Psalms in Practice

Psalm 78 is a psalm of Asaph, a history lesson on the nation of Israel, about why they were punished.

v21 says a fire is kindled in Jacob. They had hearts of rebellion and protested against God. God had already provided for all of their needs and yet they did not trust Him for their salvation.

Is it possible for us to anger God?  Of course it is. 

How could we anger God?

1. Like Israel, if we fail to teach our children about God. They had forgotten His works. They did not pass along His laws to their children.

2. We need to be a loving people. The way I interact with my family, the way I interact with strangers.  Am I a stress-causer or a stress-reducer?

3. If we fail to control our thoughts and our words.

4. We need to trust in God. Psalm 118:8-9, the central point of the Bible, tells us to take refuge in the Lord and not to trust in man.

God dwells in our hearts and minds today. Just as He chose David to shepherd His people then, He has given us Jesus as our chief shepherd. He loves us, protects us, cares for us. He guides us.

Sometimes God needs to get our attention, just as He did with Israel. Maybe this current situation is Him doing just that, getting us to turn towards Him to a greater degree, rely on Him more than we have been doing, trust in Him. He is a reliable refuge for us. Let us never forget that.