Daily Meditations

Psalm 59:3 Stirring up the enemy Who is it who lies in wait? This image is drawn from a time when life was less technological than now, if you wanted to catch someone out you did not have CCTV or tracking devices, you had to lie in wait for them. Deer hunters, wildfowlers, fishermen and others know the routine, it can be time-consuming but there is only one thing on the mind of hunters, of any generation, it is to catch their prey. Either literally or just to observe. Most kinds of prey do not know that they are being stalked or that their enemy is lurking close by, but David knew. He knew the tactics of his enemies. He knew that he was being closely watched and he knew that danger surrounded him on all sides. Mighty men, men of influence and power were biding their time, awaiting the opportune moment when they would pounce and kill their prey.  In the midst of this relentless hounding, David turns to the Lord and pleads his innocence. He knows that he has done nothing to deserve t...

Psalm 59:2 Hills of responsibility When we ascend the hills of responsibility and power, a number of things happen. The opportunity “to be something” increases and we are noticed by more people. It’s not surprising, at the bottom of the hill we can get lost in the masses, as we ascend, we become more conspicuous. Some use this ascent to sustain their egos and to trample upon those who are below them. Power and responsibility are both dangerous and also fulfilling. If we use them to serve ourselves, they are extremely dangerous and the higher we climb the greater the fall will be. If we use power and responsibility to serve others then they are a wonderful gift, the means to a fulfilling life journey that benefits mankind. All jobs, careers, elected positions and organisational structures etc have opportunities for individuals to make the choice, do I use this to serve others or to serve myself? Unfortunately, there is another downside to ascending the hill of responsibility, for some r...

Psalm 59:1 A Prayer for deliverance This Psalm is not dissimilar to Psalm 55 where David is cowering from the murderous intentions of King Saul and is constantly under watch. Like some of the preceding Psalms, this one finds the fugitive suffering particularly from the malicious talk and slanderous accusation of his enemies. The lies that are being spread and the rumours that are deliberately started bring shame but also stir up righteous anger, for David is convinced of his innocence and he knows that every falsehood is meant to diminish his status before the people. Saul is so driven by his jealousy and hatred that even if he cannot unearth David, he intends to make sure that his reputation is tarnished forever. In Saul’s mind, no one in Israel ever will look up to the anointed upstart and ever trust him to lead them.   v1        It is to David’s credit that he has learned to trust the Lord for his deliverance and for his future safety. The...

Psalm 58:11 Surely there is a God who judges I do not believe that the Lord has to vindicate Himself for reasons of self-gratification. Nor does He do so in order to win the hearts of the human race! God has to be vindicated because He is righteous, true and just; His essential character determines His actions and because of that, wickedness cannot be allowed to prevail and those who are godly must be liberated. This fundamental truth lies at the heart of all the Lord’s dealings with mankind from the very beginning. Adam and Eve’s sin had to be punished because justice demanded it. Abel’s death had to be vindicated and his brother suffered the consequences. Throughout history, those who persecute and abuse the righteous will themselves be penalized just as their victims will be rewarded. This Policy is founded on the eternal premise that truth and justice must always be the cosmic winners and selfishness, pride, greed and all other forms of evil must be disciplined.  Yes, there is ...

Psalm 58:10 The righteous avenged Yet another bloodthirsty verse, using language that we would normally shrink away from! Firstly, notice it is the righteous who will be avenged. It’s not clear if this includes all those who fear and put their faith in God or if it refers to those who are “not guilty” but have been wrongfully accused and abused. In other words, is it a spiritual term or a legal one? Perhaps it does not matter, our God is so big and so full of justice that will He not avenge all unrighteousness? The Scriptures certainly point to a time of judgement when the wicked must face the consequences of their actions and all wrongs will be redressed. Those who have willingly and knowingly turned against the Lord God and abused and exploited His creation, and their fellow men, are going to face an eternity full of bitter regret. The final phrase of this verse takes us to the battlefield. Such is the destruction of enemy forces that the ground has become a sea of blood. Those men o...

Psalm 58:9 Some wilderness cooking tips I loved lighting fires as a young man and because I spent many of my formative years on a farm, I had plenty of opportunities to build them and light them! In addition, the only source of heat at home was an open fire and so it was natural to learn different techniques and the way that flames react to wind, weather conditions and to the various combustible materials. In Bible times people were equally dependant on fire for heat and for cooking, and for keeping wild animals at bay during the night! One of the best materials for starting a fire, and that was in plentiful supply, was the humble thornbush. It’s not hard to imagine the wilderness travellers gathering sticks and branches from the bushes and getting their pots ready for an evening meal. Obviously, dry twigs burned faster and more easily, green ones were added to subdue the flames and keep the heat in for the cooking process.  David is imagining here that his enemies, the wicked rule...

Psalm 58:8 Some slug facts!  Cool weather, rain and fog is the best weather for slugs because since they don’t have an outer shell to protect them, they may dry out in dry and warm weather. When the weather is warm and dry, slugs will try and find a cool, dark and damp area to hide in. However, if there is a long dry spell then slugs will encase themselves in a papery, cocoon-like structure and attach themselves to a wall or a tree and wait it out. When they move, slugs leave a slimy trail that is both an oil and a glue. Somehow, they absorb moisture from the air and produce this shiny track that tells us where they have been and where they are going.  David uses the analogy of the slug to describe his enemies, the wicked rulers who are the subjects of this Psalm. In a hot country slugs would find it difficult to secret themselves away and presumably many would be dried up by the sun’s heat. The analogies keep coming and the next one is particularly gruesome and painful for an...