Psalm 79

The setting for Psalm 79 is in Jerusalem after its destruction in 586 BC. The psalmist is part of the remnant of Israel that was not taken away to exile in Babylon. The psalm reflects the beginning of a major change in God’s relationship with His people. In verse eight, the psalmist pleads for God to not hold the remnant accountable for the sins of their ancestors. At that time God looked at Israel as a whole. If one member of a family sinned, the whole family was accountable. If one family sinned, all of Israel was held accountable. However, after the exile, the prophet Ezekiel announced a message came to him from the Lord: “And this is my rule: The person who sins is the one who will die” (Ezekiel 18:4). God no longer held Israel accountable for the sins of their ancestors. Each person was accountable for their own life.

This was great news for the people of Israel. However, there is a difference between accountability for sin and the consequences of sin. Even though God is relating to each person as an individual, many people suffer with the consequences of the sins of others. This was true for Israel after the exile and it is true for us today. (In the midst of such suffering we remember God doesn’t waste anything. He uses everything in our lives for the good purpose of building His Kingdom. See Romans 8:28-29.)

This psalm makes clear that God also suffers the consequences of our sins. Bishop Stephen Neil said of Jesus, “Invulnerable in His person, but vulnerable because of His friends.” As followers of Jesus, we are responsible for the way we live our lives. We can either attract people to Christ, or repel them away from Christ by our behavior.

(Stephen Charles Neill (1900–1984) was an Anglican missionary, bishop, and scholar from Scotland)

Sē’lah

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Reading for July 20, 2012          Psalm 80