Envy of the Wicked

Psalm 73
Introduction

            I learned to golf by doing it. Because no one taught me, I learned some bad habits and although I had some good games, I also had a lot of problems. Then a fellow came into our life who was a golf pro. I went golfing with him and he began to teach me to golf properly. His first comment was, "You're going to be a long term project." However, as I learned from him, I began to change some things. Unfortunately my game got even worse because I wasn't used to doing what he was trying to teach me. Eventually, however, I began to improve and although I still don't golf well, there are some problems I used to have that don't show up nearly as often any more.

            This kind of thing can happen in many areas of life. I know several women who grew up in the city. Then  met and married farmers and they had to learn a whole new way of living and it wasn't easy at first. Whenever a computer program is updated, it is so frustrating to try to learn the new system and until you learn the new system you are inefficient.

            One writer has written about this as moving from orientation – the way we are used to; to disorientation – a place where our normal is destroyed; to re-orientation where we learn to live with the new realities.

            Psalm 73 presents this process in one of the most profound areas of life – our faith in God in light of the prosperity of the wicked. As we examine these ideas, we will be challenged to grow deeper in our faith life. The process of such growth can be uncomfortable and potentially even destructive, but when we arrive at re-orientation, we will discover that we have gotten to a deeper place and we have grown closer to God.

I.     Can You Believe It?

A.   Good People Are Blessed!

            A common way of understanding life is that good people are blessed by God. Our life is oriented to this perspective which is expressed in verse 1. "Truly God is good to the upright, to those who are pure in heart." 

            We believe this statement because it seems just. It seems right that those who are good should have good things happen to them. We even encourage one another to righteous living because we believe this statement. It is the motivation to doing what is good and to living upright lives.

            The Bible supports this orientation in Psalm 1 where there is a very clear and direct statement that the righteous are like a tree of life and will live well and prosper. In that Psalm we also learn that the wicked are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

            There are many examples of how this works in life. The person who lives a life of violence is most likely to die violently. The person who is kind to others will likely be treated kindly. The person who eats healthy foods and exercises, will likely live longer. According to cigarette packages, the person who smokes has a higher chance of dying of cancer.

            That is the formula to which we understanding of God is oriented and by which we live our life.

B.   But So Are Bad People??!!

            But there is a problem. The wicked aren't always blown away like chaff. That reality creates a significant disorientation as the Psalmist expresses in verse 2 where he says, "I had nearly slipped." It seems, he is really thrown for a loop by this observation.

            This wasn't just an intellectual disorientation for him either. He was envious of the wicked. He saw wicked people prosper and he wanted in. It caused him to almost give up his orientation to the Biblical truth he had understood. In verses 2-12 he describes the wicked and their life and how he is upset by this disorientation.

            In verses 6-9 he describes wicked people. There are many different degrees of wickedness. Some are decidedly evil and others are moderately evil. The words in these verses show the varied nature of their evil. We read that "pride is their necklace." They wear self sufficiency and arrogance as a prominent feature of their personality. Verse 6 also describes them as violent which we certainly see in the world of drug dealers but sadly also sometimes in the church, for all kinds of abuse can be found even among people who attend church. But not all of their evil is violent. Some of it is expressed in folly. It isn't difficult to recall the inanities of things we see on TV or the foolish decisions made by politicians and even judges. Mockery, opposition and threats against what is good and what is godly is not uncommon. All over the world Christians are being persecuted and belief in God is not the foundation of most people's lives. These are a few comments on the description of  the wicked. They reject God and godly living and live in all kinds of evil ways.

            What is most disturbing to the Psalmist and often to us is that evil as they are, they seem to be getting along just fine. Their life is not blown away like chaff, instead, they prosper, according to verse 3. They go through their whole life and aren't even sick. They don't experience pain. We expect that evil people will have all kinds of trouble, but they don't always. They are at ease, they are wealthy and they have it good.

            When we think about that, it troubles us. It doesn't seem fair. Bad people should suffer but life isn't always like that. People who do very bad things get along just great and we can think of all kinds of examples.

            Does it ever disturb you? Does it ever bring you to a place of disorientation? Does it make you wonder where God's Word is fulfilled and where God's justice is exercised?

            What is worse is that this disorientation causes us to be drawn to give up on the foundations. Look at verse 10. This verse indicates that people are attracted to these kind of people. We are tempted to come to the conclusion that if God is blessing evil people, what is the point of being good? Living in disobedience becomes attractive because it doesn't seem to matter. It seems that there is no clear and obvious connection between a persons actions and God's judgment on them. The conclusion we sometimes come to is to live as we please because obviously it doesn't matter.

            Verse 11 asks these questions, "How can God know?" Does God not see these things? Where is God's action against the wicked? The wicked come to the conclusion that their lifestyle can be lived with impunity and it seems that God is unaware! If that is so, it becomes even more attractive to live as we please because it takes God out of the picture. Elmer Martens says, "…such evil persons should have a hard lot in life. But no! They do not experience hurt; they are exempt from trouble such as comes to people generally. And this carefree life only increases their arrogance as if to say, 'We can’t be all bad.'”

C.   And…Good People Are Plagued??!!

            What increases the distress of this is that the opposite is also true. Not only do evil people have it good, but good people sometimes have a hard time.

            Verses 13, 14 describe the hardships of the holy life. One of the challenges of following God is that it involves us in a discipline of holiness. We strive to live in obedience to God. We try to do what is right all the time. This involves concentration. We need to be on guard all the time. Sometimes it involves giving up things we would enjoy in order to be faithful. That is no problem and it is worth doing if there is a reward for such discipline, but the disorientation which has just been described suggests that perhaps there is no reward. If evil people get along just fine, then what is the point of living in holiness?

            What makes things even worse is that good people are not exempt from trouble. If we are good, we expect that God will bless us all the time, but it doesn't seem to turn out that way. Sometimes it is one difficulty after another. What is the point of being good if it doesn't prevent us from having difficulties?

