Lessons from Psalm 62 During the Coronavirus Pandemic
The reading for the Tecarta Bible Application happens to be from Psalm 62. It's a Psalm of David to Jeduthun whose name appears in the 1st Chronicles 25:1. Right now, I think lessons from Psalm 62 are very applicable in this time of the Coronavirus pandemic. It would be a good time to reflect on the Psalm especially with what's going on.
Lessons from vs. 1-2
There is no doubt that the Coronavirus has become a worldwide crisis similar to what happened during the Spanish Flu of 1914. It's very easy to get impatient especially with the question, "When is the plague going to end?" There's a quote that says, "You don't need to know where or when if you know God is leading." Abraham was told to go to a foreign land and trusted God. Moses was going to lead people out of Egypt and trusted God. David himself was wandering during Saul's reign and made the mistake of not trusting God but later repented of it.
Lessons from vs. 3-4
The Coronavirus has given the problem of people imagining mischief against a man. Where there's chaos then there's an opportunity. The opportunity to do good is there and so is the opportunity to do evil. Remember that God always gives Satan permission to do evil for His glory. God allowed Satan to hurt His only Son so salvation can be made available. God allowed Satan to harm Christianity for it to grow. The warning is that people who work against mischief may fall sooner or later. Fortunately, God is gracious and is still giving spaces for such people to repent.
The problem of flattering insincerely and delighting in falsehood is made even more evident. There are so many naysayers over the Internet who are spreading lies. In the Philippines, there are Communist activists who are spreading lies against the government by exaggerating the situation and underplaying the help done. Many of them tend to bless others but only outwardly. Some of them are "blessing" other nations who are doing a better job yet I don't think they are really happy about it. They are only doing it to undermine authority.
Lessons from vs. 5-8
David had declared that he will wait upon God. David's expectation was upon God. David calls God as the Rock of his salvation, strength, and refuge. Times of crisis will be the best time to prove that God is indeed the Rock of salvation, strength, and refuge.
How can God be proven for what He is if there are no times of testing? The lesson of waiting is there to do God's will while you wait for results. It's to simply say, "God's timing is perfect." but mankind is naturally not a patient creature. It's very easy to want instant results rather than wait upon God. The fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 includes patience which can only be truly cultivated in times of testing and waiting.
David calls upon under his authority to trust in God at all times. He asks his subordinates to pour out their hearts before Him. He declares to his subordinates that God is a refuge for us. It would be very shameful if pagans seek refuge in their pagan gods who don't exist while Christians fail to seek refuge in the living and true God.
Lessons from vs. 9-10
There are con artists who have emerged during times of crisis. There have been Communist activists who are causing trouble. There are wicked men who want to take advantage of the crisis for their own selfish gain. These are men of low degree and they are of vanity. They are only thinking about profiteering never mind that they may be endangering their loved ones or even themselves in the process. They are all vanity because what good will excess money do if you can't enjoy it during this Coronavirus crisis? True, money is needed to buy basic goods but people who only want to use the money to satisfy their sinful flesh aren't thinking long-term about using money wisely.
These people fail to take the heed of trusting not in oppression or becoming vain in robbery. Vain here is also referred to as "vain hope" in the New International Version (NIV). The Tecarta Bible footnote for the King James Version (KJV) says "do not vainly hope in" for robbery. So9me con artists are trying to profiteer through the pandemic. It's no surprise that such people emerge and try to con people to donate money, they claim to run a charity project, but they only want to use the money for themselves. They might get away for a short season by bribing officials but God is watching. Some criminals may be happily enjoying their wealth now but God may have prepared a brutal death for them and they can't pay their way out of Hell.
Conclusion from vs. 11-12
The conclusion is that power belongs to God. It would be best to trust on God and just do your part. The disciples went to Jesus when the boat was about to sink. Make God your first resort and not your last resort. However, don't expect God to miraculously deliver you all the time. God can send natural help like people as an answer to prayer. It's like if I pray for deliverance when I'm sinking then God can answer my prayer with a boat coming by. I can't refuse the boat and say, "God will deliver me." which would be just plain foolish.
