Nov 3 - Psalm 9:20

Make them tremble in fear, O Lord.

Let them know they are merely human

Psalm 9:20

Pride. It's addicting. We want to be in charge of our own destiny. We want to do what we think is right. (And we definitely have our own opinions.)

There's a part of most of us that's altruistic. We’re often helpful and kind. But if we’re honest, there's another part of us that is very self-interested and self-centered.

We want what we want.

We do what we want. 

We wouldn't call it "playing God," but that's what it is. In our desire to be in charge of our our actions and our own destiny, we become our own gods. In practical terms, when we value no authority higher than ourselves, we -- as the ultimate authority in our own life -- are our own god.

And there are only two checks to our personal authority. The first is the extent of our personal "power." An impoverished person has little "power." An hourly worker has to submit to her boss. Thus, as we climb the human ladders of "power," our pride tends to swell.

Perhaps that's one reason that God so highly esteems the poor -- see verse 18. Without personal "power" the poor and humble are the few who are wise and faithful enough to consistently bow to God's true authority.

In this Psalm, however, David is talking about prideful kings and conspiring nations. In human terms, kings and generals have indeed lots of "power." In their conceit they "play God." Kingdoms are their chessboard and people (and not just soldiers) are their pawns. So David calls for a true show of real POWER: "Make them tremble in fear, O Lord. Let them know they are merely human."

On this earth, as I said, there are two checks to our personal authority. The first is the extent of our personal "power," and the higher we are on that ladder of success, the more human "power" we think we have and honestly, therefore, the harder it is to humble ourselves enough to worship.

So what's the second constraint to our own illusions of power?

Death.

In our funeral prayers, we recall that the kingdoms "rise and pass away before you[, O God]." Rich and poor, kings and peasants, workers and bosses, privates and generals are all equal in death. Earthly power is an illusion. And the sooner we "tremble in fear [before the] Lord" and come to "know [that we] are merely human," the freer we will be.

And this is a strange and wonderful freedom.

In submitting our lives to the true and eternal king, the almighty King emancipates us. He gives us his power, his authority, his freedom, and his grace. 

Those who submit are called children of God. Literally princes and princesses! To the extent that our heart is bowed, we are nobility. And when submitted, we can then wield the power of the Servant-King.

In Christ's Love,

the jello-pudding guy

(I wiggle and giggle and

tremble before God)