            On top of that, the correction of God is always with us. Instead of blessing us, sometimes it seems that God is correcting us and that correction is not always pleasant. So all things considered, Psalm 1 just doesn't seem to fit with our experience of life. What is the point? Why follow God? Why be good? Why strive so hard to be good?

II.  It's Tough To Change!

            This is a hard place to be. It is a place of significant disorientation. The ancient truths seem inadequate, in fact, they seem untrue.

            If we have given ourselves to following God, this disorientation is especially difficult. We have always believed that God rewards goodness, but when it becomes clear that he doesn't always, we are tempted to give up on all that we have set as the foundation of our life. However, it is hard to give up that which is and has been the foundation of your life.

            On top of that, we read in verse Psalm 73:15, "If I had said, “I will talk on in this way,” I would have been untrue to the circle of your children." Not only do we have to give up on what has been the foundation of our life, but by giving up we could also become a stumbling block to others.

            It is hard to give in to the disorientation, but intellectual honesty will not let us stay in the place of our former orientation.

            Have you ever been in this difficult place? Perhaps you are there now. The foundations that were a part of your life are no longer answering the questions you have. Yet you don't want to give up on all that your former way of thinking meant. Perhaps you hate the disorientation, but can't give in to it. Or perhaps you have given in to the disorientation but are uncertain about how to proceed.

III.          Getting It Together

            The Psalmist acknowledges the disorientation and how difficult it is, but in verse 17, he begins to moves towards re-orientation. How do we get to re-orientation?

            Reorientation happens not so much by a brilliant insight or logical sequences of thought, but rather in a place. The place of re-orientation is in the presence of God. You know how sometimes we try to solve a problem by talking to everyone except the person with whom we have a problem? We do the same thing when we doubt God, but we won't come to peace about this problem by going through all the logical arguments we can think of. We won't figure this problem out by ignoring it, nor will we figure it out by our own logical efforts. The way we will be able to figure it out is through worship.

            When Job wrestled with God about this very problem, the resolution came when God invited Job to consider all that God had done. In Job 38 and following there is a powerful and clear indication of God's creative power and wonder at all that He has done. When Job listened to all of these descriptions of God's greatness, he was humbled and realized that he had not seen things as they really were.

            The purpose of worship is to see God. When we see God, our thinking is brought back into line, not with the original orientation, but with a deeper vision of God and a greater understanding of who He is and how He works.

            One of the things that happens in this place is that we see things from a much broader perspective. If we only see the formula that the righteous prosper and the wicked are punished, we don't see the whole picture. When we understand, through worship, that God is the righteous, awesome, great and loving creator of the universe we return to a place of trust in God. We understand that God sees things from above, from a much different perspective. We also understand that God sees things from the perspective of eternity, and not just the perspective of what is happening today.

            One of those perspectives given in the verses that follow is that the wicked are not fairing nearly as well as they appear to be. Even if blessing lasts their whole life, the wicked are still in a dangerous place. From the perspective of God, we realize that "they will fall to ruin" and God is the one who will judge them. The problem with looking at things today is that we only see part of the picture. Worship allows us to see things from the perspective of eternity and in eternity, the wicked do not prosper.

            Today, as we look at the world, we see that the wicked are the leaders of the world. It is mostly people who do not believe in God who rule the nations. The values of those who reject God are the values understood by most people in the world. These values provide the understanding about life for most people in the world. But in the end, they are in actual fact a ghost. They have no real existence to them. They have no lasting substance. As we come into God's presence and bow before Him and understand His holiness and justice, we know that this world and all that is in it will be destroyed.

            So it is in worship that we are brought to re-orientation.

IV.         Staying Near To  God

            When we are re-oriented, we realize how foolish the temptations which occur in disorientation were. As the Psalmist enters God's presence and experiences a new understanding of things and learns to live in the new reality, he looks back at these thought processes and is filled with shame that he was so foolish. He is honest with God and says, "I was like a dumb animal before you. I didn't get it and I was stupid."

            With re-orientation comes a new way of living in  relationship with God.

A.   God's Nearness

            When we live through the time of disorientation, the temptation is to believe that God is absent and doesn't see what is actually going on in the world. Re-orientation allows us to live near to God.

            What a beautiful phrase in verse 23, "I am continually with you; you hold my right hand." God's presence allows us to have the assurance of a heart that has learned to live with all the conflicting realities of life. The intimacy of this verse is an encouragement that allows us to recognize that God is much nearer than we thought and the joy of living is to know His nearness.

B.   God's Guidance

            In disorientation the overwhelming thought is that God is blessing the wicked. But in the new way of thinking, the believer recognizes that God is the one who guides. With that understanding, we know that even if the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer, God is always present guiding us not only through life, but towards an eternity with Him that will be much better than anything we have ever experienced in life.

C.   Hope

            Disorientation causes us to focus on the riches of this world and we are tempted by them. How many of us have dreamt about how we would spend lottery winnings. Re-orientation brings us to the place where we can rejoice in the eternal honor of God's blessings to us. As we approach God with thankfulness and see Him and His goodness, we recognize that we have received so much more than we could ever imagine. God is good and His goodness gives us hope even in the midst of the greatest challenges of life.

D.   Priorities

            Disorientation give us a desire for earth's pleasures. When our heart is changed towards God once again in worship, we know that as Psalm 73:25 says, "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you." When we come to that place we place God as first in our life. Then heaven is our hope and on earth, God is our joy!

E.   Encouragement

            Disorientation results in discouragement and loss of hope. But God never leaves and is always present to encourage. Verse 26 says, "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." From Him we receive peace.

F.    Justice

            Martin Buber gives a very helpful perspective on justice when he says, "The state of the heart determines whether a man (or woman) lives in the truth, in which God's goodness is experienced, or in the semblance of truth, where the fact that it 'goes ill' with him (or her) is confused with the illusion that God is not good to him (or her)."

