What Matters

Psalm 23

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.  (verse 2)

What is there to say about this most famous of psalms?  There is not a word wasted; not a thought expressed that is not full of meaning and promise.

In my mind's eye I picture David writing this psalm after a particular harrowing period of his life.  Perhaps in a quiet moment as he is pursued by Saul and his men, or when the affairs of state crowd his thoughts after he has assumed the throne.  Whenever David wrote this psalm, it is clearly written out of hard-won experience.  He is not expressing some theory; this is testimony.

My thoughts are many; my anxiety and worry sometimes palpable.  I write this reflection after a restless night's sleep before the son has come up over the horizon.  To lie down in the grass and stare lazily at the sun, or to meditate on the stillness of quiet waters is the longing of my soul.  David's words challenge me.  They challenge me to cast all my cares on to the Lord who is my Shepherd.  They challenge me to make every thought captive to the One who is with me always.

Psalm 22

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? (Psalm 22:1)

As so many are, this is David's psalm.  Not just because he wrote it, but more importantly he lived it.  But this is not even just David's psalm.  From the first verse on the New Testament comes crashing in.

The events of Good Friday echo all through this Psalm.  The physical agony endured by Jesus on the cross (vv. 14-17) is graphically illustrated and the scorn of the soldiers as they cast lots for Jesus' clothes (v. 18) is starkly noted.  More than this, the cry of abandonment stands uncensored; a cry that rails against the silence of heaven.

Good Friday is ugly in every way.  From the physical deprivation and suffering Jesus endured, the murderous indifference of the crowd, the scorn of the authorities and the grief of Jesus' family - it is a day filled with horror.  The greatest horror is the Jesus' cry of forsakenness of the cross.  His cry is our cry; his separation from God is of our making - our sin held him there, our guilt drove in the nails that held him.

That Jesus willingly embraced this path transforms Good Friday from abject ugliness into wonderful, life-transforming news.  As his arms were stretched out on the cross so God's arms were extended as an offer of loving embrace to a world alienated from him by sin.

Psalm 20

Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses, but our pride is in the name of the LORD our God. (Psalm 20:7)

Shock and Awe was not the invention of Donald Rumsfeld and George W. Bush.  The Egyptian Pharaohs, Philistine leaders, Persian and Babylonian Kings all had their ancient, iron-age methodologies that invoked terror in opponents.  Israel knew shock and awe, mostly the wrong side of the equation.

When the Hebrew people were hemmed in by Pharaohs' troops on one side and the Red Sea on the other, all they had was Moses, a staff and the name of their almost forgotten LORD.

When David faced the Philistines super-weapon Goliath, all he had was a young man's bravado, five small stones and the name of the LORD.

When Elijah stared down the prophets of Baal all he had was some wet wood, a gleam in his eye and the name of the LORD.

God, the LORD, it seems is the only hope for hopeless cases.  Too often I seek refuge in what I know rather than who I know.  Who I know - who knows me - is far more important and powerful.

Psalm 19

The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.  The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.  (Psalm 19:7)

I am a simple man. I can put up a good front - I can bluff.  But underneath it often I have more questions than answers.

The world makes the most sense as I look at it through the lens of God's Word.  Evil, suffering and pain are explained at least partially when I consider the Fall.  Beauty, wonder and awe find their foundation when I mediate on the fact of a Creator.  Faith, hope and love move beyond a mirage to reality as I contemplate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.  Life becomes easier when I tread its path according to the wisdom of God's Word.

God's Word transforms my world.  It makes sense of it and shapes it for the better.  It is a treasure I do well not to ignore.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

Psalm 18

I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.  (Psalm 18:23)

David is triumphant.  He has been delivered from his enemies, including Saul.  God is his rock, fortress, shield and refuge.  God is his salvation.  And David draws a direct correlation between his vindication and his keeping of God's commandments.

He has kept the ways of the Lord (v. 21), and he has not turned away from God'd decrees (v. 22).  He is blameless and God has rewarded him according to his purity.  Ironic really.  And sad.

Later David ascends Saul's throne.  Later still, surveying all before him, David sees Bathsheba.  Deceit, adultery and murder follow in quick succession.  Clean hands are now stained with blood.  And David reaps what he sows.

