Depending on who wields them determines if they are used for destruction or protection. The world uses words to destroy because that is its’ identity. John’s Gospel paints the world as what Jesus came to save and yet the world remains in darkness because that is what it loves (John 3:16-20). Words from the world communicate a message to trap people into a mold they do not belong in. This mold turns humans into creatures who boast and are full of lies and lust. The world cannot create people who protect because the world remains in the darkness. The words of God however, create people who bring life and love into the world.
Psalm 12 is a lament, and it is the first lament where God
speaks.
Eight laments have already passed by the time the reader reaches this one and God has remained silent. The psalmist has pealed with God for help over and over again with no response. All the psalmist has is the confidence in God’s character.
Yet, this psalm is different.
God speaks.
He arises because the faithful have disappeared and lies have flooded the earth. Darkness has consumed the earth, and this causes God to act. God protects the weak. He always has and always will. Then the reader comes to Psalm 13…and again laments to God. It seems as if God has not spoken at all because the psalmist feels forgotten. God said He would act and yet there appears to have been no answer. The compiler of Psalms places psalm thirteen and fourteen after twelve because God’s answer has not yet been seen. These words of life are desperately needed, yet they have not arrived.
Eight laments have already passed by the time the reader reaches this one and God has remained silent. The psalmist has pealed with God for help over and over again with no response. All the psalmist has is the confidence in God’s character.
Yet, this psalm is different.
God speaks.
He arises because the faithful have disappeared and lies have flooded the earth. Darkness has consumed the earth, and this causes God to act. God protects the weak. He always has and always will. Then the reader comes to Psalm 13…and again laments to God. It seems as if God has not spoken at all because the psalmist feels forgotten. God said He would act and yet there appears to have been no answer. The compiler of Psalms places psalm thirteen and fourteen after twelve because God’s answer has not yet been seen. These words of life are desperately needed, yet they have not arrived.
Jesus must have been conflicted when he first came upon this
psalm in school. I do not know whether or not Jesus knew in his youth that he
would answer this psalm. Perhaps Jesus ran this psalm through his mind and
across his lips as he was mocked:
"Are you not only a simple carpenter?" (Mark 6:2-3)
"You are demon possessed!" (John 8:48)
"If you are God then save yourself!" (Matthew 27:40)
God said he will now rise up and deal with liars.
A single word is all God said.
That Word came into the world to save sinners and bring peace to the poor and freedom for the prisoners (John 1:1-18; Luke 4:18-19).
Jesus was the one who needed God’s help and yet, Jesus was the help sent by God that the psalmist was waiting for.
"Are you not only a simple carpenter?" (Mark 6:2-3)
"You are demon possessed!" (John 8:48)
"If you are God then save yourself!" (Matthew 27:40)
God said he will now rise up and deal with liars.
A single word is all God said.
That Word came into the world to save sinners and bring peace to the poor and freedom for the prisoners (John 1:1-18; Luke 4:18-19).
Jesus was the one who needed God’s help and yet, Jesus was the help sent by God that the psalmist was waiting for.
Jesus refines us into silver. He places us into a mold that turns humans into lovers of peace. We do not destroy; we help restore the damage the world has done. Jesus protects us so that we in turn can protect others.
Words can cut us down and tell us who we are, but these words come from the world and we must ignore them. Instead we need to listen to what God has to say. His words are truth and create greater life inside of us. They reveal who we actually are so we can protect the weak alongside Christ. The Church has always been protecting the weak because we are a restored people. This is one way that we worship.
The world has a message full of lies, but we have a message that is greater than that of the world. Our message is a story about a Word that came into the world to save us, and one day that Word will come back to finally end the lies of the world. That Word will save the weak once and for all.
Liars have to babble endlessly to accomplish their goal. God only has to say one Word, and it is the final Word.
Help, O Lord, for the godly are fast disappearing!
The faithful have vanished from the earth!
Neighbors lie to each other,
speaking with flattering lips and deceitful hearts.
May the Lord cut off their flattering lips
and silence their boastful tongues.
They say, “We will lie to our hearts’ content.
Our lips are our own—who can stop us?”
Our lips are our own—who can stop us?”
The Lord replies, “I have seen violence done to the helpless,
and I have heard the groans of the poor.
Now I will rise up to rescue them,
as they have longed for me to do.”
and I have heard the groans of the poor.
Now I will rise up to rescue them,
as they have longed for me to do.”
The Lord’s promises are pure,
like silver refined in a furnace,
purified seven times over.
like silver refined in a furnace,
purified seven times over.
Therefore, Lord, we know you will protect the oppressed,
preserving them forever from this lying generation,
preserving them forever from this lying generation,
even though the wicked strut about,
and evil is praised throughout the land.
and evil is praised throughout the land.
-Psalm 12 NLT, Emphasis Added
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Justin Dewell
is currently a student and Resident Assistant at Ozark Christian College studying New
Testament Theology.
He works as an assistant in the preaching department and in the library. He has served as an intern at East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, but currently serves on staff at College Heights Christian Church in Joplin, MO for the College Age Ministry.
In his free time you can find him running, playing video games, or reading something by Andy Stanley. He wants to plant a church someday and by God's grace watch it grow.
He works as an assistant in the preaching department and in the library. He has served as an intern at East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, but currently serves on staff at College Heights Christian Church in Joplin, MO for the College Age Ministry.
In his free time you can find him running, playing video games, or reading something by Andy Stanley. He wants to plant a church someday and by God's grace watch it grow.
Follow him on Twitter:
Follow @jbdewell
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