Written by: Ian Smith – Church Mission Society
Psalm 6 v 1-5
LORD, don’t punish me when you are angry; don’t punish me when you are very
angry.
LORD, have mercy on me because I am weak.
Heal me, LORD, because my bones ache.
I am very upset.
LORD, how long will it be?
LORD, return and save me; save me because of your love.
Dead people don’t remember you; those in the grave don’t praise you.
Notes
I used to believe that being a Christian would insulate me from the most terrible
things in life. Saying that I would trust in God certainly had an upbeat feel
to it. But I soon discovered that when things went wrong my faith evaporated
like a whiff of smoke.
Then I learnt about Rachel. She lives in Southern Sudan. In recent years she has seen her husband, children and parents all die as a result of genocide, lack of medical help or starvation. But she trusts in God. When my colleague met her she had been virtually without food for ten days. She survived by eating leaves! Yet she had continued to both plead with and trust God. To hear her story was a bit like reading this psalm.
Like many in Sudan she understands that, however bad things are, God stays with us. He who suffered death on the cross is with us in all our difficulties. He doesn’t sprinkle Disneydust over us but He helps us cope with integrity. Sometimes our hopes don’t materialise. Christians starve, die of disease, have broken relationships … but beneath all the pain God is wanting to lift us up. But in our anger do we give Him space?
Prayer
God, I need you to understand my situation. It often seems as if I am on my
own, but I know that you want the best for me. Help me to trust. I ask it in
Jesus’ Name. Amen
Psalm 6 v 6-10
I am tired of crying to you.
Every night my bed is wet with tears; my bed is soaked from my crying.
My eyes are weak from so much crying; they are weak from crying about my enemies.
Get away from me, all you who do evil, because the LORD has heard
my crying.
The LORD has heard my cry for help; the LORD will answer my prayer.
All my enemies will be ashamed and troubled.
They will turn and suddenly leave in shame.
Notes
When I was a kid I would always apologise if my back was against the wall. “Say
sorry,” the bully might demand. Faced with the choice of an apology leading
to a strong thump, or being beaten up, I would usually take the easy option.
The bully would normally have reason to corner me because I was probably very
cheeky. As I apologised I would utter the words “but I meant it” under my breath.
In Bible language I was “unrepentant”.
Around the world today there are lots of people who are suffering innocently. Many are suffering for their faith in Jesus Christ. It is claimed that more people died for their faith in Jesus during the twentieth century than in all the previous centuries added together.
In today’s reading the psalmist is tired of suffering but recognises that he is not alone. He knows that his way out will be difficult but that God is with him. That is echoed around the world by countless suffering Christians. From them we can learn that our God experiences our pain and yearns to build us up. But do you know that God is with you in the circumstances you face today?
Prayer
Lord, I pray that you will help me to trust you more than I have. I get fed
up of trying to sort out the things in my life that hold me in their grip. Forgive
me and release me. I ask it for the sake of Jesus. Amen
Psalm 7 v 1-5
LORD my God, I trust in you for protection.
Save me and rescue me from those who are chasing me.
Otherwise, like a lion they will tear me apart.
They will rip me to pieces, and no one can save me.
LORD my God, what have I done?
Have my hands done something wrong?
Have I done wrong to my friend or stolen without reason from my enemy?
If I have, let my enemy chase me and capture me.
Let him trample me into the dust and bury me in the ground.
Notes
Ever had that dream where you’re being chased? I’m sure you can identify with
the often-used movie sequence where someone is running for all their life’s
worth as the enemy catches up. Today’s reading is one of those sequences. There
is no hope … except … if only … God might intervene!
At times like this, when we have fears, it is good to check out that we are not out there because of what we’ve done wrong. Lifestyle choices have their consequences but when given back to God we can have peace in our hearts. We usually suffer the results of our deliberate choices, but God can restore our dignity and peace of mind.
The Kenyans have a wonderful moment at the end of their service of Holy Communion when they say:
All our problems
We send to the cross of Christ.
All our difficulties
We send to the cross of Christ.
All the devil's works
We send to the cross of Christ.
All our hopes
We set on the Risen Christ.
With each response they sweep their hands towards the cross because it is there that real peace begins.
Prayer
Lord God, I often feel out of sorts and without peace. I confess that I
hold on to bad thoughts, do bad things and pretend all is well. Forgive me,
Lord. Help me to surrender my worries, my actions and my future to the cross
of Christ. Amen
Psalm 7 v 6-9
LORD, rise up in your anger; stand up against my enemies’ anger.
Get up and demand fairness.
Gather the nations around you and rule them from above.
LORD, judge the people.
LORD, defend me because I am right, because I have done no wrong, God Most High.
God, you do what is right.
You know our thoughts and feelings.
Stop those wicked actions done by evil people, and help those who do what is
right.
Notes
In Africa there is a saying: when elephants fight, the grass gets hurt! In other
words, it’s best not to arouse the anger of big beasts. My wife’s sister got
on the wrong side of a rhino in Nepal (yes, they do live there!). It was protecting
its baby. Not a nice place to be.
