Psalm 64 - Wisdom Within

Psalm 64:1-2, 5-10 NIV

Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint;

 protect my life from the threat of the enemy. 

Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,

 from the plots of evildoers. 

They encourage each other in evil plans,

 they talk about hiding their snares;

 they say, “Who will see it ?” 

They plot injustice and say, “We have devised a perfect plan!” 

Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.

But God will shoot them with his arrows;

 they will suddenly be struck down. 

He will turn their own tongues against them and bring them to ruin;

 all who see them will shake their heads in scorn. 

All people will fear; they will proclaim the works of God

 and ponder what he has done. 

The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him;

 all the upright in heart will glory in him!

As I read Psalm 64 this morning I can't help but think of Jesus and His opponents in the religious leadership of Israel. They often set a trap for Him by challenging Jesus on points of religious law in front of His followers in hope of discrediting Him.

Once they asked Jesus a tedious question about a women with many husbands who each had died. The law states that the brother of the deceased shall take the widow as his wife (should she have no sons) and bear sons through her so that the name of the deceased man will remain in the land. This was so that the land apportioned to that man would remain in his family.

Luke 20:27-29, 31-40 NIV

Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. Finally, the woman died too. Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?” Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” Some of the teachers of the law responded, “Well said, teacher!” And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

There may be moments when those who oppose the gospel of Jesus Christ will try to discredit you in a battle of wits, and with sharp words. Jesus told His disciples to have no fear. The Holy Spirit will give them words to say. (Matthew 10:16-20) In other words, Jesus, the wisdom of God living in you, will speak through you. That is, if you are praying and not overcome with fear. Allow fear to give way to faith that God will act to steer you clear of the traps of the wicked. Rejoice and take refuge in The Lord.