afterwards

Posted on May 7, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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afterwards

Psalm 59:16-17 (JDV)

Psalm 59:16 But I will sing of your strength and will joyfully proclaim your covenant faithfulness in the morning, because you have been a stronghold for me, a refuge in my day of trouble.
Psalm 59:17 To you, my strength, I sing praises, because God is my stronghold – my faithful God.

afterwards

Days of trouble are not what distinguishes Christians from non-Christians. Both have days of trouble. Our Adversary the devil likes to taunt us when we experience those days of trouble. But everyone experiences them. The difference for the Christian is the mornings after the days of trouble. Peace reigns in our hearts during the days of trouble, and praising God for his faithful protection is what we do afterwards.

Lord, thank you for the afterwards.

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wild city dogs

Posted on May 6, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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wild city dogs

Psalm 59:14-15 (JDV)

Psalm 59:14 And they return at evening, in uproar like dogs and prowling around the city.
Psalm 59:15 They scavenge for food; they growl if they are not satisfied.

wild city dogs

I used to keep a box of rocks at my doorstep. When I lived in an Asian city, a pack of wild dogs would come barking, growling and causing uproar every night. I kept the rocks handy to discourage them from staying near my house and disturbing my sleep. It didn’t work so well, because I still had to get up to throw the rocks.

Apparently the psalmist knew about this problem, and he told God that his enemies were acting like wild city dogs.

Lord, keep our enemies away. Give us peace.

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examples, not victims

Posted on May 5, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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examples, not victims

Psalm 59:11-13 (JDV)

Psalm 59:11 Do not kill them; otherwise, my people will forget. By your power, make them homeless wanderers and bring them down, Lord, our shield.
Psalm 59:12 Due to the sin of their mouths and the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride. They utter curses and lies.
Psalm 59:13 Consume them in rage; consume them until they are gone. Then people will know throughout the land that God rules over Jacob. Selah

examples, not victims

David did not want God to kill his enemies. He wanted God to make them examples to the people. He wanted his enemies to get caught in their own pride, brought down, and consumed until they are gone. He was asking God to deal with them according to the covenant. He was essentially asking God to be faithful to his own threats.

That is all we need to ask as well. When we are threatened by adversaries or circumstances which we cannot control, all we need to do is ask God to turn our situation according to his purpose. He can neutralize the threat without us.

Thank you Lord for handling our problems today.

 

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laughing God

Posted on May 4, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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laughing God

Psalm 59:8-10 (JDV)

Psalm 59:8 But you laugh at them, Yahveh; you ridicule all the nations.
Psalm 59:9 I will keep watch for you, my strength, because God is my stronghold.
Psalm 59:10 My faithful God will come to meet me; God will help me to look down on my adversaries.

laughing God

What we consider cry-able, God considers laughable. He has a different perspective on the dangers that are very real to us. What we need to keep in mind is that our God is just as real as the dangers we face. In fact, he is even more real because he will outlast them all.

Lord, we come to you because you are greater than what threatens us.

 

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who is listening

Posted on May 3, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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Psalm 59:6-7 (JDV)

Psalm 59:6 They return at evening, in uproar like dogs and prowling around the city.
Psalm 59:7 Notice, they spew from their mouths – sharp words from their lips. “Because who,” they say, “is listening?”

David’s enemies thought they could say what they wanted to say to tear him down and seek his destruction because no one was listening — nobody cared. They could not be more wrong. God cares, and he is always listening.

The tongue can tear a heart out. Watch what you say because it can destroy others. Even when they do not appear to have meant anything, your words can dig deep inside and hurt and unsettle the ones you speak to. And your judge is listening.

Lord, give us wisdom to avoid hurtful words.

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not my fault

Posted on May 2, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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not my fault

Psalm 59:3-5 (JDV)

Psalm 59:3 Because notice, Yahveh, they have set an ambush for me. Powerful men attack me, but not because of any failure or rebellion of mine.
Psalm 59:4 For no fault of mine, they run and take up a position. Awake to help me, and take notice.
Psalm 59:5 You, Yahveh God of Armies, are the God of Israel. Rise up to punish all the nations; do not show favor to any wicked traitors. Selah

not my fault

David would know failure and guilt and shame, but he also had times like this, when he did all the right things, and still experienced crisis and threat of death.

