Psalm 138; Deuteronomy 21:22 – 22:8; 1 Peter 3:1-12
In our Psalm we see David praising God with his whole heart – regardless of his situation at the time, he holds nothing back when it comes to praising God. David was praising God for His love, His kindness, His faithfulness. He acknowledges that God’s word and name are above all things.
“When I called”, David says, “you answered me, you made me bold” – if we live as God’s children we can call on Him and He will answer us. He will give us the words to speak, He’ll give us the grace to love, He’ll give us the boldness and strength we need to be His people in this world.
There’s a pattern here that we can use in our own praise – praising God for who He is, for His word and for the things He has done for us.
David turns to pray that all the kings of the earth will praise God and sing of His ways; we too are called to pray for our leaders, for all in authority.
In verse 6 we see that God looks upon the lowly and is distant from the proud. As Christians we need to humble ourselves, to acknowledge that we are nothing without God. God is our protector, in the same way He protected David.
In Deuteronomy we continue with the rules for holy living. In the time of Moses those convicted of a crime punishable by death would be hung from a tree, someone who was hung on a tree to die was seen as unclean which is why they were to be buried on the day of their death. In Galatians 3:13-14 Paul tells us that Jesus, through His death on the cross, has redeemed us from the curse of the law. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” Jesus both died, and took the place of being the cursed of God, for us. God does not want to curse us, he wants to bless us because of what Jesus did for us on the cross.
Moses continues to warn against doing nothing – we are not to ignore livestock that stray, we are to take them back to the owner, or keep them safe until the owner comes looking. The same with the possessions of others – “cloak or anything else they have lost“. We can simply take this to mean caring for animals – dogs included! – and looking after the possessions of others as if they were our own – but let us also consider in human terms, we are all God’s children – He gives us free will to choose where to go, if we see a brother or sister straying from God’s path we should come alongside and gently guide them; we should pray for them; we should help and encourage them back to His ways and relationship with Him.
There’s a call to dress appropriately as the men and women we are – God created male and female, equal in His sight and yet different – we should embrace the differences, the strengths of each, rather than wanting to be someone different.
In vs 6 and 7 we are back to taking care of the animals, this time birds, maybe even those not yet hatched, “so that it may go well with you“. Jesus taught us not to worry (Matthew 6:26) and used birds as an example, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” If we obey God in the small things he will bless us.
Verse 8 gives instruction on building – perhaps this was the first version of health & safety as it is known in many parts of the world today. Our homes should be safe places, places where God is honoured, places where visitors – family, friends and strangers – feel welcome and loved.
Coming to Peter, we read more instructions for wives and husbands. Peter is addressing Christian wives living with a non-Christian husband. While at the time it would be culturally difficult not to believe the same as your husband there were times when, just as there are now, the wife would be, or would become, a follower of Jesus while the husband wasn’t. In those relationships the wife should live her life revering God, with pure conduct – which is a gift of grace from God, so that the husband will see the difference in her and he too might believe. There are many times when faith in action is better than preaching! The instruction for the wives of non-Christians is to be faithful to God and walk His path – to be radical disciples of Jesus.
Husbands, Christian husbands, are instructed to be considerate and to respect their wives – as heirs of the gracious gift of life, equal in God’s sight. This action also comes with a promise – “so that nothing will hinder your prayers”.
Peter then turns and addresses everyone – that they should live in harmony with one another, be sympathetic, they should love one another as brothers, be compassionate and humble. We should repay evil with blessing, so that we may inherit a blessing; we must turn from evil and do good; we must seek peace and pursue it.
God is looking for faithful people, people who respect Him and all He has created, people who align their will with His will and pray according to that.
As God’s faithful people the Lord will fulfil his purpose for us, for me; and for you, and you, and you, for all of us because his love endures forever; if we call upon Him, if we praise Him and seek Him with our whole heart, He will not abandon us, for we are the works of his hands.