We learn from the Bible that God is slow to anger (Exodus 34 v 6). He gives everyone more than a fair chance to respond to His loving call. But when you are the oppressed person and you have a clear conscience before God then you can expect God to listen to you.
Today’s reading is from someone who has been to the bottom of the Pit of Despair. Having cried about his miserable situation he is now speaking to God in a more adult way. He has checked out his own motives and actions and is coming up again. “Come on, God, and get on with resolving this.” Because Jesus took our sins to the cross, we can be assured that God looks on us as if we were sinless. We can talk to God in this more mature, grown-up way too.
Prayer
Lord God, thanks that you – the Creator of the Universe – listen to my prayers.
Please help me to do right things in my life today. I ask this through the Name
of Jesus. Amen
Psalm 7 v 10-17
God protects me like a shield; he saves those whose hearts are right.
God judges by what is right, and God is always ready to punish the wicked.
If they do not change their lives, God will sharpen his sword; he will string
his bow and take aim.
He has prepared his deadly weapons; he has made his flaming arrows.
There are people who think up evil and plan trouble and tell lies.
They dig a hole to trap others, but they will fall into it themselves.
They will get themselves into trouble; the violence they cause will hurt only
themselves.
I praise the LORD because he does what is right.
I sing praises to the LORD Most High.
Notes
In a place called Yei, in Southern Sudan, a young pastor was walking along a
dusty road when he heard a government bomber coming. Instinctively, he jumped
into a deep pit by the roadside only to find that he was sharing it with a large
snake. As it slithered towards him, he leapt out of the pit using some hidden
reserves of strength and ran for cover elsewhere. The bomb landed – in the pit
– and made a huge crater. No pit. No snake. But the pastor was able to praise
God that his own fear had been used by God to direct him to safety.
Of course, anyone can have their own take on that story but it underlines today’s reading: God will protect against evil. Indeed, that is one of the pleas in the Lord’s Prayer: “Deliver us from evil”. It’s worth remembering this as we go about our daily lives; we never know where danger of a physical or a spiritual nature will be coming from.
The protection of God is like a shield, we are told in our reading. Have you asked for God’s protection today?
Prayer
Thank you, God, that you protect those who call on your name. Help me this day
to walk humbly before you and to be saved from all danger that I might meet.
In Jesus’ Name I ask it. Amen
Psalm 8 v 1-2
LORD our Lord, your name is the most wonderful name in all the earth!
It brings you praise in heaven above.
You have taught children and babies to sing praises to you because of your enemies.
And so you silence your enemies and destroy those who try to take revenge.
Notes
Fifty years ago the Russians were in the grip of a cruel and atheistic regime
that was trying to destroy any signs of religious faith. Yet the Russians are
deeply religious and most had learnt the words of the services when they were
children. Churches were closed. Monks, priests and those who were open about
their Christian faith would be sent to concentration camps.
One particular local governor was so pleased with his efforts in “proving that God does not exist” that he called back a very old priest to see the effects of his new teachings. He called all the people together and they had to affirm that God was not real. It was impressive. But the old priest then asked if he might say just three words to the people. Laughingly, the governor agreed.
“Christ is Risen!” the priest said.
“He is risen indeed!” came back the roar of the people.
They had just hidden their faith because of persecution, but, given the right moment, in the words of today’s reading, God silenced their enemies. God teaches children and babies deep truths, we read. Today we can praise God and find that He leaves our enemies speechless.
Prayer
God, thank you for being God! I want to praise you from the depths of my soul.
Lift my spirit to new levels of praise so that I might know you better. Amen
Psalm 8 v 3-9
I look at your heavens, which you made with your fingers.
I see the moon and stars, which you created.
But why are people important to you?
Why do you take care of human beings?
You made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them
with glory and honour.
You put them in charge of everything you made.
You put all things under their control: all the sheep, the cattle and the wild
animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea and everything that lives
underwater.
LORD our Lord, your name is the most wonderful name in all the earth!
Notes
Last summer I visited “The Deep” in Hull. It’s a spectacular display of marine
life from all over the world. You begin by going to the top of a large modern
building which contains a vast tank as big as the building. Gradually you descend
along ramps, through glass tubes and past viewing windows to the very bottom.
I emerged into a glass viewing area on the floor of the tank just as a huge
shark swept overhead. People immediately stopped talking, such was the effect
of being so close to such awesome beasts. Yet our God – the One who invites
us to call Him “Dad” - made such creatures.
I’m also wowed by the night sky. In places away from street lighting it is possible to see amazing things even without using a telescope. Our God made all that.
Of course, we are called to be responsible stewards of creation. Pollution, greed and selfishness bring havoc. God grieves over the way mankind destroys what is good. But let’s also remember, as with today’s reading, that we are called to worship the Creator, not the creation. Forget “Mother Earth”! We are reminded in our reading that God “is the most wonderful name in all the earth”.
Prayer
My God, thank you for creating such a wonderful world. Help me to respect what
you have made and to enjoy what is good. Make me always give you the glory.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen
word-on-the-web uses the Scripture text taken
from the Youth Bible, New Century Version (Anglicised Edition) copyright 1993
by Word Publishing Milton Keynes