Pay Attention to Psalms 7 . . . and 9 and . . .

Well, my commendation of Psalm 37 in October sure proved timely, did it not?  I suspect it still is timely due to much righteous anger that could too easily morph into foolishness.  Anger is not always wrong, but it is almost always difficult to handle and direct aright.

Allow me also to direct you to Psalm 7, particularly verses 14-16:

Behold, the wicked man conceives evil

              and is pregnant with mischief

              and gives birth to lies.

He makes a pit, digging it out,

              and falls into the hole that he has made.

His mischief returns upon his own head,

              and on his own skull his violence descends.

Note two traits of the wicked we need to be aware of especially now.  First, he creates traps, often described as pits or nets in Scripture, in order to trap good people.  We need to be aware of them and watch out.  

One such trap the Left and allies like to pull is to exaggerate, distort, and often outright invent violence from political opponents.  I’ve seen this time and again.  Mark Levin and I think the likelihood of such traps around those who may protest the Inauguration of Biden is so high, that we advise staying away from it and from state capitols next week.

Second, the wicked have a propensity to fall into the traps that they themselves have made.  I think we may be seeing that before our eyes.  I have hope that Democrat attacks on free speech and their second sham impeachment will backfire greatly on them politically.

So let them fall into their traps.  You be alert and wise and avoid them.

I think the Lord really wants us to get this.  For the theme of the wicked setting traps and falling into them occurs often in Scripture.  The whole book of Esther is one example.  And we see this repeatedly in the Psalms: 7, 9, 35, 57, 141, and I may have missed one or two.  It’s important to get this, now and always.

Psalm 37 – A Psalm for Our Time

Yesterday, because it was the Evening of the 7^th day of the month and I use the traditional Book of Common Prayer as the Lord intends, of course, I read and recited Psalm 37.  And it’s a good thing, too.

For Psalm 37 is a timely reminder to me and to anyone sorely provoked during this election season to “fret not thyself because of the ungodly” for God will take care of them and of his people in his good timing.  God will execute justice, and he’s a lot better at it than we are.  So we should “leave off from wrath, and let go displeasure; fret not thyself, else shalt thou be moved to do evil.”  Yes, if we allow ourselves to get so worked up that we foolishly take matters into our own hands, we can easily fall into evil and be the wrongdoers ourselves.

Note that this is not a call to passivity.  As in just about all things, there should be a balance.  Namely we should “put thou thy trust in the Lord and be doing good.”  But if we fret and do not trust in God’s timing and faithfulness to bring about justice, we can too easily fall into doing foolishness and evil.

Today we get a reminder of that from Michigan where an alleged plot to kidnap Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and overthrow the state government has been foiled with alleged perpetrators arrested. 

Now should the tyranny of Whitmer be opposed through legal means (which have had some success lately)?  Yes.

Should we not presume the guilt of those accused as the Feds have been known to make politically motivated prosecutions before elections? Yes.

Should we question why the four year long coup against President Donald Trump has not been prosecuted? Yes.

But, at the very least, have the accused acted foolishly and gone about opposing Whitmer’s tyranny in a completely wrong way?  Yes, and if the accusations are true, they were plotting awful crimes and should be prosecuted accordingly.

Assuming there is any truth to the accusations, what the accused have done is a sad illustration of what can happen if we ignore the Lord’s guidance to “fret not thyself, else shalt thou be moved to do evil.”

Frankly, I fear what I would be capable of if it were not for my faith in Christ and in his coming justice.  Those of us who care deeply about justice and hate tyranny especially need to remember that God, not our foolishness, will make all things right in the end.  Yes, we should care about the society God has placed us in and be active good citizens but, again, we should avoid getting so worked up that we allow ourselves to “be moved to do evil.”

So if you did not read Psalm 37 yesterday, do so today.  Maybe you, too, need a reminder during this trying time.

A Good Morning for Psalms 56 and 57

I never cease to be amazed how the appointed readings in the Book of Common Prayer can be so providential.  I was so amazed during personal Morning Prayer today when I saw Psalms 56 and 57 were appointed for the 11^th morning of the month.

These two psalms well describe the mob running rampant today.  They “goeth about to devour” those who dare say no to their evil.  “They be many” and control many/most of the big corporate and educational institutions.  They are tyrannical.  They twist and use people’s words against them.  They “speak lies,” and more.  

The actions and success of the mob of late certainly can alarm.  But…

Nevertheless, though I am sometime afraid, yet put I my trust in thee.
I will praise God because of his word; I have put my trust in God, and will not fear what flesh can do unto me.

These psalms comfort and strengthen in the midst of times such as this.  These psalms remind that God and his people, not predatory mobs, win in the end.  Being so reminded is needful as it takes courage to say and do what is right today when freedom of religion and freedom of speech is so under attack.

Thanks be to God that he knows well what we are going through and helps us providentially through his word and through the Book of Common Prayer.

“An Autobiography Ghost-written by God”

I’ve now read most of The Oxford History of Anglicanism, Volume 1, Reformation and Identity, c. 1520-1662, edited by Anthony Milton, and I cannot recommend it enough.  It is immensely scholarly with its footnotes and bibliographies already guiding my future studies.  At the same time, it is enjoyable reading with any number of occurrences and statements I do not recall seeing elsewhere.  Yes, a number of these are amusing.  Others are edifying gems.

My only caveat is that someone just now beginning their study of the history of Anglicanism would do well to read a more basic book or two first.  Once one becomes familiar with the basics, The Oxford History of Anglicanism, Volume 1is then a must read.  (I have not read subsequent volumes yet, but intend to.)

