There are moments in life when chaos seems to reign. Mommy died with Alzheimer. It was a degenerative process as chaos prevailing over life.
In Psalm 93:
3-4 Sea storms are up, God,
Sea storms wild and roaring,
Sea storms with thunderous breakers.
Stronger than wild sea storms,
Mightier than sea-storm breakers,
Mighty God rules from High Heaven.
Sea waters are related to chaos. Even though chaos seems to prevail, the psalm declares that God rules over chaos.
God rules over Alzheimer and death.
I have had many difficulties in my life to better understand the Bible and fellowship in a local church. There have been times in my life, especially when I was single, when I gave up attending church and in a way went my own way.
I cannot say that I have been faithful to the Lord all my life, but the opposite is true.
The Lord has been looking for me and always brings me back to Him.
Psalm 92 is a song that should be sung in the congregation on the Sabbath.
1 It is good to give thanks to Yahweh,
to make music to praise your name, O Elyon.
2 It is good to announce your mercy in the morning
and your faithfulness in the evening
Brazil is a dangerous country. I live in a house. Some guys decided to work as security guards. They roam the streets on their motorcycles. They are supposed to give our neighborhood some security. They go and charge some value from the neighborhood (mainly those who live at home).
I did not adhere to the payment and therefore my home is not protected. Last year my daughter decided to study at night. I take her to the train station and drive her home. It is very unpleasant to find some security when entering or leaving the house. Yesterday I had a strong impression that a motorcycle courier was following me when I went to pick up my daughter.
I read in Psalm 91:
14-16 “If you’ll hold on to me for dear life,” says God,
“I’ll get you out of any trouble.
I’ll give you the best of care
if you’ll only get to know and trust me.
Call me and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times;
I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party.
I’ll give you a long life,
give you a long drink of salvation!”
My life is in the Lord's hand. I must trust in Him and rest in Him. He will get me out of any trouble. He is the One who really protects me.
I was bullied when teenager. I suffered physical violence but the worst was the loneliness. I couldn't have a friend because everyone who approached friendly to me would be bullied too.
I grew up lonely, with no friends. Even now, I don't have friends. I have a family but I don't like parties. It is difficult to me to socialize.
I grew up in church, but I didn't get a church support in my loneliness. I can´t say I had real friends in church.
In Psalm 90:
1 God, it seems you’ve been our home forever;
but despite that:
7-9 Your anger is far and away too much for us;
we’re at the end of our rope.
You keep track of all our sins; every misdeed
since we were children is entered in your books.
All we can remember is that frown on your face.
Is that all we’re ever going to get?
I didn't enjoy parties (even nowadays if I go to party, I can't enjoy). Most of time I was chasing something: to study and go to college, to find a good job, to keep the job, to take care of the health of my children, etc. As in Psalm90: Is that all I am ever going to get?
10 We live for seventy years or so
(with luck we might make it to eighty),
And what do we have to show for it? Trouble.
I am 60 years old now. I would like to enjoy life now.
12 Oh! Teach us to live well!
Teach us to live wisely and well!
15 Make us rejoice for as many days as you have made us suffer,
for as many years as we have experienced evil.
That is my pray: Teach me to live wisely and well at 60 years old! Treat me with kindness. Make me rejoice for as many days as I was lonely, sad and lost.
The psalm finishes with:
17 let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us,
confirming the work that we do.
Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do!
Let the loveliness of my Lord rest on me. Let my life please my Lord.
In the old testament, we read promises to David: his kingdom will last forever. The psalmist is very aware of this promise to David:
3 You said, “I have made a promise to my chosen one.
I swore this oath to my servant David:
4 ‘I will make your dynasty continue forever.
I built your throne to last throughout every generation.’” Selah
He remember this promise again:
35 On my holiness I have taken an oath once and for all:
I will not lie to David.
36 His dynasty will last forever.
His throne will be in my presence like the sun.
37 Like the moon his throne will stand firm forever.
It will be like a faithful witness in heaven.”
However, there is no descendant of David ruling during the exile in Babylon. We Christians understand that "Jesus is the solution", through Jesus, a descendant of David reigns forever.
I don't know when Psalm 89 was written, but it seems to me that it reflects questions in Babylon exile in verses:
38 But you have despised, rejected,
and become angry with your anointed one.
39 You have refused to recognize the promise to your servant
and have thrown his crown into the dirt.
40 You have broken through all his walls
and have laid his fortified cities in ruins.
41 (Everyone who passed by robbed him.
He has become the object of his neighbors’ scorn.)
42 You held the right hand of his enemies high
and made all of his adversaries rejoice.
43 You even took his sword out of his hand
and failed to support him in battle.
44 You put an end to his splendor
and hurled his throne to the ground.
45 You cut short the days of his youth
and covered him with shame. Selah
46 How long, O Yahweh? Will you hide yourself forever?
How long will your anger continue to burn like fire?
The psalmist is very upset. Given what is happening, it seems that the promises were a lie (opposing to verse 35). Despite all circumstances, the psalmist decides to trust in the Lord. That is why he is questioning the Lord, because he trusts in Him. He finishes the Psalm with:
51 Your enemies insulted me.
They insulted your Mashiach every step he took.
52 Thank Yahweh forever.
Amen and amen!
We Christians trust in the Lord. We know that his promise to David was fulfilled in Jesus. However, this psalm inspires me to trust in the Lord near a denial of reality.
In Psalm 88, the psalmist is about to die. He prays:
9-12 I call to you, God; all day I call.
I wring my hands, I plead for help.
Are the dead a live audience for your miracles?
Do ghosts ever join the choirs that praise you?
Does your love make any difference in a graveyard?
Is your faithful presence noticed in the corridors of hell?
Are your marvelous wonders ever seen in the dark,
your righteous ways noticed in the Land of No Memory?
He is confident that the Lord prefers life than death because only a live audience praise his marvelous works.
The Lord loves Zion.
Psalm 87:1-3/MSG He founded Zion on the Holy Mountain—
and oh, how God loves his home!
Even though I was born in Brazil, the Lord makes me citizen of Zion.
In Psalm 87:5/MSG:
The word’s getting out on Zion:
“Men and women, right and left,
get born again in her!”
