Psalm 31:3--what I learned from a week of teaching

... tú eres mi roca y mi fortaleza,
        y por amor de tu nombre me conducirás y me guiarás.

I teach in a Catholic school, and every period opens with prayer or devotion.  Since I teach Spanish, the prayer/devotion is in that language.  Since my students are Spanish 2, I give the verse/prayer in Spanish and then enlarge upon it in English.  

So for a whole week, my students (I hope) and I concentrated on the above verse:  Psalm 31:3.  "... you are my rock and my fortress, and for love of your name, you will direct me and guide me." I wanted to share some of my devotions for that week.  Don't worry--the entire devotion could take no more than 5 minutes or so; this will not take forever.   Promise!

First of all--for love of your name.

Why should God care about me enough to direct and guide me?  Well, because I am his.  I reflect him.  He loves his own, and I bear his name.  A good father guides his children, and in the past, it was expected that we conduct ourselves appropriately because of our good name.  I was a Wood--my behavior reflected upon the Woods past and present.  Therefore, it was my responsibility to act in a way that would make the name of Wood shine.  It was my parents' responsibility to teach me how to act that way.  I think this idea is becoming a thing of the past in the US, and it makes me sad.  Another idea that came from this section is the fact that the name goes both ways:  I bear his name, and he carries my name in the palm of his hand.  We are intimately connected, my Lord and I.

Next:  My fortress

I always pictured a fortress as a place to run and hide when trouble threatened, but a fortress was more than that.  A fortress was a place where people lived.  While war was waged around me, I could know that I was safe in my fortress.  Understanding that this psalm was written by a man in the midst of war, we can understand that even though the conflict goes on all around me, I am safe within the fortress of God's love.  So why is it that I choose to only run inside when there is danger?  Isn't it a better idea to live my whole life within the safety of the fortress?  Lean on the Lord in your distress, yes, but also learn to lean on him when the times are good.  That way you're used to the fortress and can be assured that you're protected when times get tough.

My rock:

A fortress I can understand.  We can be safe inside while the battle rages outside.  But a rock?  What on earth is safe about a rock?  I actually had to look this up.  But when I did, it was a "ohhh" experience.  A rock means strength.   Well, God is our Rock.  He is our strength-he will fight our battles and be an ever-present help in times of need.  When I think of this idea--ever-present help--I think of growing up and going to the beach.  We knew we were almost there when we could see Morro Rock in the distance.  It is a big, beautiful rock, and its presence brought us hope and joy because our trip was ending and vacation fun was beginning.  When we look at Christ our Rock, we have hope and joy because we have a friend and brother who fights on our side and has guaranteed that we will win the race.

He will conduct us and guide us:

Have you ever watched a shepherd guiding his sheep?  The shepherd has a rod and a staff.   If the sheep veered off,  the shepherd was there for him, not to hit or frighten, but simply to guard and guide.  The sticks were there to keep the sheep safe.  The rod disciplined and protected the sheep from intruders; the staff guided them so they wouldn't veer to far off the path.  Well, I am a sheep and the Lord is my Shepherd. If I veer off my path, I can rest assured that I won't veer too far, because he is right there beside me, using his rod and staff to guard me and guide me.  I know that at times it seems that you have gone too far, but just ask him to forgive you--you'll find that he's been there all along, and he's always willing to bring you back to the right path.

Well, that was my week in prayer.  What about yours?

Psalm 144

I wanted to take a little time to day to reflect on the person who wrote Psalm 144.  It is said to be written by David--not all the psalms are, of course, and it speaks to me in ways that other psalms do not.

Praise be to the Lord my Rock,
    who trains my hands for war,
    my fingers for battle.
² He is my loving God and my fortress,
    my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield, in whom I take refuge,
    who subdues peoples^[a] under me.

David the poet--those fingers that strummed a lyre and fashioned poetry for his God also slew those that were against him.  He was equally secure praising his God in song and complaining about his slowness to come and deliver him.  He was aware of God's goodness and strength, and he was equally aware that God had equipped him, too, to be a power in His name.

³ Lord, what are human beings that you care for them,
    mere mortals that you think of them?
⁴ They are like a breath;
    their days are like a fleeting shadow.

What beautiful words.  This psalm is made by a true poet.  He goes from glorifying God for subduing people under him to musing about the nature of man.  They are like a breath--their days are like a fleeting shadow.  How true--David himself is now a song.  His legacy to us is his love of God and his honesty before the Lord.

⁵ Part your heavens, Lord, and come down;
    touch the mountains, so that they smoke.
⁶ Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy;
    shoot your arrows and rout them.
⁷ Reach down your hand from on high;
    deliver me and rescue me
from the mighty waters,
    from the hands of foreigners
⁸ whose mouths are full of lies,
    whose right hands are deceitful.

From observation to reflection to petition.  And what a petition!  Smite those that persecute me!  Who among us would have the brazenness to pray like this?  Those people who threatened him--they had families and cattle and land, too.  But they were full of deceit and lies, and therefore David felt justified in asking for their extermination.

⁹ I will sing a new song to you, my God;
    on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you,
¹⁰ to the One who gives victory to kings,
    who delivers his servant David.

Is this a bribe?  If you rescue me, I will give you more music?  I don't think so.  Instead, I think that David is asserting that his victory is a foregone conclusion.  If he is a man after God's own heart, how could anyone stand against him?

I especially like the last two lines--the one who gives victory to kings/who delivers his servant David.  Even as a king, David acknowledges his servanthood.

From the deadly sword ¹¹ deliver me;
    rescue me from the hands of foreigners
whose mouths are full of lies,
    whose right hands are deceitful

Is he all alone in this?  Who is with him to fight?  He seems self-absorbed, and yet, really, isn't that how we should all be?  God tells us to come to him with all our hurts and our needs, and this is exactly what David is doing.

12. Then our sons in their youth

 will be like well-nurtured plants,

and our daughters will be like pillars

carved to adorn a palace.

13. Our barns will be filled

 with every kind of provision.

Our sheep will increase by thousands,

by tens of thousands in our fields;

14. our oxen will draw heavy loads.^[b]

There will be no breaching of walls,

no going into captivity,

 no cry of distress in our streets.

Their sons and daughters (now we have the our) are dependent on David in a very real way.  Kingdoms fell or grew strong in the strength of their king.  He knew exactly what he was talking about.  Victors had confidence, peace, freedom--and food.

15. Blessed is the people of whom this is true;

blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.

David leads the sons of Israel into battle.  He leads the Chosen, the people that God pulled out of Egypt, led to the Promised Land, and saved from danger again and again and again.  And all we who believe are adopted into this same wonderful family.  Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord!  Maranatha, Lord Jesus! Come and take your people home! Amen!