July 4, 2020<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the next 15 days we will be reading through the Psalms of Ascent together as a church! The Psalms of Ascent are a collection of 15 psalms (Psalms 120-134) that pilgrims would sing on their way up to Jerusalem to worship. These songs are meant to instruct and prepare the hearts of the traveler to worship the Lord! As sojourners and aliens in this world, we too need to have our hearts prepared for and instructed in the worship of our God. Let\u2019s meditate on these psalms and allow the Spirit of the Lord to move us to true worship as we seek Him together!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this song the pilgrim worshipper declares his confidence in the Lord\u2019s protection and vindication towards His faithful ones. He envisions the Lord surrounding His saints as a high wall would surround a fortified city and affirms that He will never cease to protect them in this way. The psalmist expresses trust that the Lord will not allow the unrighteous to rule over His people forever, whether the \u201cscepter of wickedness\u201d (v.3) is in reference to a foreign power or a wicked king in Jerusalem itself, and looks forward with confidence that the Lord will one day \u201cdo good\u2026to those who are good\u201d (v.4), but \u201clead [the unrighteous] away with evildoers\u201d (v.5).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
God calls His people throughout history to entrust themselves to His care and to His absolute rule whenever they are under the oppression of unjust rulers. For us this can take many forms: wicked men and women in power over our nation, unjust people with power over our communities, and even corrupt leadership within the church itself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
God is calling us through this psalm, no matter what situation we may find ourselves in, to have unshakable confidence in His protection over us, in His sovereign rule on our behalf, and in the fact that He will one day vindicate His people and expose these powers that be for what they really are.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Verse 3 presents a dilemma for God\u2019s people: whenever the unrighteous have power over the righteous, it can very easily lead the righteous to act in unrighteous ways. The Lord is calling His people to be maintain their ultimate and supreme allegiance and loyalty to Him alone over any earthly power, to remain faithful to His way. He promises that in the end, when He vindicates His people once and for all, we will find that it was worth it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n