Distress from Deceit and Desire for Peace
Sarah Ivill, Guest Writer
Today’s Treasure
In my distress, I called to the Lord, and He answered me.
Psalm 120:1
In many ways, I felt like I was in a ditch with my car broken down and nobody around to help. I was facing different kinds of suffering as well as my sin and others’ sins. But when I came to these Songs of Ascents (Ps. 120-134) I felt like someone had pulled over on the side of the road, towed me out of the ditch, repaired my car, and put me on my way again. These psalms taught me where to turn for peace, help, unity, forgiveness, restoration, strength, blessing, hope, humility, contentment, and a life of prayer and praise. I hope the same will be true for you this week, as we study the first six of the fifteen Songs of Ascents (Ps. 120-125). These songs are pictures of our journey to the heavenly city where we look toward hope. More importantly, these songs are about the One who left His home in glory to fulfill His Father’s plan.
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!
Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I had my dwelling among those who hate peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war!
Psalm 120
Distress from Deceit (120:1-4). Oftentimes we don’t know where to take our distress, but the psalmist knew where to take his. He turned to the Lord, and he was not disappointed. The Lord answered his cry for deliverance from deceitful lips that surrounded him. Perhaps you have felt the pain of deceitful lips around you. What do we do? The psalmist knew God’s judgment would ultimately come to his enemies. Vengeance is the Lord’s; He will repay (Deut. 32:35; Rom. 12:19). Recognizing this is the road to freedom from anger, bitterness, depression, and a host of other emotions that come with holding onto wrongs others have done to us. Christ was surrounded by deceitful lips, and yet He willingly took our place in the judgment seat. We can forgive others because God has forgiven us in Christ, and we can leave judgment to the Judge, Jesus Christ.
Desire for Peace (120:5-7). Have you ever dwelt among people who seem to stir the pot constantly, try to get the final word, and often look for the next fight? The psalmist dwells among those who hate peace. This is hard for someone who desires peace. The Israelites returning from exile would have identified well with the words of the psalmist. They too faced deceit from without and the desire for peace from within, but peace would not come for four hundred more years.
When Jesus was born, a righteous man was living in Jerusalem awaiting the peace of Israel. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he went to the temple at the same time Mary and Joseph arrived to present Jesus. So he took the Christ child in his arms and blessed God, recognizing He was letting him depart this earth in peace because he had seen the salvation of the Lord (Luke 2:25-32). Before Jesus was crucified He extended His peace to His disciples making it very clear to them that His peace was completely different than what the world offered (John 14:27). Paul tells us that Christ Himself is our peace because He has reconciled both Jews and Gentiles to God in one body through the cross (Eph. 2:14-17). Since Christ is our peace and proclaimed peace, we are to extend peace to others and proclaim the gospel of peace. To whom in your life do you need to extend peace today, and who needs to hear you proclaim the gospel of peace?
PRAYER
Father, thank you for Your peace, for the invitation to experience Your peace, and the calling to extend that peace to others. I gratefully accept your invitation to exchange my anxiety for Your lasting peace and your exhortation to share the peace that comes from knowing Jesus.
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Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.
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Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.