Psalm 74.1 1 O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why
does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture? (ESV)
Psalm 79.5 5 How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever?
Will your jealousy burn like fire? (ESV)
I love the songs of Asaph. I think had I lived in his day
I would’ve liked to have been his friend. Asaph’s songs make me think of men I
know on Facebook whom I’ve never met, but consider to be some of my better
friends. Shallow, I know. The digital age – I know. But I like the way Asaph
wrote and the way he thought (as expressed by the way he wrote). He’d be a
great Facebook friend.
My first response is to answer Asaph and say: Asaph, you know exactly why God has cast you
off forever. You know precisely why God’s anger smokes against the sheep of His
pasture: they deserved every dang thing they got! You know how long!
Of course my pathetic little attitude is only based on
what I read about Asaph and the people of his day. They’re not based on my own
experience. I don’t think I’ve reached the point where I ask God those questions. Although I’m thinking
of some people right now who might be asking those questions. How long O Lord; why is this happening; why is
this happening to us?
Not everyone in Asaph’s day was an apostate toward God.
God has always – even in the worst of times – had those who’ve trusted in Him
without too much question. There were the faithful in Israel who died right
alongside the faithless. Why God!? What’s
up with that!? The faithful went to their eternal reward; the faithless went
to their eternal consequence. The sum of our lives is not our death, it’s what
we did in life with what God gave us that matters.
There’s a curious remark in Psalm 74 that caught my eye.
Asaph said: Do not deliver the soul of
your dove to the wild beasts; do not forget the life of your poor forever.
(V.5) The dove is Israel; His poor is the people who love Him and trust Him
even in the worst of times. I heard echoes of Jesus in these words: Jesus said,
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5.3) Those who trust in God despite
their circumstances have the Kingdom
of Heaven.
Today, I’m not asking those questions, but I am glad someone
did. I’m glad that Asaph had to work through what he had to work through and
asked those questions so that I could be reminded that no matter what, God never forgets His faithful ones. Ever.
Father, You love Your poor and Your dove. You love those
who love You and show it by their trust in You and even in the hard times when
they ask those questions. Thank You for Your grace and for the days that You
use in my life to escort me home to my final presence with You – thank You!
Amen.
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