and oppression, and were down for the count. But that was not the basis of their prayer. They called on God to redeem them not because of their plight, but because of his “covenant faithfulness.”

Lord, we know you are not sleeping, nor are you hiding. Rescue us today because you are faithful to your covenant.

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scapesheep

Posted on February 16, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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scapesheep

Psalm 44:20-22 (JDV)

Psalm 44:20 If we had forgotten the name of our God and spread out our hands to a foreign god,

Psalm 44:21 wouldn’t God have spied this out, since he knows the hidden thoughts of the heart?

Psalm 44:22 Because of you we are being put to death all day long; we are counted like sheep to be slaughtered.

scapesheep

The most unfair thing I can think of is to be put to death for someone else’s crimes. That’s how the psalmist feels here. He feels like his whole nation has become the scapegoat for someone else’s sins.

He says they are counted like sheep to be slaughtered.

Generally, sheep don’t do anything wrong to deserve slaughtering. The only thing they are guilty of is being sheep. Their owners feel sad on harvest day, but they don’t stop gathering the sheep to take to the processing plant. That’s what the sheep are for.

When I was on a burning ship a few years ago – a potential unintended victim of a terrorist bombing – I knew I didn’t deserve to be killed. But there was no way I was going to turn my back on God. He was my only hope of rescue. And he did rescue me.

The sons of Korah were deeply committed to God, but they were going through a time of terrible tragedy. If you feel like you are being unfairly punished, you are in good company.

Lord, you are our only hope of rescue.

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when God is being unfair

Posted on February 15, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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when God is being unfair

Psalm 44:17-19 (JDV)

Psalm 44:17 All this has happened to us, but we have not forgotten you or betrayed your covenant.

Psalm 44:18 Our hearts have not turned back; our tracks have not strayed from your path.

Psalm 44:19 But you have crushed us in a haunt of jackals and have covered us with deepest darkness.

when God is being unfair

If what the psalmist says here were literally true, then God would be truly unfair, visiting judgment on the innocent. But this is poetry. The psalmist is describing how he feels.

All of us go through times when we feel like God is being unfair to us. He doesn’t want us to bail on him and blame him for our problems. But he doesn’t mind it if we tell him how we are feeling. He’s a big God, and he can take it.

Lord, we choose to trust you, even though there are times when we do not feel like trusting you.

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gun control 3

Posted on February 14, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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gun control 3

Psalm 44:9-16 (JDV)

Psalm 44:9 You have even rejected and disgraced us; you do not march out with our armies.

Psalm 44:10 You make us retreat from the adversary, and those who hate us have taken plunder for themselves.

Psalm 44:11 You hand us over to be eaten like sheep and scatter us among the nations.

Psalm 44:12 You sell your people for nothing; you make no profit from selling them.

Psalm 44:13 You make us an object of reproach to our neighbors, a source of mockery and ridicule to those around us.

Psalm 44:14 You make us a joke among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples.

Psalm 44:15 My disgrace is before me all day long, and shame has covered my face,

Psalm 44:16 because of the taunts of the scorner and reviler, because of the hostile one and the one taking his vengeance.

gun control 3

I have been looking at this psalm and thinking about the current debate over government control of gun use. There are lots of opinions floating around on the issue, and lots of evidence on either side. But what I am looking for is a biblical perspective.

In the previous sections, all the sons of Korah talked about was the past victories God had brought them through. The focus was on the fact that although their fathers had used swords and bows, they recognized that God was the source of their victory.

This section of psalm 44 takes a different turn than the first two. The focus is not on past victories but current shame and disgrace. God gets the credit for that too. They say the Lord has handed them over to violence and oppression, and made them a laughingstock to the other nations.

The issue of national pride comes into the discussion over gun control. Many feel that the right to bear arms is one of the fundamental principles that has made America a great nation. Many others are ashamed of what they see as idolatry – trust in weapons no matter how dangerous. They want to see America as great, but feel ashamed that such a great nation cannot even discipline itself to protect its citizens from gun violence.

Both sides of the gun control debate feel the shame, and the Christians who hold those views wonder why God has abandoned them to this plight.

Lord, help us to trust you and make wise choices, in spite of the shame we feel.

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