A Pepper Grinder Post
Seeking Refuge
In my last post, I looked at the first seven verses of Psalm 118, especially focusing on the provocative question, "What can man do to me?" Now I want to finish this short series by examining verses eight and nine. Here again is my translation of the first seven verses of Psalm 118, followed by verses eight and nine:
I will praise Yahweh because he is good. His loving-kindness lasts forever.
Let Israel say, "His loving-kindness lasts forever."
Let the house of Aaron say, "His loving-kindness lasts forever."
Let those who fear Yahweh say, "His loving-kindness lasts forever."
In my distress I called to Yahweh, and he answered by freeing me.
Yahweh is with me; I won't be afraid. What can man do to me?
Yahweh is with me and helps me. I will look out over all my enemies.
It is better to seek refuge in Yahweh than to trust in man.
It is better to seek refuge in Yahweh than to trust in people in power.
The first thing we need to understand is that the people of the Middle East in Bible times did not live in a safe world. For example, when people from the tribe of Dan were looking for a place to live in the book of Judges, we read, So the five men left and came to Laish, where they saw that the people were living in safety, like the Sidonians, unsuspecting and secure." (Judges 18:7 NIV) It was clearly not the norm for nations and cities to be living in safety. Similarly, throughout the books of Kings and Chronicles, when a king of Israel or Judah was at peace, it is mentioned as a special blessing. So common was warfare in this region during the time of the Old Testament, that in 2 Samuel 11:1 we read, "In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war…" (NIV). Warfare had an annual season, just like planting and harvesting. Marauding armies would, at best, plunder peoples' possessions and food. At worst, the defeated people would be killed or enslaved.
How could people deal with this constant threat? Most often, the approach was to have a relationship with a powerful protector. Everyone would be connected to a city or nation with its own king or elders. Nations and cities would often have alliances with other cities or nations to provide added strength. If one member of an alliance faced attack, all members would band together to fight the attacker. This was not just a matter of honor, but of survival, for it was often true that if the attacker defeated one city, he would move on to another--very possibly yours.
But what does psalm 118 say? In spite of the fact that depending on rulers and allies was something virtually everyone in the Old Testament world did, it says that it is better to seek refuge in Yahweh (the Israelites' personal name for God) than to trust in any people, even powerful people. The Hebrew word translated as "seek refuge" can refer to something as mundane as taking shelter from a rainstorm, but more commonly it describes turning to someone powerful for protection. The phrase I've translated as "people in power" would more literally be translated as "in nobles." I translated it as "people in power" because that is what nobles were, and because the concept of nobles and of a ruling class in general is something foreign to most of us in the modern American world.
However, I don't think the idea of trusting in powerful people is at all foreign to us. As I write this, the United States is embroiled in a bitter fight to determine who will be the next president. It is safe to say that no matter who wins, someone reading these words will feel that they are in more danger because of the outcome. No matter what your political affiliation, I hope you can see that, Biblically, there is only one true source of security.
It is easy for me to get caught up in the feeling (for good reason, I believe) that if the person I vote for doesn't win, things in this country will get much worse. And yet, can I truly put my confidence in any person? No. Whoever wins, our country may collapse into anarchy. Whoever wins, our economy may spin into hyperinflation and wipe out all I have saved for retirement. Whoever wins, Christians may experience persecution in the US that many other believers have suffered, but that we have largely been spared until now.
There is only one source of true security, and his name will not be on any ballot.
- Pepper
Posted 2020-10-10