God's Protection

Pour out your unfailing love on those who love you; give justice to those with honest hearts. Don't let the proud trample me; don't let the wicked push me around. Look! They have fallen! They have been thrown down, never to rise again. Psalm 36: 10-12 NLT

Have you ever been in a really big crowd where you are being pushed around by all the bodies shoved up against you? If you have, you will know that it is a scary, panicky feeling. You know that you are helpless in the sway, push and pull of others. If you fall, you will most likely be trampled. And all you want to do is get out.

That is the visual that comes to me when I read these verses. The psalmist is in a crowd composed of the proud and the wicked. They are surrounded. They are being pushed and pulled, always with the threat of being pulled down and trampled upon.

Their plea to God is to remember those who love God. Provide justice to those who are honest. The psalmist is the one who loves God. The psalmist is the one who has an honest heart. It is up to God to save them from the crowd.

Then the psalmist sees that the wicked and the proud have stumbled and fallen. They are the ones who are being trampled and conquered. Their own actions have been turned against them.

God, sometimes we feel overwhelmed by the ones around us, the proud, the wicked, the unfaithful. We ask for your protection. Remember us, Lord! Help us to continue to love you and keep ourselves honest. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2011 Amelia G. Sims

Praise God!

Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. You feed them from the abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your rivers of delight. For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see. Psalm 36: 5-9 NLT

These verses are a praise hymn to God. They don't thank God for a particular action on the psalmist's behalf. These verses aren't full of gratefulness for answered prayer.

Instead, these verses of Psalm 36 describe who God is.

God is as vast as the heavens.

God's faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.

God's righteousness is like a huge mountain range.

God's justice is as bottomless as the ocean depths.

God's care includes both humans and animals.

God's love is precious.

All human beings find shelter in God's wings.

God provides abundance and delight, life and light.

Now it is your turn. How do you describe God? Who is God for you?

God, we praise you for your faithfulness, righteousness, justice, care, and love. You are the almighty God in whom we delight. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Copyright 2011 Amelia G. Sims

God at the center

Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God to restrain them. In their blind conceit, they cannot see how wicked they really are. Everything they say is crooked and deceitful. They refuse to act wisely or do what is good. They lie awake at night, hatching sinful plots. Their course of action is never good. They make no attempt to turn from evil. Psalm 36: 1-4 NLT

Those who do not fear God have nothing to keep them from doing evil or planning devious plots. Does this mean true fear or is it more a mark of respect? Should we be terrified of God, cowering under the threat of judgment/punishment? Certainly a healthy respect of God would make most of us think twice about doing something wicked.

But these wicked people of this psalm are more than doers of evil. They are also blinded to their own wickedness. They don't even have the realization that what they do is evil. I think that a healthy fear of God is more than just respect. It is also a realization that you are not the center of the universe. God is. With God at the center of your world, you are less likely to do your own will and more likely to do God's. You are also better able to see when you do wrong.

Putting God at the center of our world keeps sin from whispering deep in our hearts. We have God to restrain us. We can then act wisely and do what is good.

God, you are the center of my world. YOU are the center of my world. Help me to see myself clearly and orient myself to where you are. In Jesus name. Amen.

Copyright 2011 Amelia G. Sims