Daily Devotion of Psalm 83

Daily Nugget:
Being a Christian is not always easy. It can be very discouraging and even scary when it seems the ungodly have the upper hand in life. Sometimes it just does not seem fair that a Christian is doing as the Lord commands, yet it seems he is having more opposition than those that are directly in violation of God’s commandments. It can get to the point that believers desire God to deal with those people, and quickly.
“That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.” Psalm 83:18

Asaph, the musician, felt that way. He wanted God to unleash His fury on the ungodly.
“A Song or Psalm of Asaph. Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.” Psalm 83:1

The music leader wanted God to persecute them (vs. 15), and allow them to be ashamed of their unrighteous living (vs. 16). Asaph also begged God to let them be confused and bothered by the sin they were committing (vs. 17). He even wanted God to take their lives (vs. 17). Most of all, he wanted them to learn that there was a God and to respect Him and His people.
“So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. 16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD. 17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:” Psalm 83:15-17

Asaph, and many others, also pray and yearn for the same type of revenge on the ungodly. However, as much havoc and hatefulness toward God they had spread, they will someday regret the sin they have committed.

Although we would rather see those that mock God dealt with swiftly, I am glad, and so should you, that God is patient and long-suffering. All believers were one day in a similar situation as the God-haters were. We were rebellious, often mocked the Lord, did not obey all we know we should have, were content in our sinful state, and did not take God’s commandments seriously, yet, He spared us.

I am so glad I did not get what I deserved before I was saved. I know some of my actions and sin must have made other Christians as upset as Asaph was.

No matter what the ungodly believe, say, and do towards believers., we are not the ones at whom they are furious. The Bible says it is God that they hate.
“The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.” John 7:7

A God-believing and God-obeying person is constantly watched and criticized by unsaved onlookers. The ungodly may recognize that they are unhappy, and certainly would not admit it, but they are and are also convicted about the way they are living. Rather than change their beliefs and behavior, it is easier for them to ridicule and attack those that are doing right.

Somehow their attitudes and actions against Christians make them feel less guilty and maybe even justified. Ultimately, they are not attacking you. It is the God in Heaven and His commandments that they truly hate and despise. You are just a local representative that they take their guilt out on, so take it with a grain of salt and be an even better ambassador for the Lord.

Today’s Thought:
It is better to incur the world's hatred by testifying against its wickedness than gain its goodwill by going down the stream with it. — Henry

Words to Understand:
Holpen: help
Tumult: uproar; commotion

Today’s Reading:
Psalm 83
1 A Song or Psalm of Asaph. Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.
2 For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.
3 They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.
4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:
6 The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah.
9 ¶ Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin, at the brook of Kison:
10 Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:
12 Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.
13 O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.
14 As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;
15 So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.
16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.
17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:
18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.