Psalm 83 - Let's Build Bridges

So, I’ve got some issues with Psalm 83.   Gotta be honest.  When I wrote about this Psalm a few years ago, I pretty much skipped over the negative side of this Psalm.  I wrote about how it felt like the writer was waiting for God to get moving on something.  And yes that’s there.  But as I read it yesterday, I just couldn’t get past the idea that it is a song that is about destroying, wiping out, and erasing those considered “enemies.”  I understand the realities of that day and time, but as I read it today, I have a hard time with that.  Right now, it is really easy for us to go the route of either/or, us/them, win/lose.  But we aren’t going to heal as a nation with that.  We aren’t going to move forward as the Kingdom of God in that way.  All that will do is lead to further destruction and hatred.  

This morning, I took a LONG hike with Scout at our favorite nature center.  We took the longest trail there and it was the first time we had gone on that trail since before Covid-19 showed up.  In the time between then and now, they had replaced one of the bridges on the trail.  As you can see, it is a beautiful, strong, wide bridge.  It replaced one that blended in much better - it was weathered, worn, and rustic.  But when you walked over it, there was just the slightest sense of the bridge moving with you as you walked over the boards.   Not exactly the ideal feeling for a bridge. But this one?  Rock solid.  

At first, I honestly kind of missed the old bridge.  But as I walked over this one and felt how solid it was and realized that it could allow more people to walk across together than the old one and that this would last for a long time.  

So let’s come back to Psalm 83.  The old way maybe felt like it worked.  The way of wanting vengeance upon the enemy and living in the win/lose, either/or world.  but the way of Jesus is the way of this new bridge.  It is wider, it is safer, it is more solid, it is for more people to cross.  That’s the way I want to try to live.