Mind Meld of A Different Kind

PSALM 4
For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by stringed instruments.
Answer me when I call to you,

O God who declares me innocent.

Free me from my troubles.

Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

How long will you people ruin my reputation?

How long will you make groundless accusations?

How long will you continue your lies?

Interlude

You can be sure of this:

The Lord set apart the godly for himself.

The Lord will answer when I call to him.

Don’t sin by letting anger control you.

Think about it overnight and remain silent.

Interlude

Offer sacrifices in the right spirit,

and trust the Lord.

Many people say, “Who will show us better times?”

Let your face smile on us, Lord.

You have given me greater joy

than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.

In peace I will lie down and sleep,

for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.

Guarding Peace
As I read Psalm 4 I cannot help but think of the words Paul writes in Philippians 4:6-7. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

When I think of guards, peace is not the first thing that comes to mind. I think of big burley guys with tattoos and guns standing guard outside of a building. Security cameras, laser tripped alarms, locked doors, vaults, and impenetrable buildings describe things that are guarded in our society.

How wonderfully opposite is the Biblical definition of safety. In place of paranoia and suspicion of everyone, there is peace and safety, freedom and openness. God protects so we can sleep in peace, not with all the doors locked, but in the open field, out under the stars. How awesome to experience the blessing the peace from God. Only God can give this kind of protection to us.

Jesus gives peace to his disciples, not the world’s peace but his peace. Why would we go after anything else in life? There is nothing that will center us, relax us, calm us or protect us better than the peace of God. The peace of Christ be with you today.

God of peace and protection, I depend on you for my safety and security. Hold my hand when I am afraid and hem me in when I start to wander after the world’s mirage of peace. Your peace alone is where I find contentment. Thank you Lord for such an indescribable blessing. - Dan Jones

Self talk that becomes God talk
Was David talking to himself in the heart of this Psalm? Was he reminding himself, in the middle of slander and rejection, to make sure he didn’t let bitterness take root in his spirit?

Anger is like a powerful weather system that blows in over night, and stalls, leaving me stuck in suffocating heat. I am justified in my feelings! I feel betrayed and hurt, especially because I see myself as innocent and undeserving of such treatment. But clinging to my justified emotions, I am the one who stalls the suffocating heat in my own soul.

I feed this destructive soul weather by letting my tongue lash out with unwise and angry words. I feed it when, in the weariness of the moment, I react and set into motion a course of events born in anger.

Like David, my words need to be directed to God not others. My ultimate battle resides in the spirit world; my spirit wrestling with the sovereign Spirit. To him I must vent my anger. From him I must seek redress. In him I must trust. Now that's self talk that become God talk!

A spiritual anchor in God, physical rest, humble and open spirited worship, these must be my responses when others hurt me and stir anger in my spirit. These are the only reactions that prevent the oppressive heat of anger to stall indefinitely over my soul.

God of all weather patterns, and of all people – those who treat me well and those who treat me poorly – I will trust in you when anger blows into my spirit. I will speak my peace to you. I will rest my body. I will worship you with in humility and openness. – Mike Leamon