Pride goes before the fall.  None are blameless, none are pure.  All have sinned and fallen short.  Even David, a man after God's own heart.  David's greatest enemy was perhaps not Goliath, nor the Philistines, nor King Saul.  David's greatest enemy was within.  His greatest battle was with himself.  As it was for David so it is with me.  As God rescued David from himself, so too God rescues me.

Psalm 17

Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who assail me, from my mortal enemies who surround me. (Psalm 17:8-9)

Who are my enemies?  I am not sure of have any, at least not ones with murderous intent as David did.  Sure, there are some people who do not like me.  There are others who I annoy more often than not.  There are even a few who avoid me.  But enemies who seek to kill me are, thankfully, thin on the ground.

But I do have 'enemies' far more subtle.  The enemies I struggle with are close to home.  Fear, anxiety, pride, doubt...at times I am at war with these life-deniers.  My battle is  not with flesh and blood, but with principalities and powers who seek to make their home in my heart, soul and mind.  The battlefront is found in the spiritual and psychological realm.  God is renewing my mind, but more often than I like I revert to type; a person created in the image of God who strains to be God.

So as David prayed, so too I pray.  God, keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.

Psalm 16

Lord you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.  The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.  (Psalm 16:5-6)

I have a lot to be thankful for.  So much.

I have a wonderful, beautiful and incredibly supportive wife who is me best friend.

I have two great kids who constantly surprise and delight me.

I have a bunch of people I call my friends, great opportunities and challenges into which I can minister and relatively good health.

I live in a prosperous nation and a desirable location.

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.

I live a truly blessed life.  Why I do is a mystery.  Why others don't is an even greater one.  Why some people suffer so much pain, isolation and suffering when I know they are just as deserving of that which is good is an unanswerable question for me.  Sometimes I even feel guilty at my 'fortune'.

In the end all I can to is give thanks to God for my 'portion'.  And  pray for, and support those whose cup runs over with pain and suffering.

Psalm 15

Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?  (Psalm 15:1)

Integrity has become a cliche.  Politicians have it, argue about it, lose it.  Integrity is intangible, nebulous, hard to lay hold of and define.  You just know it when you see it, name it when you experience it.

Communion with God rests not on our beliefs, but our beliefs in action.  Who may dwell in God's presence?  The blameless, the righteous, the honest, he oath-keeper, the upright.  David fleshes out a description of those who personify integrity - whose actions are aligned with and live out their beliefs.

I read David's list and cannot help but feel unworthy.  I do not always keep my promises, I sometimes - too often - speak ill of others, I sometimes cut corners with the truth.  In short, I am far from blameless.  But in this season of Lent I celebrate the fact that in Christ God sees me as blameless.  I have traded my filthy rags for the spotless robe of the One who lived, breathed and personified Integrity - Jesus the Christ.  In and through Jesus I can say with clarity and confidence that my dwelling place is with God!

Psalm 14

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."  (Psalm 14:1)

There has been a big stink in the media recently about marketing campaigns in London and Washington staged by atheist associations.  Bus's have been adorned with slogans appealing to passersby to let go of superstitious belief in a deity.  Inevitably there has been counter-campaigns mounted by Christian groups.

The so-called 'new' atheists have been making a comeback of late.  Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins and others have penned diatribes against faith, Christian faith in particular.  Their books have sold in the squillions.  But, really - truly, there is nothing new about the 'new' atheists.

For millenia human beings have been denying the existence of God.  Whether with our thoughts, words or actions - we have turned our bag on God and lived as if the Creator does not exist.  Rather than believe in God, we want to be god.  Rather than live dependent on God, we strain to live an autonomous life cut free from God.  David has a one-word descriptor for such people - no matter if they are University professors - fools.

Psalm 13

How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?  (Psalm 13:2)

I think a lot.  Sometimes too much.  I think and analyse and turn over and wrestle with and ponder things large and small; banal and important.  As I think I often worry.  My thoughts become dominated by the 'what ifs' and 'I should haves.'  I look back and am imprisoned by past mistakes - I look forward and am beset by anxiety for what might be.

Thankfully this is not my normal state.  Far less than it used to be.  God is renewing my mind (Romans 12:2).  Gradually but increasingly my thought life, my mind, is being captivated by Christ and his purposes.

David knew what it was to have his mind imprisoned and his heart ensnared.  But God's unfailing love and the reality of His salvation enable David to sing with gratitude (vv. 5-6).  God is the one who turns our mourning into dancing and our weeping into laughter.