            The key component of disorientation was the feeling that things are not fair at all if the wicked prosper and the righteous have a hard time. When we go into God's presence in worship, we are reminded that God's justice is not absent. We are assured that those who reject God will be judged by Him. We once again have confidence that He is fair in all His dealings.

G.  Commitment

            When we are not understanding the way things are we are tempted to wander away and live as if the truth and reality of this earth is all the reality we need to concern ourselves with. When we once again see God, our thinking changes and we become impressed by what God does and commit ourselves to Him. Psalm 73:28, "But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, to tell of all your works."  

Conclusion

            Just as we avoid the dentist so we are often afraid to go to the place of disorientation. It is an uncomfortable place and we don't know what will happen there. This Psalm teaches us that we should not be afraid of disorientation because it is necessary in order for us to grow deeper. It is almost impossible to live in the orientation of life which is simplistic and shallow for it does not account for all the realities of life nor for all the realities of God. We need to allow for doubts about shallow truth in order to come to a deeper place. God will not abandon us if we go through this place.

            At the same time, when we are in the place of disorientation, God invites us into His presence in worship. It seems counterintuitive to go to God when we are doubting Him, but we must go there, not to have our original orientation affirmed, but to see more of God. That is why worship is so important. The more we understand God and see who He is, the more we will be able to see that the place of disorientation does not contain all truth. God will reveal Himself and His truth to those who come to Him in humility. He will lead us to a new place. Re-orientation does not come by thinking things through, but by being in God's presence.

            And so my encouragement is to rejoice in God and in His presence. He has done great things! He is amazing! Let us worship Him! Let us be encouraged and pursue nearness to God, for He wants to be near to us.

Singing The Blues

Psalm 88

Introduction

            I enjoy blues music. I don't know why I like it because it is actually quite sad music. When the African people came to America, they were brought over as slaves and they suffered greatly. They sang songs which expressed their suffering and they used the term "blues" to describe it. The term "blues" likely comes from a ceremony that West African cultures practiced. During times of death and mourning all of a person's garments would have been dyed blue. As far as I have been able to understand, that is the roots of blues music and the term "blues."

            As I said, it is very sad music. One song with the title, "Learnin' the Blues" includes the following words:

"When you feel your heart break - you're learnin' the blues

When you're at home alone, the blues will taunt you constantly

When you're out in a crowd, those blues will haunt your memory

The nights when you don't sleep - that whole night you're cryin.'"

            It isn't only the words that are sad, but also the very music itself. I've asked Jeremy to play a portion of a blues song, just to show how sad even the music is.

            Psalm 88 is identified as a song, but its content is profoundly sad. Perhaps we could say that it is the original blues song. Strangely enough, it is one of my favorite Psalms.

            We sometimes use the phrase, "I'm feeling kind of blue" to describe times when we are sad. Psalm 88, however, is much deeper than occasional sadness. I believe that it is a description of depression. Last Sunday we spoke about God as present in troubles and in looking at Psalm 91, we were encouraged by the hope that is always ours. Psalm 88 is much different and invites us to ask "Where is God?" at a time when things are very dark. Where is God when there seems to be no hope? Where is God when we are going through depression? Where is God when He seems totally absent? This is the theme of Psalm 88 and it speaks to a reality which some people find only too near to them.

I.     Singing the Blues!

            I would like to invite you into a place that most of us prefer not to go. Yet Psalm 88 is in the Bible and we need to think about it. So I invite you to take careful note of the expressions of suffering and sadness found in this Psalm.

A.   Anguish Expressed

            People have suggested various settings for this Psalm. Some suggest that it is written by someone who was suffering from a life threatening illness, others that it was written by someone who had been betrayed by close friends. The expressions of suffering in this Psalm are quite varied.

            There are descriptions in this Psalm of someone who is experiencing physical anguish. In verse 3, 4 he says, "my life draws near to Sheol. I am counted among those who go down to the Pit…" These words speak of someone whose life is in danger and who feels that he is near to death. Verse 15 has a similar description when it says, "Wretched and close to death from my youth up…" One of the most difficult experiences most people face is physical illness. When our body does not work well, we feel near to death. It can be a bad cold, a flu or a serious and debilitating illness which causes us to be in this situation and it is a difficult place to be.

            The writer also says, in verse 3, "my soul is full of trouble." In verse 7 we read, "you have overwhelmed me with all your waves." In verse 8 he says, "I am confined and cannot escape." In these and other statements, we sense that the writer feels as if he is drowning. Everywhere he looks there is trouble. He cannot see any way out. The trouble in these verses seems to be emotional trouble.

            Loneliness is also a part of this Psalm. In verse 8 we read, "You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them."  In verse 18 he says, "You have taken my companions and loved ones from me." 

            We also read of his spiritual anguish. He feels that God is against him. In verse 6 he writes, "You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths. In verse 14 he blames God. "Why, O LORD, do you reject me and hide your face from me?" Along with blaming God, much of the Psalm is also a struggle with the feeling that God doesn’t hear or answer prayer. He feels as if God has forgotten him or worse, deliberately rejected him. We read this in verse 14, "Why, O LORD, do you reject me and hide your face from me?" When he feels that he is separated from God, he also feels as if he is experiencing the wrath of God. He expresses this in verse 7, "Your wrath lies heavily upon me."

B.   Depression

            Although we see all of these expressions of anguish, I believe that when all of them are taken together it is a description of depression. As I have spoken with people suffering from depression, they tell me that this Psalm has connected with them. Charles Spurgeon who was a great preacher and teacher and has written many commentaries on the Bible suffered from bouts of depression. As I read his comments on this Psalm, it seems to me that he understood this Psalm to be descriptive of depression.

            The Canadian Mental Health Association website describes depression saying, "Someone experiencing depression is grappling with feelings of severe despair over an extended period of time." That certainly seems to be what is expressed in this Psalm.