Likewise, we believers in Christ will have crisis moments, not tied to any sin or rebellion on our part, but simply because we are in Christ. These are times that test the quality of our commitment. In such times, we need only stretch out our hands and take hold of the lifeline Christ has prepared for us. He knows what it is like to suffer though innocent.

Lord, rescue us from the plans of the enemy.

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crisis moments

Posted on May 1, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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crisis moments

Psalm 59:1-2 (JDV)

Psalm 59:1 Rescue me from my enemies, my God; protect me from those who rise up against me.
Psalm 59:2 Rescue me from those who practice failure, and save me from men of bloodshed.

crisis moments

I generally don’t remember events in detail, but there is an exception. I remember crisis moments where my life was in danger, or I had a feeling of immanent danger. When I was overseas as a missionary, I remember a night when I felt rebels were going to invade my house and take me and my family hostage. I remember the sights and sounds, and the fears.

David was having one of those crisis moments. His prayer for rescue from people with bloodshed on their minds was not hyperbole. He was literally in danger, and only God could rescue him.

If you have never had such a crisis moment, I can’t say that you are fortunate. Our kingdom faith is empowered by such moments, because in them we learn to rely upon God for our rescue. Also, the more we take a stand for God, the more we can expect to be tested to measure the quality of that commitment.

Lord, prepare us for life’s crisis moments, by teaching us to trust you every moment.

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a watched pot

Posted on April 30, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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a watched pot

Psalm 58:9-11 (JDV)

Psalm 58:9 Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns – whether green or burning – he will sweep them away.
Psalm 58:10 The righteous one will rejoice when he sees the retribution; he will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
Psalm 58:11 Then people will say, “Yes, there is a reward for the righteous! There is a God who judges in the land!”

a watched pot

The saying goes “a watched pot never boils” suggesting that if you are anticipating or waiting for something it will not happen.  Apparently the psalmist does not subscribe to that proverb. He anticipates the retribution of God against his enemies. He is waiting to see what God does in response to his prayer. Now, we might say that the prayer sounds vindictive and cruel. Who really wants to wash his feet in his enemies’ blood? But, the fact is, when our enemies are God’s enemies, seeking not only our death but the downfall of the gospel, their fate is already sealed. Waiting for the destruction of God’s enemies is part of waiting for God’s ultimate will to happen.

In the mean time, some of those enemies are marked for forgiveness and restoration. We need the courage to keep preaching the gospel to them.

Lord, we trust you to right all wrongs, and to punish all your enemies with the wages of their sin: death. But give us the courage to keep preaching the gospel to bring even them to salvation.watch the video

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making the water flow by

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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making the water flow by

Psalm 58:6-8 (JDV)

Psalm 58:6 God, knock the teeth out of their mouths; Yahveh, tear out the young lions’ fangs.
Psalm 58:7 May they disappear like water that flows by; may they aim their blunted arrows.
Psalm 58:8 Like a slug that moves along in slime, like a woman’s miscarried child, may they not see the sun.

making the water flow by

I have seen a lot of water flow by in all the streams I have hiked by and all the great rivers I have enjoyed. I can imagine it has been millions of gallons that I personally have watched flow by me over my lifetime.

The psalmist is admitting that he faces dangerous enemies and troubling times. But he is asking God to make those enemies disappear like water that flows by. He knows they will aim their arrows, but he is asking God to make them miss their mark.

Each day, we get up and face a dangerous world, full of things that might happen. It would not be inappropriate for us to pray a prayer like this, asking God to keep the adversary from succeeding in his plots to overcome us and our testimony.

Lord, make the water flow on by today.

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deaf cobra

Posted on April 28, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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deaf cobra

Psalm 58:3-5 (JDV)

Psalm 58:3 The wicked go astray from the womb; liars wander about from birth.
Psalm 58:4 They have venom like the venom of a snake, like the deaf cobra who stops up his ears,
Psalm 58:5 who does not listen to the sound of the charmers who skillfully weave spells.

deaf cobra

Cobras are deaf to ambient noises, and rely on ground vibrations instead. As such, they are a good illustration of the kind of people the psalmist is talking about. They don’t seem to have the conscience filter that average people are born with.

Lord, give us a sensitivity to right and wrong so that we can lead others to you without hypocrisy.

 

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