Daily Lesson for April 15, 2020

TodaysDaily Lesson comes from Psalm 140:

1
Deliver me, O Lord, from evildoers;
    protect me from those who are violent,
2
who plan evil things in their minds
    and stir up wars continually.
3
They make their tongue sharp as a snake’s,
    and under their lips is the venom of vipers. Selah
4
Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
    protect me from the violent
    who have planned my downfall.
5
The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
    and with cords they have spread a net,
    along the road they have set snares for me.
Selah
6
I say to the Lord, “You are my God;
    give ear, O Lord, to the voice of my supplications.”
7
O Lord, my Lord, my strong deliverer,
    you have covered my head in the day of battle.
8
Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
    do not further their evil plot.
Selah

Today’s Psalm is a Psalm of David, written about the time David, a prayer for deliverance from enemies.

The madman Saul is still on the throne. His henchmen have betrayed David. David is on the run There is no clear path forward. The plots of the evil have not yet been foiled.

Yet David is still alive. He’s walking day by day. He looks every morning for God to be his guide.

There is a curious word in this Psalm which I wonder if you noticed. The word is “Selah”.  No one quite knows what it means. Some suppose it is musical instruction. Along those lines, it has been suggested it is a kind of breath mark — an instruction on how and when and a reminder to take a breath.

Breath, my friends. Don’t forget to breath. The madness and uncertainty may still yet be with us. And viper may still have its poison. But we still have our breath; and we have our prayer that God will guide us and in the end deliver us from all evil.

Selah


NOTE: We are reading the Bible all the way through this year. Tomorrow’s Lesson will come from Samuel chapters 25-27.