            The Helpguide.org website identifies a number of signs and symptoms of depression. Clearly I am not a psychologist, but it seems to me that many are expressed in this Psalm.

1. Feelings  of helplessness and hopelessness. The feeling that nothing will ever get better and there's nothing you can do to improve your situation.

            Psalm 88:3a, "For my soul is full of troubles…" = hopelessness

            Psalm 88:4b, "I am like those who have no help…" = helplessness

            Psalm 88:8b, "…I am shut in so that I cannot escape…" = nothing will ever get better.

2. Loss of interest in daily activities and the loss of ability to feel joy and pleasure.

            Psalm 88:9a, "…my eye grows dim through sorrow…"

3. Sleep changes including waking in the early hours of the morning seem to be expressed in the fact that in verses 1, 9 and 13, the writer speaks about being awake at night, in the day and in the morning.

4. Feeling agitated, restless, or even violent. Your tolerance level is low, your temper short, and everything and everyone gets on your nerves.

            Psalm 88:7b, "…you overwhelm me with all your waves." = feeling agitated.

            Psalm 88:8b, "…I am shut in so that I cannot escape…" = restlessness.

5. Loss of energy so that even small tasks are exhausting or take longer to complete.

            Psalm 88:16 & 17. "Your wrath has swept over me; your dread assaults destroy me. They surround me like a flood all day long; from all sides they close in on me."

6. Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt. You harshly criticize yourself for perceived faults and mistakes. These feelings are frequently expressed by the Psalmist especially as feelings that God has abandoned him.

            Psalm 88:14 - "O LORD, why do you cast me off? Why do you hide your face from me?"

            Psalm 88:15 - "Wretched and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am desperate."

7. Thoughts of death or suicide.

            Psalm 88:3b - "…my life draws near to Sheol."

            Psalm 88:5 - "like those forsaken among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, for they are cut off from your hand."

            Psalm 88:15 - "Wretched and close to death from my youth up, I suffer your terrors; I am desperate."

            Spurgeon comments, “Death would be welcomed as a relief by those whose depressed spirits make their existence a living death.”

8. The feeling that there is no “light at the end of the tunnel.”

            Psalm 88:18 – (NIV), "the darkness is my closest friend."

            There are other symptoms of depression and the Psalm does not express all of them. If one or two of the symptoms were expressed, we might just consider this a sad Psalm, but when so many symptoms are expressed, I believe that this Psalm is written by someone who was in the midst of depression. Although there are many aspects of trial and difficulty expressed in this Psalm, I believe that depression is prominent.

II.  What Hope Is There?

            The most powerful thing we notice about this Psalm is that it never resolves. There is no expression of what God has done. There is no declaration that this is what the writer experienced, but now he has come through it and everything is OK. The final word in the Psalm is "darkness." The Psalm leaves us in the dark valley of despair.

            There are times when people are in this place and the question is, "Where is God in this place?" Why is such a Psalm in the Bible? Are we not to live a victorious Christian life? How can we be expected to live a victorious Christian life if Psalm 88 allows for us to be in the darkness?

            The Psalm leaves us in a dark place, but it does not leave us without hope. There are some very important and profound things we must notice about this Psalm.

A.   God Knows

            One of the most powerful things about this Psalm is that it is there. It is in the Bible and it is in the Bible as an unresolved Psalm. There are writers who suggest that it could not have ended as it does. They suggest that part of it must have been lost. I do not believe so. I believe that this Psalm is in Scripture because God wants it there. I believe that it is an important word of God that tells us that God knows. The presence of this Psalm in the Bible tells us that when we are in depression or any other dark and difficult place God is completely aware of it. Just the fact that this Psalm is in the Bible assures us that God understands that place because His word speaks about it.

            If you are experiencing depression, this Psalm tells you that God knows about it and understands just what you are feeling.

B.   Jesus Knows

            Some writers have drawn a comparison between Psalm 88 and Psalm 22. There are certainly points of contact between the two Psalms. Psalm 22:1, 2 says, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest." In Psalm 88:14 the same note of forsakenness appears when the writer says, "O LORD, why do you cast me off? Why do you hide your face from me?"

            Psalm 22 is recognized as speaking about the Messiah. These are the words that Jesus quoted in Matthew 27:46 when he was crucified. These words are the culmination of what is spoken about Jesus in Isaiah 53:3, "He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account." The words of Jesus expressed in the Garden of Gethsemane are also powerful words of His being in a dark place. We read in Matthew 26:37, 38, He… began to be grieved and agitated. Then he said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death...”"

            Since Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, we know that Jesus also understands. When we are in the deepest, darkest pit, God's Son, Jesus Christ knows what that place is like. He also is "acquainted with grief" and understands our suffering. The presence of these things in Scripture assure us that there is someone who knows what our burdens are like.

C.   Do We Understand?

            The question is, "Do we understand?"

            Dan Glazer wrote in Christianity Today in March 2009, "Studies of religious groups, from Orthodox Jews to evangelical Christians, reveal no evidence that the frequency of depression varies across religious groups or between those who attend religious services and those who do not. So in a typical congregation of 200 adults, 50 attendees will experience depression at some point, and at least 30 are currently taking antidepressants."

            But do we, particularly those who have never experienced depression, understand this. Our temptation is to encourage people to get over it. Our temptation is to think that something is spiritually wrong with them. Our temptation is to not understand the depth of emotional and spiritual anguish which some people experience. If God speaks clearly and understandingly about depression and if he does not speak, at least in this Psalm, about "everything being OK" then shouldn't we also seek to understand?

            Brueggemann is right when he writes, “Psalm 88 stands as a mark of realism of biblical faith. It has a pastoral use, because there are situations in which easy, cheap talk of resolution must be avoided”

            Instead of encouraging people to "get over it" or offering solutions to fix them, we need to learn from what God does. We need to listen and to stand with people who are in the depth of despair and to learn what it means to love in this place. We need to keep people who are suffering depression before the throne of grace because often in that place their feeling of abandonment by God leaves them unable to pray and we need to pray for them.

