Thoughts on Psalm 124

Have you ever read Psalm 124?  It is a tiny little chapter, only 8 verses, but it packs a powerful punch!  In fact, one phrase was worth repeating in 2 of the 8 verses…

            “What if the Lord had not been on our side?”

We live in a world where pessimism is the norm.  People have rejected God, and turned from God, because something didn’t go their way, or because he didn’t do what they wanted him to do.  People seem to believe they know better than God.  Over and over in the Old Testament, God’s people would be living blessed lives – they would turn away from him – they would be disciplined – they would turn back to God – he would forgive them and bless them again.  Around and around.

  Our nation once respected God, worshiped God, and was founded on biblical principles.  At one time, our children learned to read by scripture in every public school.  God was front and center.  No one can argue that we have been a particularly blessed nation as a whole.  Things are changing.  Now our nation is in a trend of rejecting God and pushing him out.  Actually, forcing him out.  I would probably be fired from my teaching position if I required classes to read scripture.  Do you really think our nation will remain in its blessed state for long?

This is where Psalm 124 comes back in.  All these years,

“What if the Lord had not been on our side?”

We could still be under British control.

“What if the Lord had not been on our side?”

We could still know the horrors of slavery.

“What if the Lord had not been on our side?”

We could be under Nazi rule.

The general pessimistic mindset of people today only sees the bad and never acknowledges the good.  They think things are bad, when things are so much worse elsewhere.  No one sees the amazing things God does for his people.  Miracles don’t often make the news anymore.

We have to remember to TRUST that God is smarter than we are and can see the bigger picture.  Know that no matter how bad things seem, they are worse somewhere else, and are only temporary.  You must keep your eyes on Jesus, have faith, don’t turn away, and remember – Jesus has overcome the world!  And “joy comes in the morning”.  We always want the Lord to be on our side.

Venting

Have you ever heard the expression ‘venting’?  “I just needed to vent.”  “He was just venting.”  The basic meaning is to ‘vent’, or to get rid of, hot air – steam – or as the phrase has come to mean, anger and frustration.  We ‘vent’ anger about a situation to our friends and family.  Now I must ask you, does the ‘venting’ process help you find peace?

Yesterday I heard an amazing sermon.  It was on forgiveness, focusing on how to handle conflict.  You remember, Jesus’s teachings about talking to the person first, then take witnesses, and then involve the church if repentance could not be reached…  I don’t want to go in depth on this part as I don’t want to accidentally plagiarize.  You can find a refresher in Matthew 18, starting at verse 15.  Anyway, the pastor said something in this sermon that hit me (a lot of things actually).  Is venting just gossip? 

Think about it, you are discussing a problem or situation with someone not involved in that problem or situation.  You are talking about another person without their knowledge – uh – that IS gossip.  Does it solve anything?  Who should you go to then?  GOD!  Matthew 6:33 says “Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”  Hmm, I don’t see anywhere in that passage the words ‘go complain to your neighbor, if she can’t figure it out then give God a crack at it’.  No, it says “above all else”, some translations say “Seek ye first”.  Go to God first, if he wants you to discuss it with someone else, he will let you know.  People throughout history ‘vent’ to God – he IS the only one that can actually do anything to make the situation change after all. 

Have you read the Psalms?  The whole thing alternates between praise and venting to God.  There is a lot of prayer venting in Job too.  Now I have to add a disclaimer, yes if we must vent, we should vent to God, but the key to solving the issue is to listen to God.  Be open to hear what he has to say.  Let him show you your part, and how you can change to improve the situation.  Don’t just expect him to fix it all.  Because typically, if we feel the need to vent, then God has given us a challenge to overcome.  There is a part of us that needs some growth.  I am a doormat.  I have been a doormat my entire life.  I am non-confrontational.   Everything I have felt reason to vent over lately, is God trying to ‘un-doormat’ me.  It is hard.  And I do vent to others.  That is part of why this sermon hit home so much.  I was gossiping.  I was giving Satan a foothold in my life.  The only time any situation has improved is when I discussed it with God and followed through with the challenge he has given me.  I am growing.  I am growing in faith and in – uh – forgive the made up word --- nondoormattyness (I think the meaning of that word is self-confidence and strength).

Am I perfect? NO.  Will I gossip more?  Probably.  BUT I am going to work hard to change.  I am going to work hard to seek God first in ALL things.  Try with me.

A few of MANY verses that involve gossip…

Proverbs 16:28 “A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.” 

Proverbs 26:20 “Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.”