Psalm
79 reminds me of the human tendency to blame other people when things
go wrong. It started in the Garden of Eden. God asked Adam why he
ate from the one forbidden tree, Adam BLAMED GOD, “The
woman whom You gave to
be
with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate“.
Then Immediately, Eve blamed Satan, “The
serpent deceived me, and I ate”
(Gen 3:12-13). If this process is not corrected, it can affect a
life, a family, a community and a nation, eventually leading to
hopelessness. I am convinced that the disease of the inner city is
not poverty, it is hopelessness. This psalm was likely written
following the Babylonian invasion of Israel. Remember that prior to
the Babylonian attack, Israel had become a
weak, defenseless nation that no longer knew or feared God.
The nation and its leaders had become corrupted to the point where
God’s Word was no longer found and each new king was described the
same way, “He
did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father had done“.
I believe God interceded out of mercy. 2 Kings 24 says, “the
Lord sent … raiding
bands… He sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the
word of the Lord which He had spoken by His servants the prophets“.
God
even uses evil men to accomplish His purposes.
“Nebuchadnezzar
removed all the treasures from the temple of the Lord and from the
royal palace, and took away all the gold articles that Solomon… had
made for the temple of the Lord“.
These
temple treasures were protected and later returned to Jerusalem. Are
you blaming someone else for your situation?
The
Psalm begins, “O
God, the nations have invaded your inheritance… defiled Your holy
temple… They have poured out
blood
like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury the
dead“.
Often we see disasters on TV, but it never completely portrays the
real scope of the destruction. The writer explains, “We
are
objects
of reproach… of scorn… to those around us“.
No warning can prepare you for true devastation and loss. Notice
his first reaction is to blame God. “Will
You be angry forever? How long will Your jealousy burn?”
Then he desires to have others punished, “Pour
out Your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge You“.
The single most helpful relationship advice I have ever received was
in our pre-marriage counseling: My Pastor had me write this down, “I
am responsible for my own attitude, actions and reactions“.
This kind of attitude leads to forgiveness and healing.
The
psalm ends with a different tone, “May
Your
mercy
come
quickly to meet us, for we are in
desperate
need“.
He stops pointing at others and looks personally to God, “Help
us,
O
God our Savior… deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s
sake“.
His concern is no longer for himself, but for God’s glory, “make
known among the nations that You avenge the outpoured blood of Your
servants“.
He prays for his brethren, “May
the
groans
of the prisoners come before You… preserve those condemned to die“.
He closes his prayer with a plea to “Pay
back… seven times the reproach they have hurled at You, O Lord“.
Holding on to anger and revenge will prevent real joy in our life.
Remember Peter asked Jesus, “Lord,
how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up
to seven times?“.
But Jesus made it clear that forgiving others is the key to finding
real peace, “I
tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times”
(Matthew 18:22). Will you forgive much or forgive little?