III.          How Does A Christian Live With That?

            As we have already noted, the Psalm comes to no resolution. But that does not mean that it is a faithless Psalm. The Psalm contains an important lesson for those who are in depression or any difficult situation.

A.   Prayer

            In the very first verse we notice that the writer lives his depression in the presence of God, in prayer. Notice that all of the expressions of difficulty and despair are expressed to God. Psalm 88:1, 2, 9 and 13 are all prayers. He prays, "O LORD, God of my salvation, when, at night, I cry out in your presence, let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry…Every day I call on you, O LORD; I spread out my hands to you…But I, O LORD, cry out to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you."

            Notice also that the prayer is expressed not as a laundered declaration of faith, but as a "cry." The person praying is desperate and feeling hopeless, and in that place, cries out to God.

            Even though he feels abandoned, he still expresses his feelings and experiences to God. He may not always feel it, but he continues to hold on to the hope that God is his salvation.

            What a powerful encouragement to keep on praying even if it feels like the ceiling is made of brass and no answer is forthcoming. It is a word of direction for those in depression and encourages them to keep on talking to God, to keep the conversation going.

B.   Honesty

            In the prayer that the Psalmist expresses, we also see that it is an honest prayer. Particularly in verses 14-18, we notice how he blames God and tells Him exactly how he feels. We read, "O LORD, why do you cast me off? Why do you hide your face from me? …I suffer your terrors…Your wrath has swept over me; your dread assaults destroy me…They surround me like a flood all day long; from all sides they close in on me…You have caused friend and neighbor to shun me…."

            God does not chastise him for such honest language. His prayer is not made pretty for the purpose of public presentation. His prayer is raw and honest and expresses exactly what is going on in his heart. The fact that this also is written in Scripture, encourages us that we can be honest with God. We can tell him how we feel. We can express our hopelessness to Him. God accepts our honesty as long as we keep talking to Him. This is faith.

Conclusion

            In this Psalm the writer is singing the blues in the deepest sense of the word.

            One writer has described this Psalm in terms of the Easter experience. Friday is the time of crisis, the time of loss and the death of hope; Sunday is the time of surprise, celebration and restoration of hope but Saturday is the time of, confusion, the silence of God, and the time of hopelessness. We don't like to linger on "Saturday" but Psalm 88 reminds us that some people live on Saturday. Living on Saturday is hard. Joy is absent and hope is hard to come by.

            What do we do with Saturday? God has put Psalm 88 in the Bible to show us that he knows that sometimes we live in this place.

            Faith is not only having the certainty that there is always a resolution to every problem. Sometimes faith is living in God's presence when there doesn't seem to be a resolution. This Psalm invites us to that kind of faith.

            It invites the person suffering depression to keep the conversation with God going.

            It invites the person not suffering depression to be gracious and loving because God is gracious and loving.

            It is OK to sing the blues and to do so before our Father in heaven, who loves us!

God Our Refuge

Psalm 91

Introduction

            I can't remember exactly which commercial it was, but I remember laughing out loud because it was so unbelievable. Now I have to admit that I am a skeptic when it comes to most commercials. I often think that they make promises which I am quite sure they can't keep.

            We have just read Psalm 91 which promises, according to verse 12, that the person who follows God won't even stub their toe. I am quite sure that even the most faithful followers of God sometimes stub their toe. At a meeting not too long ago, someone read this Psalm as a word of encouragement during the opening. After it was read, we had an opportunity to respond and someone asked the question, "Is this to be taken literally?" This is the word of God, so we don't even want to ask that question, but as we read it we can't help recognizing that certain phrases in this Psalm don't seem, to line up with our life. Is this Psalm like commercials – interesting, but not real? How do we read the promises made in this Psalm?

            To help us think about this, I have asked Kristen, our daughter, to share with you her story.

I.     Kristen's Story

Psalm 91

 

“If you’ll hold on to me for dear life,” says God, “I’ll get you out of any trouble.  I’ll give you the best of care if you’ll only get to know and trust me.

Call me and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times; I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party.  I’ll give you a long life; give you a long drink of salvation!” (Psalm 91: 14 – 16  The Message)

 

So what the exactly does that mean? Does it mean that we’ll never suffer?  Never be in pain?  Never come to any harm at all?  We know that God can always protect everyone.  We know that He has sometimes protected many. We know that He will often protect some.  We also know that God is sovereign and wise, not always choosing to do all of that which He is able to do.

 

As I think back on my life, I see very clear examples of times when there was trouble, and when God was there with me through it.  I would like to share with you a part of my life.  It’s not necessarily a pretty part, or an easy thing to share.  But I truly believe that God has been urging me to share my life…to show the areas where He can be so clearly seen…especially through the times of trouble….to use my life to encourage others, and to show God’s incredibly glory.  So here we go!

 

My life growing up was in many ways idyllic.  My parents loved each other and they cared deeply for me and my two brothers.  I was the middle child, and the only girl.  When I was born, my dad was so stoked that he ran up and down the hospital hallways telling anyone who would listen that he had a baby girl.  I was loved.

 

We grew up in a small town called Cartwright.  Now, I’m talking small…like a few hundred people small.  My dad was the pastor of a nearby church.  I grew up loving God, and LOVING people.  I would spend lots of time visiting all of my neighbours.  Like the neighbour who lived behind our house…Mrs. Thompson and her dog Ruffles.  She was probably around 70 years old, and I would go and sit in her kitchen and chat with her for as long as she’d listen.  I was very social and loved to be around people.

 

We were not rich growing up….we had everything we needed, but we didn’t have all the latest toys.  Instead, my dad made us a lot of toys….a play kitchen…a toy box, a wooden train…a marble roller…lots of fun.  But there was one neighbour that had toys….get this….FROM THE STORE.  Barbies and Barbie houses and Barbie pools….  Everything a little girl of 5 years old could want.  I spent quite a bit of time over there playing. 

