Monday: Psalms 94-95 & Micah 6.6-8

From Chris Stroup

Psalm 94: This psalm of deliverance calls upon God to defend his people against those who oppress them. Reiterating a theme common in the Psalms, the psalm reminds us that God’s deliverance restores justice to the righteous. Paul takes up verse 14 of this psalm in his discussion of the future of Israel in Romans 11.

Psalm 95: This psalm of praise paints a picture of God’s greatness based Numbers 17:1-7. In Numbers 17, God commands Moses to strike a rock and water pours out of the rock and quenches the thirst of the people of Israel. The Lord is the rock of deliverance. The psalmist then moves to praising God for his power and creative acts. Like Ps. 94, this psalm was read by early Christians and was important for their understanding of Jesus. The author of Hebrews, for example, takes up verses 7-11 and reinterprets them through the lens of Christ (see Heb 3:7-11, 15; 4:7).

Micah 6.6-8: This passage reminds us of the Lord’s requirements for his people, what they should bring to God. God does not desire perfect sacrifices or elaborate offerings. Rather, the Lord requires something more personal: do justice, love continuously, and walk in humility with God. The distinction seems to be between offering things to God and living a life in which our interactions with others are guided by our understanding of who God is. Doing justice, living in love, and walking humbly with God each emphasize our relationships with others. This is what the Lord requires and what is good.

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