Read
(A psalm by the clan of Korah for the music leader.)
A Prayer for Peace
1Our Lord, you have blessed
your land
and made all go well
for Jacob's descendants.
2You have forgiven the sin
and taken away the guilt
of your people.
3Your fierce anger is no longer
aimed at us.
4Our Lord and our God,
you save us!
Please bring us back home
and don't be angry.
5Will you always be angry
with us and our families?
6Won't you give us fresh life
and let your people be glad
because of you?
7Show us your love
and save us!
8I will listen to you, Lord God,
because you promise peace
to those who are faithful
and no longer foolish.
9You are ready to rescue
everyone who worships you,
so that you will live with us
in all your glory.
10Love and loyalty
will come together;
goodness and peace
will unite.
11Loyalty will sprout
from the ground;
justice will look down
from the sky above.
12Our Lord, you will bless us;
our land will produce
wonderful crops.
13Justice will march in front,
making a path
for you to follow.
Reflect
Study the history of the children of Israel and you will see a pattern emerge. The psalmist sees a pattern in the story of the children of Isreal.
He begins with a long distance view and sees the hand of God in the past. God blessed His people with favour. Crops grew. The economy was strong. Peace reigned in the land. But in experiencing plenty, the Israelites forgot God. They slowly drifted away from his righteous ways and fell into sin – often heinous sin. They would then realize their pitiful stage and call on God for forgiveness. He would forgive and bless them again.
The Israelites were once again back in that vicious cycle. The psalmist pleads: “Turn to us again; O God … put aside your anger against us.” (v4 NLT)
Anger? Yes, anger! The psalmist pours out his heart and deep concern. How long will God be angry? Will His anger spill beyond their families to the next generation? Things had gone very wrong for the Israelites and they needed to make it right before God.
The psalmist continues to appeal before God. He knows his God as a “forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.” (Nehemiah 9:17 NIV) He is desperate. He prays for God to break through with his unfailing love, forgive his people, grant salvation and restore peace to the land.
“There is a difference between hoping something will happen and expecting something to happen.” (1) The psalmist is expecting God to work. He believes that those who know God and love him will worship. His presence then will once again fill the land. Love, loyalty, goodness and peace will all come together. Righteousness will be restored and God’s name honoured. The people will once again live in blessing and plenty.
Repentance and justice prepare a path for God’s blessing.
1Laurie Beth Jones, The Power of Positive Prophecy (Hyperion, 1999, p 51)
Respond
Dear Father, My heart resonates with the psalmist’s cry! Turn our nation back to you. If you worked in the past bringing repentance to a nation that moved away from you, do it again. We need your righteous way, your blessing and peace. Amen.
Margaret Gibb
Margaret has been actively involved in Canada with ministries to women for over 35 years, serving for 10 years as President of Women Alive. A writer and international speaker, Margaret has a passion to see women fulfill their God-given calling. In October 2011, she founded a new ministry organization, Women Together, that will engage professional Canadian women to come along side women in developing countries with skills development, leadership training, spiritual encouragement and support.