PEACE IS HARD

I love the Psalms, and especially the ones that make me feel like I could sit down with the writer and just talk about it. We both get it to some extent, cuz we’ve both been there. In Psalm 120, typically attested as one of David’s, he speaks of the troubles faced by those who simply want peace and truth. I learned from an early age to try to be a peacemaker. Christ made peace between us and the Father and provided a way for us to be at peace with other humans, who might otherwise have been enemies. Many roadblocks stand in the way of peace on earth, and yet we are called to pursue it, even when it means suffering. David got this, and Psalm 120 helps us find the words for times like these.

In the first 4 verses, David cries out for deliverance from those who slander, lie and cause all kinds of trouble for him unjustly. Many of us can relate. When those with evil intentions twist truth or invent outright lies about us, the most frustrating part is when others believe the lies and our reputations and lives are permanently impacted. We find ourselves, like David, crying out for God to deliver us from the injustice and cause truth to reign once more.

This is not all that troubled the shepherd king though, because those surrounding him are almost as difficult to deal with. In verse 5 and 6, David compares his companions to barbarous tribes, who only seek violence and conflict. When he wants to find a peaceful resolution, they would rather fight.

As believers, we face a similar dilemma daily. Many deceitful and corrupt voices in our world seek to defame our Savior and those who follow Him. Relativism has destroyed our hope for truth and justice to reign in our nation. Meanwhile, many of the voices surrounding us that oppose the corruption and evil are only able to see a path of aggression as the solution. They constantly seek out argument and conflict with those who hold opposing views. What hope is there for those who crave truth and righteousness, but also desire to fulfill the command to love our enemies? Like the psalmist, our only hope is found in crying out to God, our Father. His job is to deal with evil and bring about justice in His time. Our job is to be faithful to the call of Christ and trust that "blessed are the peacemakers."