But... What Do I Know?

Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! (Psalm 150 ESV).

If you have been following Morning Devotionals for very long I’m sure you have heard me mention my Italian heritage. Both my maternal and paternal grandparents were born and raised in Sicily before immigrating to the United States. My grandfathers both died before I was born, though I knew my grandmothers very well. We were a close family in those days and it was not unusual for me to meet other Italians in our community. One of the typical characteristics about those from Italian descent is the penchant for talking with our hands. One of my favorite memes shows two of the characters from The Sopranos. Pauli Gualtieri is talking to Tony Soprano and after giving some unsolicited advice, he says with his hands up, “But, what do I know?” That was always a good way to to avoid any of the blame for whatever might happen after his advice was acted upon.

 

Well, one of things we never need worry about after reading the Scripture. God isn’t going to hold his hands up and say, “But, what do I know?” He knows. And, He will always give us the truth. So as we come to the end of our series in the psalms, it seems fitting to end with the last in the compilation. This song is the last in a closing group of five (Psalms 146-150) that all begin and end with “Praise the Lord.” Urging “everything that has breath” to praise God for his “acts of power” and “surpassing greatness,” this psalm celebrates the faithful Lord of all creation. So we join in with dancing and the music of all kinds of instruments to honor the almighty King of all kings.

 

The apostle Paul echoes this invitation, saying, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:16-17). As we end our season in the psalms, let us give thanks for the love of God in Christ Jesus. The Lord stands with us in all the seasons of our lives. In our joy, sadness, praise, lament, thanksgiving, and much more, God is always watching over us, holding our destiny safe in his hands. The steadfast love of the Lord “endures forever” (Psalm 118; 136). So “let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord”!

Come and Sit a Spell

O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. (Psalm 131 ESV).

 

A wonderful artist has finished and made available a poignant reminder of the comfort that comes from being in the arms of a loving parent. The title of the work (shown here) is “Mother Rocking He Child.” It is an original painting by Marilyn Wells. I remember those days when I could rock the boys while reading a story to them. They passed all too quickly. However, nothing seemed to soothe their spirit more than that simple activity. I suppose there was as much comfort for me in rocking them as there was for them in being rocked. It somehow just made everything right.

 

This is the background for our reading today. So many psalms are about battles, doubts, and trouble, or about thanks, joy, and praise to God in worship. But this psalm is different, much quieter. Instead of portraying a king celebrating a victory or a priest leading worship in the temple, this psalm pictures a young child consoled and comforted by its mother. Think of a child who fell and skinned a knee and now, having been soothed and comforted, is able to fall asleep in its mother’s arms. In a way like that child, the psalmist is humble and at peace, not haughty or concerned with great matters, able to rest and trust in God’s comforting care.

 

God’s promises and care are indeed what calm and quiet our souls, like a toddler safe in the comfort of its mother’s embrace. The promise here is that when I fall down and get hurt, or even cry out my frustration in a tantrum, God will be there to pick me up and say, “There, there; it’s alright.”

 

I experience that quiet comfort when I read this psalm and picture myself in the lap of my God, soothed, comforted, and at peace like a little child. I experience that quiet comfort when I read Jesus’ words: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

 

Perhaps you need that kind of comfort today. God’s lap is always available for you to crawl into and snuggle close in His arms of protection. Come on… sit a spell with the One who loves you more than anything in this world!

 

Help from the Mountains

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. (Psalm 121 ESV).

 

Every continent on earth has mountains. Some are cold, rugged, and difficult to climb. Others are favorite vacation spots. Still others are sources of water, timber, and other natural resources. When you see the vista of these mountains stretching across the horizon it is easy to be reminded of God’s greatness and our smallness. The picture I have included today is from a sunset in the Smoky Mountains. We are partial to this part of the Eastern Range in our nation, although we’ve traveled in the past to others as well. The majesty of this great part of God’s creation is undeniable.

 

Our reading today asks us to consider “lifting up our eyes” (v. 1) to see the majesty of God in his creation. Setting out for their trip to Jerusalem for a festival, pilgrims often sang this song to remind each other of the dangers of the journey ahead and of the assurances of God’s protection. God is greater than any so-called god of the hills or mountains — the Lord God is earth’s Creator. God is more powerful than any force of the sun or moon — the Lord created them too. The false gods of other ­nations might have had to take vacations, but not the Lord God Almighty, who never slumbers or sleeps.

 

We need to remember that we are constantly in the midst of a “journey.” Whether we are taking a mere step or two, or traveling for hundreds of miles, we should remind ourselves, as those pilgrims did, that we travel with God. We need not fear the dangers of the road or threats from others; every step of our way is seen by God, who watches over us.

 

Our God, the Creator of earth’s highest mountains and deepest valleys, as well as everything in between, is also the protector of our lives. Today may be a time in your journey when you especially need to hear that truth. God is indeed the One who will keep you from all evil! Trust Him!

 

The Dawn of Fact-Check

In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done to you, you deceitful tongue? A warrior's sharp arrows, with glowing coals of the broom tree! (Psalm 120:1-4 ESV).

 

The English language is constantly evolving as new words are developed and inserted into our vocabulary as new behavior takes hold in our culture. One of those “new” words describes the era in which we live. We have now begun calling the age in which we are living the “Post-Truth Era.” In fact, an entirely new industry has evolved as a result of the need for determining the truth. We call these “fact-checkers.” Just five years ago there were 44 fact-checking organizations; today there are 195. It is interesting that with the dawn of so many of these organizations, you are often forced to consult more than one to determine the veracity of a claim. Something is wrong in a culture when you must check the checkers; but, that seems to be where we are as a nation.

 

Our reading today has something to say about living in the midst of relentless trouble. It begins with distress and ends with talk of war, and everything in between reveals anxiety and pain. This psalm is the first of fifteen songs used by ancient Israelites traveling to Jerusalem (Mount Zion) for a temple festival. For many of those pilgrims it was a long and difficult journey, and yet they undertook it gladly.

 

This psalm provides the reason why they wanted to take that trip — to escape the violence and lies that often surrounded them. This psalm draws them toward Jerusalem and the temple, to celebrate God’s truth.

 

We may often be surrounded and distressed by trouble as well. When that happens, there is only one way to turn, to God. The only way to escape the lies that often surround us is to turn to and meditate on the truth found in God’s Word. Notice the psalmist’s firm faith despite so many troubles: “I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me.” God’s faith­ful­ness is clear to the believer who calls on God and seeks to live by God’s truth. That’s what drew so many pilgrims to celebrate the Lord together. And in God’s presence they were blessed and restored.

 

Every time we approach God, we too are making a pilgrimage into the presence of the one who is “the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6).