 

Things unfortunately didn’t go as I had expected.  Over time, this person abused my sweetness…stole it from me.  Without going into all sorts of details…this person abused me over a span of time.  Nobody knew…if I told anyone, I might not get to play with the cool toys anymore.  And I might get that person in trouble.  And even worse, I might get in trouble and would probably disappoint my parents.  These are all very scary consequences for a 5 year old.  I don’t believe I knew how wrong it was at the time, but it absolutely changed me.  It affected my little character.

 

I can’t exactly remember time frames etc., but I know that it for sure ended when we moved to Manitou when I was going into Grade 3.  Now, the brain is a fascinating thing.  I managed to shove all that trauma into a little box and tuck it away.  I didn’t remember it for many years and had a great time growing up in Manitou.  It was another small town…around 900 people, but bigger than Cartwright. 

 

When I was around 11 years old, I had a dream.  I believe that God has been speaking to me in dreams for most of my life.  It’s probably because that’s the only time that I’m quiet enough to listen.  I’d like to tell you about this dream.

 

I had a great friend growing up in Manitou named Sherri.  In the dream, Sherri and I were living in a house in BC.  This house was beautiful…it overlooked the mountains and there was a small stream wending it’s way along the bottom.  There were tons of glass windows.  I remember that Sherri and I were going to be throwing a big party that we were extremely excited about.  I remember sitting on Jesus lap…now, you remember sitting on your parent’s lap as a child, and how there was always enough room.  Have you tried it recently?  Not so good…always falling off….just not comfy.  Jesus lap was comfy.  It was big enough and I felt complete peace.  I told Jesus that I was scared, because I thought that Satan was coming to get me, and I didn’t know what to do about it.  Jesus told me that all I had to do was tell Satan that in Jesus name, he was to leave.  And then I had to shoot him with a bazooka….yes.  It’s still a dream.  So the party started and everyone is having a great time.  That’s when I notice Satan.  He’s all red and I notice something shiny that he’s holding behind his back.  It’s a knife.  He’s coming to get me…he’s going to kill me and take me away.  I’m yelling at him to get out of here.  To leave me alone.  He’s not leaving…he just keeps getting closer and closer….I’m terrified now.  That’s when I remember the bazooka.  I scream at him to get out of my house in Jesus name…then I pull the bazooka out of my pocket (obviously) and shoot him.  He turns into a big fiery ball, smashes out the window and is gone.

 

I’m sitting on Jesus lap again, and I’m crying.  I’m telling Jesus that that was so scary and that I never want to have that happen again.  I beg Jesus to stay with me…because I know that I’m safe with Jesus.  Jesus tells me that he has to go now, but that he’ll always be there for me.  No matter what happens in the future…he will never leave me.

 

That’s when I wake up.  Sweating, and crying and so terrified, and yet so comforted by Jesus presence.  I don’t believe that I have a memory in my whole life that is as clear as that dream.  I can remember the smells, the feel of lying on Jesus lap, how bright white Jesus was, how terrified I was.  It is as vivid as if it just happened today.  I have no other memory like this…including things that actually happened and weren’t just a dream.

 

It was shortly after this that I was given another dream.  This one, not quite so fun.  I suppose it was more of a nightmare than a dream.  It happened when I was around 12 years old.  Again, I woke up sweating and scared and crying and just plain old petrified.  This dream was more than just a dream…it was reality.  It brought back to me everything that had happened when I was 5.  The childhood trauma that I had no idea what to do with.  I felt like I was out of control.  There was no point in telling anyone…what could they do about it now.  No one would think it was a big deal anyways.  I figured I just had to accept as a part of who I am, and move on.  And that’s what I tried to do. 

 

It doesn’t always work out though.  Throughout high school, I remember feeling so awkward in my skin…like I just didn’t fit in anywhere.  And I was angry…and getting more and more angry by the day.  I was mad at my parents, and I was mad at God.  I didn’t really understand why….I just knew I was angry.

 

So what does a teenage girl who needs to control something control?  Weight.  Yup…I’m the perfect textbook case of an anorexic.  Luckily, I grew up in the baggy, grunge era, so no one could really tell.  And I’ve always been kinda small.  It was easy to hide.  I somehow think I felt the need to control something as well as felt the need to punish myself.  What happened when I was 5 was obviously my fault.  I could have told someone…and I didn’t.  That makes it my fault. 

 

So now, I hate my parents, I hate God and I truly hate myself, and graduation is coming up.  All I knew was that I had to get out of there…asap.  Maybe if I got away I could just forget everything that’s confusing me and move on.  Start again…and do better the second time.

 

I decided to go on a mission trip.  I have never been super interested in academics, nor had I ever excelled in them, so a mission trip seemed like the perfect thing.  Back in the day, when MBMSI was called Youth Mission International, I joined a team called the Mobilization team.  There were 10 of us on in the group and our job was to travel around the States and Canada doing dramas and leading worship in different high schools and youth groups.  It was such a good time.  But in the midst of that time, I was still struggling.  My group really focused on having everything right with God.  For me, things weren’t quite right.  I was still destroying his temple with my anorexia, and I was still angry about unresolved issues from my childhood.  I kept getting told to pray about it, and things would get better.  And they didn’t.  Where was God?  Why wasn’t he helping me? Why couldn’t I love myself?

 

I figured the best way to handle this was to toss out a fleece.  Side note, I’ve learned it’s not the best idea to test God.  We were playing at Missionfest in Vancouver at Canada Place.  I was performing with a big band playing bass guitar in front of 1000’s of youth.  It was a riot.  In between sets, I went outside.  Now, we’re in Vancouver and it hadn’t rained in about 5 days, which is crazy.  Clouds were rolling in, so I asked God to make it rain.  If he made it rain in the next 24 hours, I would know that he was there and that he still loved me.  Well, I think it was the longest stretch of sun they had had in years, because the rain didn’t come.

