The God Pause Daily Devotion from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Tuesday, September 18, 2018 - Psalm 54
Psalm 54:1 (0) For the leader. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David, 2 when the Zifim came and told Sha’ul, “David is hiding with us”:3 (1) God, deliver me by your name;
in your power, vindicate me.
4 (2) God, hear my prayer;
listen to the words from my mouth.
5 (3) For foreigners are rising against me,
violent men are seeking my life;
they give no thought to God. (Selah)
6 (4) But God is helping me;
Adonai is my support.
7 (5) May he repay the evil
to those who are lying in wait for me.
In your faithfulness, destroy them!
8 (6) Then I will generously sacrifice to you;
I will praise your name, Adonai,
because it is good,
9 (7) because he rescued me from all trouble,
and my eyes look with triumph at my enemies. (Complete Jewish Bible).
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Today's wisdom comes from the perspective of one whom the ungodly have set upon. Right away we see the difference between the righteous and the unrighteous. The righteous do not focus on ruining the lives of the unrighteous, but on thanking God for what they do have. The author of this psalm is presumed to be David, and it follows the form of an "individual lament." An important part of such psalms is a turn from lament to thanksgiving in anticipation of God's grace. The righteous person turns to God in times of trouble rather than taking their anger and frustration out on the people around them. Indeed, David offers up a "freewill offering," that is, an offering that God has not asked for and for which nothing is expected in return. Such an example of thanksgiving is a hard one to follow, but it is the example set for us throughout the biblical story.
Dear Lord, help us to find strength and grace in you and to know that you are enough. In Jesus' name. Amen.
2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For the insolent have risen against me, the ruthless seek my life; they do not set God before them. (Selah)
4 But surely, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.
5 He will repay my enemies for their evil. In your faithfulness, put an end to them.
6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.
7 For he has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies. (New Revised Standard Version).
Today's wisdom comes from the perspective of one whom the ungodly have set upon. Right away we see the difference between the righteous and the unrighteous. The righteous do not focus on ruining the lives of the unrighteous, but on thanking God for what they do have. The author of this psalm is presumed to be David, and it follows the form of an "individual lament." An important part of such psalms is a turn from lament to thanksgiving in anticipation of God's grace. The righteous person turns to God in times of trouble rather than taking their anger and frustration out on the people around them. Indeed, David offers up a "freewill offering," that is, an offering that God has not asked for and for which nothing is expected in return. Such an example of thanksgiving is a hard one to follow, but it is the example set for us throughout the biblical story.
Dear Lord, help us to find strength and grace in you and to know that you are enough. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Peter Clark, '16
Pastor, Our Savior Lutheran Church, Aurora, Ill.
Psalm 54:1 Save me, O God, by your name, and vindicate me by your might.2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For the insolent have risen against me, the ruthless seek my life; they do not set God before them. (Selah)
4 But surely, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.
5 He will repay my enemies for their evil. In your faithfulness, put an end to them.
6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.
7 For he has delivered me from every trouble, and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies. (New Revised Standard Version).
The Luther Seminary
2481 Como Avenue
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
Telephone: (651)641-3456
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