Thoughts on Psalms 76
In Judah God is known; his name is great in Israel. 2 His tent is in Salem, his dwelling place in Zion. 3 There he broke the flashing arrows, the shields and the swords, the weapons of war. Selah
4 You are resplendent with light, more majestic than mountains rich with game. 5 Valiant men lie plundered, they sleep their last sleep; not one of the warriors can lift his hands. 6 At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both horse and
chariot lie still. 7 You alone are to be feared. Who can stand before you when you are angry? 8 From heaven you pronounced judgment, and the land feared and was quiet-- 9 when you, O God, rose up to judge, to save all the afflicted of the land. Selah
10 Surely your wrath against men brings you praise, and the survivors of your wrath are restrained. 11 Make vows to the LORD your God and fulfill them; let all the neighboring lands bring gifts to the one to be feared. 12 He breaks the spirit of rulers; he is feared by the kings of the earth.
God’s anger is roused when men do not show compassion to those who are down trodden and afflicted. This is because he is a God of compassion and has great mercy toward us. He has on many occasions risen to punish men and even nations because of their lack of compassion. The prophets of the Old Testament often condemned the priests for their lack of concern for others and Jesus condemned the Pharisees for the same thing.
This points out how easy it is for us to be religious and consider ourselves as God’s people (even leaders of God’s people) and still be lacking in what God really wants from us. When we see those who are hurting or in dire circumstances do we feel for them or do we look down on them? Do we think it is their fault and therefore not our concern? Perhaps we have made mistakes in our lives and we are not as perfect as we want others to think. The fact is that all of us are at the mercy of God and we need to be filled with compassion, even as he is. We need to show love to all those around us. We need to feel compassion toward those who have wronged us, forgive them and pray for them.
Dear Lord, please fill my heart with your Spirit so that I can love more deeply. Please help me to feel compassion instead of contempt and mercy instead of self-righteousness. Help me to be humbled by knowing that all I am and ever become is because you have made me and given it to me. Thank you for all you have done for me. In Jesus name I pray.
May God bless each of us as we live for him.