Psalms 11 - 15: Reading the Psalter Missionally (and briefly)
Here is the next installment:
Psalms 11 – 15
Today’s psalms are a reminder that the manner in which we live matters profoundly. God has called humanity to live as a community that reflects God’s character to, for, and in the World. A commitment to a life of holiness of heart and life involves an active engagement with the World. The psalmist understands this reality all too well. Our reading today (Pss 11-15) begins with a psalm of trust in the LORD as a refuge. To need a refuge implies that one encounters danger in life. The life of faith is not about safety and security; it’s about risk and the courage to engage the world with the Gospel.
But God is a refuge. Ps 11:4 pictures a watchful LORD who remains the anchor for his people: “The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD’s throne is in heaven. His eyes behold, his gaze examines humankind.” This is good news because the next three psalms lead the reader back into the tension of living in a world that desperately needs the Gospel but often actively opposes it. In psalms 12-14, the writer is confronted with the presence of danger and evil in the world.
How then shall we live? Ps 15 prescribes a life of faithful obedience that adds value to society, practices justice, and most importantly demonstrates visibly the reality of God before a watching world. This is a life that demands explanation.
What sort of a person do I need to become to embody such a life today?
© 2008 Brian D. Russell