See also:
Lessons from vs. 1-2
There is no doubt that the Coronavirus has become a worldwide crisis similar to what happened during the Spanish Flu of 1914. It's very easy to get impatient especially with the question, "When is the plague going to end?" There's a quote that says, "You don't need to know where or when if you know God is leading." Abraham was told to go to a foreign land and trusted God. Moses was going to lead people out of Egypt and trusted God. David himself was wandering during Saul's reign and made the mistake of not trusting God but later repented of it.
Lessons from vs. 3-4
The Coronavirus has given the problem of people imagining mischief against a man. Where there's chaos then there's an opportunity. The opportunity to do good is there and so is the opportunity to do evil. Remember that God always gives Satan permission to do evil for His glory. God allowed Satan to hurt His only Son so salvation can be made available. God allowed Satan to harm Christianity for it to grow. The warning is that people who work against mischief may fall sooner or later. Fortunately, God is gracious and is still giving spaces for such people to repent.
The problem of flattering insincerely and delighting in falsehood is made even more evident. There are so many naysayers over the Internet who are spreading lies. In the Philippines, there are Communist activists who are spreading lies against the government by exaggerating the situation and underplaying the help done. Many of them tend to bless others but only outwardly. Some of them are "blessing" other nations who are doing a better job yet I don't think they are really happy about it. They are only doing it to undermine authority.
Lessons from vs. 5-8
David had declared that he will wait upon God. David's expectation was upon God. David calls God as the Rock of his salvation, strength, and refuge. Times of crisis will be the best time to prove that God is indeed the Rock of salvation, strength, and refuge.
How can God be proven for what He is if there are no times of testing? The lesson of waiting is there to do God's will while you wait for results. It's to simply say, "God's timing is perfect." but mankind is naturally not a patient creature. It's very easy to want instant results rather than wait upon God. The fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 includes patience which can only be truly cultivated in times of testing and waiting.
David calls upon under his authority to trust in God at all times. He asks his subordinates to pour out their hearts before Him. He declares to his subordinates that God is a refuge for us. It would be very shameful if pagans seek refuge in their pagan gods who don't exist while Christians fail to seek refuge in the living and true God.
Lessons from vs. 9-10
There are con artists who have emerged during times of crisis. There have been Communist activists who are causing trouble. There are wicked men who want to take advantage of the crisis for their own selfish gain. These are men of low degree and they are of vanity. They are only thinking about profiteering never mind that they may be endangering their loved ones or even themselves in the process. They are all vanity because what good will excess money do if you can't enjoy it during this Coronavirus crisis? True, money is needed to buy basic goods but people who only want to use the money to satisfy their sinful flesh aren't thinking long-term about using money wisely.
These people fail to take the heed of trusting not in oppression or becoming vain in robbery. Vain here is also referred to as "vain hope" in the New International Version (NIV). The Tecarta Bible footnote for the King James Version (KJV) says "do not vainly hope in" for robbery. So9me con artists are trying to profiteer through the pandemic. It's no surprise that such people emerge and try to con people to donate money, they claim to run a charity project, but they only want to use the money for themselves. They might get away for a short season by bribing officials but God is watching. Some criminals may be happily enjoying their wealth now but God may have prepared a brutal death for them and they can't pay their way out of Hell.
Conclusion from vs. 11-12
The conclusion is that power belongs to God. It would be best to trust on God and just do your part. The disciples went to Jesus when the boat was about to sink. Make God your first resort and not your last resort. However, don't expect God to miraculously deliver you all the time. God can send natural help like people as an answer to prayer. It's like if I pray for deliverance when I'm sinking then God can answer my prayer with a boat coming by. I can't refuse the boat and say, "God will deliver me." which would be just plain foolish.
See also: