Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

III

I AM FOR PEACE – 5-7

“How I suffer among these scoundrels of Meshech! It pains me to live with these people from Kedar!” (5)

Meshech was one of the grandsons of Noah that is consistently mentioned in the Bible with his brother Tubal. Together they became a mighty, warrior nation in central Asia Minor (Turkey) 1 known for slave-trading: “Merchants from Greece, Tubal, and Meshech brought slaves…” (Ezek. 27:13) Prophet- ically they represent all the forces of evil that will come against Jerusalem and all the godly people of the earth in the last days: “Son of man (Ezekiel), prophesy against Gog of the land of Magog, the prince who rules over the nations of Meshech and Tubal.” (Ezek. 38:2)

“And I saw them as they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded God’s people and the beloved city.” (Rev. 20:9)

Paul spent a significant amount of time in the area of ancient Meshech on his first missionary jour- ney with Barnabas. The cities of Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe all lie in the historical region and even his hometown, Tarsus, was close to the undefined border. Like the former slave-traders of Meshech; Paul had enchained believers and dragged them to Jerusalem: “He wanted to bring them– both men and women–back to Jerusalem in chains.” (Acts 9:2) Now he was preaching freedom through Christ. Although Paul and Barnabas made many converts they also encountered vicious, war-like liars in Iconium and Lystra who sought to kill them for bringing the message of peace with God: “A mob of Gentiles and Jews, along with their leaders, decided to attack and stone them. When the apostles learned of it, they fled for their lives.” (Acts 14:5) Kedar was the second son of Ishmael and his name became a collective title for all the Arabic tribes known as the Bedouins. Kedar was also synonymous with being in the desert. The tribes of Kedar were the constant enemies of the nation of Israel yet God had a redemptive plan for them as they were in- cluded in the birth of the church and the coming of the Holy Spirit. “Godly Jews from many nations were living in Jerusalem at that time. When they heard this sound, they came running to see what it was all about, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers…(both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans and Arabians.” (Acts 2:5,6,10,11) Paul went into the desert of Arabia after he met Jesus as his savior because of the danger to his life in Damascus. Many of the great leaders of God’s people such as Moses, David, Elijah, John the Bap- tist and Jesus himself, went into the desert wilderness before their public ministry. It seems that is one of God’s favorite proving grounds to shape his future champions. “Then he revealed his Son to me so that I could proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When all this happened to me, I did not rush out to consult with anyone else; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. No, I went away into Arabia [Kedar] and later returned to the city of Damascus.”( Galatians 1:16,17) The author of this psalm is living in the tents of those who hate peace and love war. No wonder the first “…song for the ascent to Jerusalem” begins here as Jerusalem is the place of worship and the writer was deeply motivated to arise from this place of hatred and strife and begin his ascent to the ‘city of peace’. His desire is symbolic of all the believing pilgrims of this world who desire peace yet live among those who are hostile towards God. In the last verse the phrase is literally: “I am peace” pointing us to Jesus, who as the Prince of Peace is the only true source of peace for the human heart and the nations of the earth: “I am leaving you with a gift–peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn’t like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (Jn. 14:27) “I am tired of living here among people who hate peace. As for me, I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war!” (6, 7)

1 May, pages 67, 70, 78

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