For God’s people in Ukraine . . .

 

 

Psalm 76–80

This reading alongside the news of the day is sharp with the groaning of God’s people in the war zones of Ukraine. Do they pray as the psalmists prayed? Is God allowing the conflict that His will might be done in the lives of both those who believe in Him and those who shake their fist in His face? After reading these five psalms, I hardly know what God saying to me. I want to understand and trust Him with the horrors in the news.

Psalm 76:1–9 tells of God’s power to put an end to it: “But you, you are to be feared! Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused? From the heavens you uttered judgment; the earth feared and was still, when God arose to establish judgment, to save all the humble of the earth.”

Psalm 77:4–9 relates a prayer from a troubled soul who cannot sleep or speak. He thinks of God’s goodness in the past but now wonders if His love and His promises have ended. He asks: “Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” I’m certain some people in the Ukraine are praying like this. All hope seems to be gone as they plead for help and no help comes, only bombs.

Even though there are many Christians in this place, we know the struggles to remain true to our faith. We are supposed to teach His commands to our children so they tell their children and on to the next generation, so “they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and . . . not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.” (Psalm 78:5–8) Yet God struck Jesus for our disobedience. Why is this happening?

In the OT, God also “performed wonders” for His people such as “dividing the sea and letting them pass through it” and leading them “with a cloud, and all the night with a fiery light” and “splitting rocks in the wilderness and giving them drink.” Yet “they sinned still more against him, rebelling against . . . and . . . testing God in their heart and speaking against Him.”

At all this, God “was full of wrath . . . his anger rose . . . because they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power. Yet he commanded . . . and rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven.” When they grumbled about that mercy, “He rained meat on them like dust” and they stuffed themselves, but “while the food was still in their mouths, the anger of God rose against them, and he killed the strongest of them and laid low the young men of Israel. In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe.” God knows the heart. Again, why is this happening?

Psalm 78:12–43 tells how His people “repented and sought God earnestly” yet also “flattered him with their mouths” and “lied to him” with hearts “not steadfast toward him” and even so, He was “compassionate and atoned for their iniquity and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often and did not stir up all his wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh . . . How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the desert! They tested God again and again and provoked the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember his power or the day when he redeemed them from the foe . . . .”

Is this what is happening, even to both sides of this conflict? Are people testing and rebelling against the Most High God acting “treacherously like their fathers” and “provoking Him with their idols”? Has He “delivered his power to captivity, his glory to the hand of the foe” and “given His people over to the sword” dying because of their rebellion? (Psalm 78:56–64)

I cannot judge this. The psalmist says that in the past the nations defiled God’s temple and ruined His city, giving “the bodies of your servants to the birds . . . the flesh of your faithful to the beasts . . .  poured out their blood like water . . . with no one to bury them.” At that time, His people were mocked and wondered, “How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?” and asked, “Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call upon your name!” also praying “Do not remember against us our former iniquities; let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake!” (Psalm 79:1–13) Jesus came. Jesus atoned for all sin. Why is this happening?

Psalm 80:1–7 must also be on many hearts as it is on mine. I don’t know the why of this, but I can still pray: “Give ear, O Shepherd . . . shine forth . . . stir up Your power and come to save . . . let Your face shine . . . O Lord God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure . . . an object of contention . . . and their enemies laugh . . . Restore them, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that Your people may be saved!”