This is a psalm by
Asaph and it was clearly written
after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian armies.
In the first 4 verses
he cries out his lamentation for such terrible suffering and all the images he
and his people had witnessed from this destruction… the horrific scenes
described in this psalm… such images his mind could not fanthom!
These same images of horror
and cruelty have been a reality for so many people in this world whose
countries are burdened with war and famine: for example, the people of Ukraine who
for the last 10 months have suffered from the war caused by the Russian
invasion!
Asaph after pouring out
his heart out to God with cry and lamentation then focused his attention on His
Might, Mercies, and Faithfulness in this beautiful prayer:
“How long, O Lord? Will You be angry forever? Will Your jealousy [which cannot endure a divided allegiance] burn like fire? 6 Pour out Your wrath on the [Gentile] nations that do not know You, And on the kingdoms that do not call on Your name. 7 For they have devoured Jacob and made his pasture desolate.8 O do not remember against us the sins and guilt of our forefathers. Let Your compassion and mercy come quickly to meet us, For we have been brought very low. 9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; Rescue us, forgive us our sins for Your name’s sake. 10 Why should the [Gentile] nations say, “Where is their God?” Let there be known [without delay] among the nations in our sight [and to this generation], Your vengeance for the blood of Your servants which has been poured out.11 Let the groaning and sighing of the prisoner come before You; According to the greatness of Your power keep safe those who are doomed to die. 12 And return into the lap of our neighbors sevenfold the taunts with which they have taunted You, O Lord.” (verses 5-12 AMP emphasis mine).
Verse 11 stood out to me, reminding me that before I
surrendered my life to Jesus I was also a prisoner of my sins: sighing for all
the weight of the burdens I carried in my heart, walking in the direction of
eternal doom! What would have been of my life without His Saving Grace? Now I
have Life and Purpose as Paul vividly wrote in Romans 6:17-19:
“But thank God that though
you were slaves of sin, you became obedient with all your heart to the standard
of teaching in which you were instructed and to which you were
committed. 18 And having been set free from sin,
you have become the slaves of righteousness [of conformity to God’s will and
purpose]. 19 I am speaking in [familiar] human
terms because of your natural limitations [your spiritual immaturity]. For just
as you presented your bodily members as slaves to impurity and to [moral]
lawlessness, leading to further lawlessness, so now offer your members [your
abilities, your talents] as slaves to righteousness, leading to [d]sanctification [that is, being
set apart for God’s purpose].”
Yes, we’ve been set apart for a divine and eternal Purpose!
“How consoling is it to desponding believers to reflect that God can preserve even those who bear the sentence of death in themselves. Men and devils may consign us to perdition, while sickness drags us to the grave, and sorrow sinks us in the dust; but, there is One who can keep our soul alive, ay, and bring it up again from the depths of despair. A lamb shall live between the lion's jaws if the Lord wills it. Even in the charnel, life shall vanquish death if God be near.” (Charles Spurgeon)
Many of us have had
very difficult seasons in our lives. Many have felt these seasons have
been of some kind of captivity or oppression. We -as Asaph’s community- also
have also dealt with a ferocious enemy, as Jesus warned us in John 10:10a -“ The thief comes only in order to steal and kill
and destroy.”
Yes, Satan will always
find the opportunity to have us fall in some kind of bondage, by stealing our
peace, killing our faith and even destroying our lives and families, if we let
him! This world is so filled with temptations and in some point of our lives we
can turn away from His paths and fall in the trap of some kind of bondage:
-Bondage of fear; bound by health issues; by finances; by oppression; by pain from the past; obsessions; people pleasing; bound by any kind of addictions and even by the circumstances we might facing at the time! Satan will try to keep God’s people in bondage, as much as he has kept those who do not know God!
But Jesus gave us the solution: “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29)
Again Paul exhorts us to: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1)
Paul also reminds us of the spiritual battles we continually face, and the importance to put on His Armor ( Ephesians 6:1-18); and Peter exhorts to be sober and vigilant (1 Peter 5:8)
We must wholly surrender our lives to
Him and always follow Him as our Good Pastor, declaring just as Asaph did, in
the last verse of this psalm:
“So we Your people, the sheep of Your
pasture, will give You thanks forever; We will declare and publish Your
praise from generation to generation.” (verse 13)
Let us pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for the amazing love you have lavished over us by the Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus! Thank you for delivering us from eternal death and giving us a new life in Jesus! Please Lord, set the captives free! I pray for: _________.Thank you for being our Good Pastor: one who will guide us, protect us, provide for us and carry us through in whatever circumstance we may face while we live on this earth, until You take us home! May we declare with our lips to our generations that You Live and are Worthy of All Honor and Glory!! Amen!
Blessings,
Mari