 

So that’s it.  I was done with God.  He abandoned me, so now I was leaving him.  I couldn’t very well carry on with my group touring around telling people about the love of Jesus.  So instead of kicking me completely off of the team, I got asked to leave the touring group and start working in the YMI offices, as well as to help the director at the time by being a nanny for his growing family.  They set me up with my own place and I had free use of one of my team mate’s car.  Total independence for the first time in my life.  And I don’t really love God.  Essentially a complete recipe for disaster.

 

I began to work out at a nearby gym in my spare time, and for reasons that I couldn’t see at the time, I got asked out.  A lot.  Like every time I went to the gym, some dude would try to get my number.  I was somewhat selective in giving it out, but not really.  I wanted to get taken out….I wanted to experience life.  To have real freedom.

 

I met one gentleman (and I use that term loosely) who I started to like quite a bit.  He had a smidge of bad history….you know, things like, being a Hell’s Angel, a big time drug dealer and who knows what else.  He was exciting, but he also hurt me.  Took something from me that I would never get back.  Somehow, I believed that this is exactly what I deserved.  Being abused is what I’m worth.  I deserve it.  And that’s why I didn’t leave after the first time he forced himself on me.

 

I had cousins living in the area at the time, and they mentioned this dude’s name to one of their cop friends.  His response was that he immediately knew who this guy was, and that he would never let anyone he knew near him.

 

I loved the danger….and I knew I was in danger.  I don’t really think I cared though.  My worth was so low.  The worst case scenario to me was death….and sadly, that didn’t bother me.

 

My team mates were terribly concerned, and called my parents on a number of different occasions.  They begged me to stay away from him, but I was listening to no one.

After a few weeks like this, my dad gets a call from another pastor that he knows.  We’ll call him Russ.  All Russ knows about me is that I’m in BC on a mission trip, and that things aren’t going well.  I don’t know exactly what Russ said, or how he knew to call at that exact time, but it was enough to get my mom and dad in the van to start their trek out to Vancouver to get me that day. 

 

I get a call one afternoon from my dad asking if they can swing by for supper.  Supper?  Where the heck are you guys?  Shortly after, they were on my doorstep.  You know what the first thing they said was?

 

“Kristen, we love you.  We don’t care what you’ve done.  Please come home with us.”

 

Grace.  That’s what that is.  I somehow decided to let them take me home,  Away from danger, and freedom.  Back to judgment and rules, in my eyes.  I wasn’t happy to go home, but I suppose the self-preservation part of me knew that if I wanted more from life, it wouldn’t come from here.

 

Unfortunately, that’s the end of the story for today.  It doesn’t end perfect or happy, but here is where it ends for now. 

 

I believe that you can clearly see God protecting me throughout my story.  Does that mean that I didn’t go through hard things?  No.  But he was there with me through it all.  From a seemingly small thing like giving me a dream of comfort right before reminding of my trauma.  He knew that I’d need that dream to make it through.

 

A beautiful vision someone gave me at that time was of me standing there beating on God’s chest….trying to push him away.  And him standing there, taking it, with his arms wrapped just barely around me, waiting for me to embrace him back.  He was never gone.  He never abandoned.  I just wasn’t seeing. 

 

Another time where I clearly see God’s hand is when my parents showed up.  I am quite convinced that I would be dead if they hadn’t listened to a wise friend and trusted a God who hasn’t ever let them down.  The grace they showed me has always brought tears to my eyes.  I wish to be that gracious one day.  There was no judgment.  There was just forgiveness, love and grace.  God helped my parents know how to deal with the situation, and He softened my heart just enough to leave with them.  Do I believe God helped me out in that situation?  Yes. 

 

I’ve sometimes questioned that whole verse about ‘God not giving you more than you can handle…’.  In the dark moments, it seems as though he abandons…but when I look back and see the whole picture (which God sees from the beginning), I can see how God’s hand has protected me time and time again.  I have not been given more than I can handle…I have been given the grace and strength to handle what I have.  His promises from Psalm 91 continue to hold true.

 

Sometime I’ll have to fill you in on the ending to my story.  Because the ending is filled with as much of God’s love, grace and help as the beginning.

 

There’s no question in my mind that God’s hand has led me for these many years—sometimes willingly and sometimes having to be dragged along like a dumb sheep.  I praise the Rock of Ages that His will is stronger than mine and that He has the persistence to put me in my place—which is a much better place when He chooses it!

 

Thank you.     

II.  God Who Is Our Refuge

            As we think about Psalm 91, in light of what we have just heard, the question is, "What is our hope?" The answer of this text is that our hope is in God. It is important that we look first of all not at the promises of God, but at God Himself.

            There are four names for God in this passage, some of them are used several times. Each of them invites us to recognize who God is and why we can put our hope in Him.

            The first name, used in verses 1 and 4 is, "Most High." We can put our hope in God because He is above all else. He sees from a much different perspective than we do. There is no one who is higher and so there is no one who can manipulate or control God. He is in the heavens and He does what He pleases. This is good news.

            The second name, also in verse 1, is translated "Almighty." A number of years there was a song recorded by Amy Grant called, "El Shaddai." That is the name of God in this verse. It means that God is all powerful, the mighty one. God is not out smarted or out powered by anyone or anything and that is why we have hope in Him.

            The third name for God is Jehovah and is used in verses 2 and 4. It is the name by which God introduced Himself to Moses at the burning bush and the name by which Moses was to introduce God to the people. It is a name which speaks of God's covenant keeping love for His people. God makes and keeps promises and so we can count on Him.

            Verse 2 also uses another name for God, which is Elohim and tells us that He is the creator God who is Lord of all.

            It is in God, as revealed by these names that we put our hope.

