Psalm 14 The Passion Translation (TPT)
God Looks Down from Heaven[a]
For the Pure and Shining One, by King David
1 Only the withering soul would say to himself,
“There is no God.”
Anyone who thinks like this is corrupt and callous,
depraved and detestable, devoid of what is good.
2 The Lord looks down in love,
bending over heaven’s balcony,
looking over all of Adam’s sons and daughters.
He’s looking to see if there is anyone who acts wisely,
any who are searching for God and wanting to please him.
3 But no, everyone has wandered astray,
walking stubbornly toward evil.
Not one is good; he can’t even find one.
4 Look how they live in luxury while exploiting my people!
Won’t these workers of wickedness ever learn?
They don’t ever even think of praying to God.
5 But just look at them now, in panic, trembling with terror.
For the Lord is on the side of the generation of loyal lovers.
6 The Lord is always the safest place for the poor
when the workers of wickedness oppress them.
7 How I wish that Israel’s rescue
would arise from the midst of Zion!
When his people are restored,
Jacob’s joy will break forth
and Israel will be glad!
All throughout Psalms 3-14, we see David lamenting his plight, calling out to God to rescue him and punish the wicked, and praising God for his deliverance in the past that he knows he will see again and again and again. He’s so honest, transparent, and emotional throughout all of these Psalms, as he dumps all of his needs, wants, and desires on his Father. Sometimes, as I read these Old Testament poems and books of the prophets, I feel a little like I’m intruding, like I’m reading their prayer journals that I was never meant to read. I’m grateful, though, that I have these honest thoughts and prayers to use as a model for my own thoughts and prayers to my Father.
I’ve been struggling with intelligently articulating my thoughts on these psalms in particular. When I studied them this past fall, I was going through an incredibly difficult time where, like David, I was being attacked without respite day in and day out. I found myself often crying the same types of prayers David was crying in these psalms: “How much longer, God?” “How many lies are you going to let be spewed?” “I know you hear my cries. When will you come to my rescue?” “When will this enemy fall into this pit they are digging?” “When will this arrogance be destroyed?” Day in and day out. Over and over again. And, the answer God gave me on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis was simple, and not the immediate answer I wanted: “be still and let me fight for you.” No. Huh-uh. Nope. Not what I’m looking for here, God. Help a sister out.
Day in and day out, though, I read and studied these psalms, cried out to God just like David, and waited. As you read through the psalms, you’ll realize they are separated into four different books. You’ll also realize that while David spent a ton of time crying out to God he also spent a ton of time praising God. He almost always stopped his lament midway through his psalm to focus on the character of God and all the miraculous things God has done in the past. He was always faithful. Always. He never doubted God, His will, or His rescue. As I walked through Psalms and made it into the second and third books, as David’s and the other psalmist’s plight began to change, so did my own. God worked small things out for me, and then a few bigger things, and finally he moved the mountain the wicked had placed in front of me all together. Just as I read about these things happening in Israel’s history and in David’s life, they were happening in my own.
Seriously.
I can’t make this stuff up.
So, as I have been reflecting on these few psalms the last few days and sitting down to write about them, I have found myself speechless because the human part of me, the fleshly part of me, wants to air it all. She wants to bring all of the unjust, unfair, details of my attacks out of the darkness and into the light. She wants to call a spade a spade and bare all of the ugly she faced to the world. But, I can’t do that. I can’t do that because God was and is faithful, because vengeance isn’t mine, even the human part of me would certainly like it to be. So, instead, let me first apologize for going silent the last few days. It wasn’t a silence out of laziness or having nothing to say; it was a chosen silence in honor of what my Father has done for me, how he turned the tides of battle for me, and how he moved the mountain right in front of me.
What I do want to leave you with is this psalm. David makes a statement here that Paul quotes in Romans. He says, “The Lord looks down in love, bending over heaven’s balcony, looking over all of Adam’s sons and daughters. He’s looking to see if there is anyone who acts wisely, any who are searching for God and wanting to please him. But no, everyone has wandered astray, walking stubbornly toward evil. Not one is good; he can’t even find one.” There is no one good, not even one. I’m not sure where you are in your life right now--whether you are one of the righteous or one of the wicked. But, I can tell you this with absolute certainty: we have all been one of the wicked at some point in our lives. We have a choice, though, and David knew that. So many times throughout the psalms, David talks about the wicked, but he also talks about them repenting. I think that’s amazing. I prefer the David who prays for the destruction of the wicked who are oppressing him, but I admire the David who prays for the repentance of them instead.
I’ve lived the life of the wicked, and I’m not afraid to say that out loud. Do you know why? Because I’m living the life of the righteous now. I choose God and life led by his Spirit every day now because my Father saw fit to leave the 99 and chase me down. While there are days I have wanted to pray for the destruction and for God to take revenge on the wicked enemies in my own life (and some days I still do), I know that God’s desire is for me to pray for them to allow God to soften their hearts, for them to loose the foothold and strongholds Satan has over them, and for them to choose the life of the righteous instead the life of the wicked. And, I try to pray that prayer everyday, I do. Some days are easier than others. When I was in the midst of daily attacks, it was incredibly hard, and I can’t say that I prayed it everyday, but once I learned a little more about the freedom of forgiveness, that became a much more natural prayer.
David knew his God was the safest place for the poor and the oppressed. He knew his Father was his rescuer. He knew. I needed a reminder of that in my life, and maybe you need that reminder today. Friends, remember that none of us are good or righteous or on our own. When we’re left to our own devices, we end up where David found himself a few times and where his enemies found themselves throughout these psalms: on the path of the wicked. Thankfully, though, we have a Redeemer in our God and a sacrifice in Jesus. Our debts have already been paid. Our righteousness has already been bought. God’s grace and mercy are new and available to us every morning.
So, maybe today you’re struggling with wickedness in your own life, your living for you and your own wants and desires instead of living for God and his desires for your life. Maybe today, you know there is a spiritual war waging all around you for your soul. Maybe today, you know God has left the 99 and is literally standing, waiting for you to follow him back to the flock. You are never too far gone. You are never too wicked. You are never too lost for God’s grace and mercy. None of us are righteous on our own, not one.
Or, maybe today you are under attack by the wicked. You feel like David, pinned against the wall in a cave with no way out, by the lies, attacks, and betrayal of the wicked. If that’s you, then let me first say I’m sorry. I’ve been there. I’ve felt that pain. I’ve endured those attacks. I’ve stood at the base of the mountain and wondered how God would ever move it. I’ve been there. And, I’m telling you today, just like David will tell you throughout the psalms, my God is good. He is faithful. His mercies are new every morning. He will fight your battles; you must only be still. While it feels unnatural, pray for your enemies. Pray for the wicked. Pray for them to allow God to soften their hearts. Pray for them to see the error of their ways. Pray for them to choose righteousness. Because it is a choice we all have the option to make.
And, remember, the Lord is always the safest place for the poor when they are being oppressed. He’s not asking to do this alone. He’s not asking for us to fight for ourselves. He’s simply asking us to trust in him and have faith in His will.
Until next time, my friends...
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