One of the gems of this book comes from Jessica Martin in discussing the use of Psalms in early Anglican prayer and devotion:

The typologies of suffering and despair, and likewise of praise and delight, are channeled through the psalms into the salvific narratives of a life narrated via Scripture but unique in its detail: an autobiography ghost-written by God.(p. 406 of the 2019 paperback version)

I’ve long noticed that the Psalms cover just about every situation and emotion in life and can greatly assist prayer as we struggle through life.  I instinctively used the Psalms that way to pray as a teenager.  Later, I wrote a book that so uses the Psalms that way.  (No, I’m not saying what book as I cannot now stand by some of the things I wrote and would write it very differently today.)  And, yes, the Psalms especially cover much of the inward life and sufferings of Christ, so much so that he recited portions on the cross.

But I confess that in my past writings on the Psalms, I did not approach the brilliance of describing the Psalms as “an autobiography ghost-written by God.”  And in the Psalms we do see the joys, struggles, and sufferings of Christ and of his people.  Meditating on the Psalms is perhaps the best way to know that God understands intimately what his people go through – what yougo through.

I can hardly recommend a better Lenten practice than meditating on the Psalms.  And, when it comes to the study of Anglican history, The Oxford History of Anglicanism, Volume 1is hard to beat as well.

Psalm 92 and God’s Providence (and a Needed Break)

I’ve oft marveled at how God knows what you are going to read or hear from the Bible, and he knows what you are going through, and he knows how to bring the two together to speak to you very personally. (I have to give a hat tip to Tommy Nelson of Denton Bible Church from whom I first heard this taught.  But I’ve experienced it virtually my whole life as a Christian.)

I experienced this again last night.  I was very angry off and on during the day due to the impeachment.  But during Ember Wednesday Evening Prayer at my church, the Psalm was Psalm 92.  It was the perfect scripture for me to hear. (Yes, God can use the Lectionary, too!) It reminded me that part of God’s infinite goodness is his justice even in the midst of great injustice. And his justice will prevail.  Yes, I read the imprecatory parts with some extra vigor. And it calmed me.  I needed that.

Still my anger during the day was unhealthy to say the least.  So early in the evening I decided to add to my Advent discipline that I am pulling back from politics until after Christmas Day.  That includes no politics on this blog at least until then.

I do apologize ahead of time that I think I must later blog on politics relevant to us Anglicans for reasons stated before.  But for now I need a break, and I suspect many of you all do, too.

May you have a blessed last week of Advent and a happy Christmas.

About “Getting Angry at Jesus”

There are a number of faithful who are not happy, angry even, that the current Pontiff said the following: “"Even getting angry at Jesus can be a kind of prayer. Jesus likes seeing the truth of our heart. Don't make pretense in front of Jesus."

At this point, I advise readers to sit down.  Although I have not read his whole statement, I at least in part – are you sitting down? – agree with Pope Francis on this.

Yes, I am actually agreeing with Francis on something.

Early in my Bible reading, I noticed the honesty of the Psalms. And I noticed that part of that honesty is that frustration with God was openly expressed to God Himself.

As a teenage Christian with teenage frustrations, I found this comforting.  It showed me that God could handle and even accept my frustration and anger with Him. And so if I were unhappy about something in my life and unhappy with what I perceived to be the slowness of God’s help, I would be very honest with God about that in prayer.

Now I knew it would be better not to be angry with God. But the Psalms showed me that if one is frustrated with the Lord, it is good to be honest with Him about that.  And, as in the Psalms, my anger was never “If you don’t help me, I will stop going to church” or any foot stamping like that, at least not that I can recall.  I remained very much committed to the Lord even when I wasn’t especially happy with him.

Hopefully, as one matures, anger with God becomes more rare. I know that the experience of seeing God use bad things in my life for good over and over again has pretty much cured me of anger towards him.  I cannot remember the last time I’ve been angry with God.  It’s probably been decades.  (And I do have a temper so that’s saying something.)

Nonetheless, as angry as I get with the current Bishop of Rome, I agree that being honest to God about any anger towards Him is an acceptable prayer.  I know God graciously responded to such prayer in my younger days.

Don’t be too angry with me.

A Psalm for Advent

During my recent sojourn in England, God blessed me with a frequent sense of his presence. Receiving communion at Pusey House most mornings was an important part of that blessing.

Psalm 46 was important to me as well in that regard, coming to mind time and time again. God showed himself to me to be not only “a very present help in trouble”, but also very present at all times.

As I’ve read and reread this psalm, for the first time I’ve noticed how appropriate it is for Advent. (Yes, I can be slow, but hey . . .) The presence of God with men is certainly a vital theme of Advent and then the Christmas season.

But what I had not noticed before is how Psalm 46 is almost a prophesy of the end times and of Christ’s Second Advent. The earth changing, melting even as God raises his voice; mountains slipping into the sea as the earth quakes – that sounds like end times. Nations making an uproar and God putting them in their place as “he makes wars to cease” in all the earth; then God is exalted in all the earth and is “with us,” even in our midst. All this reflects his glorious Second Advent.

Note there is no promise of “the Rapture” here, that his people escape all tribulation, but instead the assurance of God being a “very present help” and refuge to his people in the midst of tribulations now and future. And he will bring us to that “river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High.”

Again, Psalm 46 was very helpful to me in experiencing God’s presence in England and is a timely reminder of the same during Advent.