III.          Conditions For Refuge

            As we listen to this Psalm, we also see that the promises in them are conditional. God is extremely gracious and often extends His goodness far outside of the bounds of these conditions, but it is under the conditions presented here that we can count on God to keep these promises.

A.   Trust

            In verse 1, we read that this is addressed to those who "live in the shelter of the Most High" and "abide in the shadow of the Almighty." The language in these verses is the language of home. The words "live" and "abide" speak of those who habitually spend their time in the presence of God. These promises are not for those who reject God or even for those who occasionally visit God, but spend most of their time far from His presence. These promises are for those who make their home in the presence of God and thus demonstrate their trust in Him.

B.   Relationship

            In verse 14, we read that God helps those who love him and those who know His name. Earlier we talked about the names of God. To know His name means that we know who He is, how He acts and what we can expect of Him. Such knowledge comes from a relationship with God. If we love God because He has first loved us and if we greet as friend the creator of the universe, then we will receive the help of God.

C.   Humility

            The other condition which God mentions in verse 15 is "when they call to me." God does not force Himself into anyone's life. He responds lovingly, quickly and helpfully when we call upon Him. That is why this is another condition. It is a condition which recognizes with humility that God is God and we are His creatures. He does not come to us for help, but we go to Him and when we do, He helps. It is the attitude which says, "I can't solve it, I need God!"

            Twice in this passage, the person writing declares such trust. When we read the Scripture earlier, reader #2 said, "I will say to the Lord, 'My refuge and my fortress.'" Then in verse 9 we heard, "Because you are my refuge." This is the place we need to come to. When we do, God will be at work in our lives.

IV.         Promises Of Refuge

A.   Words Of Encouragement

            Verses 5, 6 speak about night and day, darkness and noonday. They speak of terror, arrows, pestilence and destruction. Trials and difficulties can come at any time in our life. They can come when we are young or when we are old. They can come when we are feeling at peace or when we are feeling vulnerable. They come in all kinds of ways.

            When they come, this Psalm promises the care of God and is filled with wonderful images promising His care.

1.    Images of Care

            One of the images is given in the language of a safe place. Verse 2 speaks of a refuge and a fortress. These images are pictures of a place of protection. It is a truism that we feel safe at home. The promise of this Psalm is that no matter what the storms of life or when they hit us or where we are, we have a place where we are always at home and can feel safe and that is in the presence of God.

            Another image is that of feathers. Verse 4 says that "He will cover you with his pinions." Birds have different kinds of feathers. There are feathers which cover their body. There are feathers which are designed to keep them warm. The strongest and stiffest of the feathers are the wing feathers which are called pinions. The Bible uses the image of protection by wings in a number of places. Jesus' words in Luke 13:34 provide one such image where he said, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem… How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!" If we trust in God, then we are under His wings and find a place of refuge and shelter there.

            Another picture of God's care is that of angels who will guard us. The idea of a guardian angel is Biblical, and in fact is a symbol of the protection and guidance of God Himself.

2.    Fulfillment of Promises

            There are many stories in which God has provided exactly the kind of protection mentioned in this Psalm. Verse 13 mentions protection from lions and the serpents.

            David experienced protection from lions and mentions such protection in I Samuel 17:37 as he was about to face Goliath. It was the experience of protection from lions which gave him the confidence to go against Goliath.

            In Acts 28:3-6 we have the story of Paul after he survived a shipwreck. We read there about how as they were gathering wood to make a fire, a serpent attached itself to him. He shook it off and nothing bad happened to him. The point is made that God protected him from the serpent.

            The accompaniment of angels in protection reminds us of the three men who were tossed into the fiery furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar. When they looked into the furnace they saw a fourth person who was walking around with them in the furnace. The fourth person was an angel protecting them so that when they came out of the furnace alive they did not even have the smell of smoke on them.

            All of these stories demonstrate that these promises are certainly intended to be accepted as something God does. Yet the question remains. If God promises such protection and has acted with such protection. Why are there times when he doesn't? How do we take these promises?

B.   God Speaks

            The final words of this chapter are the words of God. The language changes from "he will" in verses 1-13 to "I will" in verses 14-16. Brueggemann observes, that “it is the ground for confidence that the last word is not spoken by us, but to us.” God comforts us with some important lessons.

            First of all, it becomes clear that we will not avoid all trouble. This is a truth that is not only an observation of life, but is also contained in Scripture. The text acknowledges in verse 15 that we will experience trouble. A moment ago I mentioned the protection Paul experienced when he was not harmed by the serpent, but as we read that story, we need to remember that he did experience shipwreck. Even though he survived, as did all on the boat that day, it was still a frightening time of trouble. Clearly the promise is not that we will never experience any difficulty.

            Then what is this Psalm promising? The Psalm promises that we can look to God at all times. The promises are written to those who call upon God because they know Him and trust in Him. Whether things are going well, or we are in the midst of trouble; whether we are rejoicing or in fear of what may happen, we need to learn to go quickly to God, calling upon Him at all times and trusting Him.

            The importance of this Psalm is the promise that God will not abandon us. In these final verses the words, "I will" appear 6 times with 8 promises attached to them. God promises to deliver, to protect, to answer, to be with, to rescue, to honor, to give long life and to show His salvation. We can trust God and put ourselves into His hands and hope in Him because He has given us these marvelous promises. He will see us through.

            I like the way Waltner puts it, "The godly person may not be immune to, untouched by, or insulated from the ills that affect others, but in the end the believer is not abandoned and is enabled to face destructive forces without fear."

Conclusion

            Kristen has shared her story. A story in which bad things were done to her and in which she made some bad decisions. Yet throughout her life, she has seen God at work in her life. He has been near even at the worst of times. He has delivered her. He has redeemed situations. He has given her strength and He has always been with her.

            Do we take Psalm 91 literally? Yes! if we take it as an invitation to run to God no matter what is happening. Yes! if we take it as a promise that we always have hope in God. Yes! If we understand that He will not fail us!