January 23, 2024: Thursday Bible Study on Psalm 4
What a God blessed morning we have today in the desert. As I was driving the boys to Middle School, High School, and College, I remembered how I felt about this brisk beautiful desert after living in the snow for over 40 years. When we first arrived here in Tucson in January of 1991, I used to sit on the deck of the house and drink a cup of coffee in the cold air with great appreciation for having the opportunity to live in this city because of the Call to serve the Gospel at American Lutheran. As I enter into my 34th year as American's pastor, I am also fully aware of the privilege that has been mine, Melody's, and our eight children's to be part of the 75 years of God's Grace that has made American an amazing congregation, full of the Spirit, and God's Love for all of our lives.
The 4th Psalm which we are looking at today, is one which holds both words of praise to God on the part of the faith of the Psalmist, and word to the people about their short memory for all of the ways in which God has carried them through the years of difficulty in the promised land. Just like you and me, when God doesn't get done what you and I want, when we want it, and how we want it, we, just as the Hebrews did, begin to look to other ways to get that thing for which we are looking. We have to remember that the Hebrews did not live in an abundant, wealthy, and overflowing presence of everything for which they hoped, and the ease to have their crops and lives be exactly want they wanted. When their neighbors, the Canaanites, seemed to have greater farming success than they did, then there was always that temptation to look toward their neighbor's gods, who were no gods at all, but just creations of the minds of the people who worshiped them. In that religion there was a fulfillment of manipulating their "not" gods to bend to their will. The geographic reality is that the Canaanites lived on the coast and received the benefit of westerly wind filled with rain that sometimes made it look as if their "not" gods could bless them when the One True God of the Hebrews was failing to provide what the Hebrews wanted. In these early cultures you got to eat what you grew, or what you might be able to exchange with another farmer who grew a different crop. Because of this the Song of the Psalmist guides the listener, or in our case, the reader, to trust the Creator who has always, out of what should have been a disaster, fulfilled the promise of His love for His people.
So, let's take a look at how this all takes shape in the Psalm.
The Psalmist starts with a prayer to the faithful God, not asking for anything specific except that God listen. and that will be a sign of God's faithfulness to His people. This is the Psalmist seeking to get God's attention.
The Psalmist indicates that if God is listening, it is obvious that God has intervened in many other situations in which the Hebrews have found themselves. Because God is faithful it is time for Him to intervene.
Though we might expect the entirety of the Psalm to be prayer to God, it might surprise us to have the Psalmist speaking to the people too. Their faithful God deserves their attention and trust to do what is necessary. After all, they are God's chosen people.
In the close of this Psalm, the Psalmist ends with a statement of confidence and hope. The One True God of the Hebrews will not forsake them, and in fact, they will know joy in His continuing fulfillment of His promises for the people of His election.
Please remember that this weekend is our congregation's 75th anniversary of Gospel ministry. You may look at the church website, Godsplaceforgrace.org, where you can get information about Saturday's events, and Sunday's worship.
Please remember that God has chosen each of us too. Through Christ we join the elect, grafted to them, as a new, and living people of our God about whom the Psalmist sings.
In Christ's Love, Pastor Kim
Comments