Theological Commentary: Click Here
Discipleship Focus: Identity
- Identity: Our true identity comes from the Father. Only when our identity comes from God can we be obedient in ways that satisfy our person to our core.
This
psalm gives us an absolutely depressing perspective of humanity. But it gives us a great opportunity to look
at our identity. We all have an innate
human identity within us. The question
we each need to ask is whether that identity is as worth pursuing as the
identity found in God the Father.
Look at
how the humans around the psalmist are portrayed. They trample upon the psalmist. They are lions. They are fiery beasts. Our teeth are spears and arrows. Our tongues are like sharp swords. We set nets for one another. We force one another’s souls to bow
down. We dig pits for one another and
wait for them to fall into it. Yes, this
is the psalmists perspective on humanity.
Sounds like a bleak perspective to me.
Hopefully
we aren’t following this identity all the time!
But I think if we are honest, most of us have had times in our life
where each of these comments apply. Each
of us have had moments where we’ve actively sought – or at least wished for –
the downfall of another person. What is
our identity? Our natural identity is
self-serving. We want what is best for
us and if we aren’t careful we’re ready to step over or on other people to get
it.
On the
other hand, we can see the true identity of God the Father. As we’ve heard often in the psalms, God is a
protector. He is a redeemer. He is capable of watching over us and leading
us in a good direction.
He is worthy
of praise because His character is genuine and good. When our identity comes from Him, we are
going to know a different life than our natural human identity.
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