Passage Read: Psalm 120-123
Meditation Verses: 120:2-4
Thought
The psalmist is distressed because of his neighbors and perhaps even his relatives, those he lives among. They are continually for war while he is for peace. They continually lie while he delights in truthfulness. He asks the Lord to be delivered from them. Why doesn't he move away? He also at least thinks to himself that they will be punished with fire and arrows. Perhaps once he spoke to them and pleaded with them for their repentance, but now it seems he has given up hope for their salvation. Now there is nothing left for them but destruction. Could he believe them if he wanted to? To him, nothing they say can be trusted.
Application
If no one listens to us, and we can't trust much of what they say anyways, why do we remain among them? The easiest way to be delivered from such people is to move. The psalmist mentions living in tents. How much easier it is to move away for him than for those who live in houses! Does he think there are no better places, no better people to move among? Wherever he goes, does he think he'll find more the same? That would be discouraging indeed. That would merit crying out to the Lord. Is he right or is he wrong? Even we Christians have command to put off falsehood and speak truthfully to one another. Ouch! Are we little better? Do we not so easily go to war with one another rather than listen and learn, extend mercy and make peace? It really seems safer to me to keep some degree of emotional distance from people, even Christians, because I believe in my heart that few are really trustworthy, and sadly that has been borne out in my experience a little too often. The only real deliverance I can hope for is departure from this world and entrance into God's kingdom where all are truly genuine and gracious and peace-loving. In the meantime, Lord, help me be discerning and gracious to others, even if I can't trust them.