God steadies the earth
Seeing injustice—sometimes just a minor injustice against us personally—we may want God to judge it right away. Asaph says God alone determines the timing of his judgment.
An Asaph psalm.
1 We thank you, O God.
We thank you that your name is near
and recount the wonderful things you do.
2 “At the time of my choosing
I will judge with justice.
3 When the earth
and all its inhabitants careen
I’m the one who steadies its pillars. Selah.
4 I say to the arrogant
‘Enough boasting!’
and to the wicked
‘Enough raising your horn up high!
5 Do not lift up your horn
or speak defiantly against the Rock.’”
6 Blessing, honor and power
come not from the east or the west
nor from the wilderness either.
7 God alone is judge
raising one up and making another fall.
8 YHWH holds a foaming cup in his hand
filled to the brim with mixed wine.
When God pours it out
earth’s evildoers drink it
right it down to its dregs.
9 As for me
I’ll proclaim this forever
making music to the God of Jacob.
10 “I will cut off all the horns of the wicked
but the horns of the just will be lifted up.”
The Psalms anthologist placed this psalm where they did as the divine response to Psalms 73 and 74’s wrestling—personally and corporately—with feeling abandoned to the arrogance of evildoers. The Temple may be gone, but God’s ability to answer his people’s prayers remains unchanged. All the grace and power his name stands for is fully accessible to them wherever they are. And however bad things are, God is still sovereign, steadying the earth when catastrophe makes it careen and limiting the unbelievers evil and self-assertions.
The arrogant are told not to assert their dominance like a horned animal that’s defeated a rival. Their dominance in no way suggests that God won’t yet judge them for he alone decides when to ring down the curtain on evil. He’ll eventually make the Babylonians drink down his judgment, but only when he says it’s time. God’s people must wait on him instead of ordering him to do what they want: they can’t equate their will with his. They may be tempted to look anywhere else for blessing, honor, and power—from one horizon to the other or for some windfall from the wilderness. Given how short the shelf life of this world’s blessing and honor is, they should look to God since true blessing and honor comes ultimately from him.
Asaph embraces these truths wholeheartedly, in word and song, convinced that God will yet take down all evildoers and raise up all who truly trust in him.
Hurt by others’ evil, Lord, I want justice now. In my pain, I sometimes want relief and honor now, no matter the source. But true blessing and honor come from you. Thank you that you’re holy, sovereign, and never late in judging or blessing. Help me look to you for all my needs. Amen.
In your free moments today, meditate on these words:
God alone is judge
raising one up and making another fall.
