Bible Studies

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The Psalms
Psalm 79:1-9 - Letting God Have It!
Key Verses: (MSG)

• 1: “God! Barbarians have broken into your home, violated your holy temple, left Jerusalem a pile of rubble!" - This prayer was written after the fall of Judah at the hands of the invading Babylonians.
  
  
• 3: "All around Jerusalem, their bodies were left to rot, unburied." - The destruction was complete.
  
  
• 5: "How long do we have to put up with this, God? Do you have it in for us for good? Will your smoldering rage never cool down?" - In the midst of suffering that seemingly will not end, the psalmist opens his heart and pleads for help.
  
  
• 6: "If you're going to be angry, be angry with the pagans who care nothing about you, or your rival kingdoms who ignore you." - Blaming God for their circumstances leads him to wonder why God's judgment is so harsh against His people and not harsh against those who do not believe in Him.
  
  
• 8: "Don't blame us for the sins of our parents. Hurry up and help us; we're at the end of our rope." - Desperate times with no hope of end in sight.
  

Points to Contemplate:

• Do you pray to God about everything in your life? As you read this psalm, listen to the pain of psalmist. Pay attention to the bare conciseness of his words and his requests. When you pray do you tell God exactly what you think and feel? Or do you skirt the issues, flower your speech, or avoid letting Him hear the coarse and raw emotions inside? Do you let loose your frustrations and anger in your prayers? Do you list your doubts and your pain?
  
  
• Do you ever get frustrated with God? Do you ever find yourself in situations where you wonder what God is doing? In this psalm the psalmist questions why God would punish His people and leave the pagans alone. Do you ever wonder thoughts such as these? Do you wonder, at times, at the fairness of life? Would you do things differently? Does this psalm show you that it is okay to voice these questions and to express your doubts?
  
  
• Do you pray for or against the "pagans of the world who care nothing for God?" Do you recognize in your life the areas where God is trying to get your attention? Do you accept that if God isn't able to break through to the hearts of those who believe in Him that the unbelievers have no hope? Is the hope of the "pagans" in your life dependent on your willingness to follow God? Is God working through you to reach them?
  

Promise of the Gospel:

The Psalms teach us that prayer, in all forms, is a powerful tool. God wants us to turn to Him with every emotion, pain, joy, frustration, and wonder that we experience. He wants us to set aside our flowery "god-speak" language that we tend to use and speak, instead, from our hearts. He wants us to release the emotions inside and vent. As we pray in this way, even though the problems may persist, peace tends to settle into our hearts and our pain begins to subside. As we lash out and blame, God lovingly hears and reflects back to us new insights and perspectives. We learn to recognize that He is actively involved in all aspects of our lives and has a plan for us that is good. New viewpoints are revealed and, suddenly, the anger and hate towards the pagans in our lives is turned into a ministry of hope and a life of forgiveness. Prayer. Let God have it!

FUMC Devotionals

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