Psalm 140:12-13 I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor
and upholds the cause of the needy.
Surely the righteous will praise your name
and the upright will live before you.

I would doubt very much that Psalm 140 is on anyone’s list of favorite Scriptures! However, it’s attributed to David, and as such is an indication of how much opposition he experienced. The things he prays in this Psalm would hardly be “politically correct” today, but they are certainly honest. It is certainly worth noting that he ends his rant this way, reminding himself of God’s character. That’s a very good thing for anyone to do when circumstances have put their emotions into turmoil. He starts these last two verses with “I know” and “Surely,” (or “Truly,”) getting past emotions to objective fact. That’s always a good idea. Emotions, even negative ones, are a gift from God, and Jesus experienced them all. However, they aren’t a reliable guide for action. Jesus’ emotion in the Garden of Gethsemane was so intense that He sweat blood, (Luke 22:44) but He still acted on the objective reality that the Father’s plan was right and to be followed. That’s how we need to be.

I’ve been given a comparatively objective, analytical mind, but that certainly doesn’t mean I don’t get whipped around by emotions sometimes. Just yesterday I had a brief storm, figuratively speaking, over illogical bureaucracy. I had to remind myself that I can’t see the end of things from my perspective, and I’ve got to trust God who has it all in control. The path and the scenery might not be what I would choose, but I will always end up in the right place. Problems come when I allow my emotions to make me rebel against God and/or strike out against people. Like David, I need to let God be in charge of justice. As a pastor, I not only need to live this out myself, I need to communicate it clearly to those in my care. Revenge is a cherished human tradition, and defensiveness is a natural response to perceived attack. I need to trust God enough to get above/beyond those myself, and so teach others to do likewise.

Father, thank You not only for Your grace toward me, but also for Your grace toward those whom I see as getting in my way. Help me understand on every level that we are all equally in need of Your grace, and allow that grace to flow through me for the blessing of many, and for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!