For today, One Year Bible Online links here.
This proverb warns us to choose our words with care and to not just blurt out whatever comes to mind. If our words are well chosen and righteous they will bring us good things and a long life. If our words are poorly chosen, or designed to further our own interests at the expense of others, they will bring us violence and trouble.
I am convinced that this psalm is addressed to those rulers and government officials who believe that they are greater than those over whom they have authority, who believe, in a sense, that they are “gods”. Certainly it is addressed to those who believe that they receive their authority by “divine” right (whatever they consider to “divine”, whether God, themselves, or something else). The psalmist tells us that they are not wrong, but God has given duties and responsibilities to those whom He has given authority to govern others.
uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute.
Rescue the poor and helpless;
deliver them from the grasp of evil people.
These rulers and officials may have been given authority by God, but they will die and face God’s judgment, just like all other mortals. If they abuse their God-given authority beyond certain limits, God’s judgment will come to them sooner rather than later.
I don’t believe I have ever heard a sermon or read a commentary on this passage which notes that it immediately follows the parable of the prodigal son, which in turn was in response to those who condemned Jesus for associating with notorious sinners. As such, part of its message is about why we should spend time with sinners. There are things we can learn about how we should act when we associate with such people. In this parable the lesson was to use our worldly goods to benefit others and make friends with them.
Further, the lesson of this parable is that we should use our material wealth to serve God. We have a choice in this life, either we serve God, and our material wealth is merely another tool in our toolbox to accomplish His purposes, or we serve wealth, and our religion is merely a tool for acquiring wealth. We cannot both seek to serve God and to acquire wealth (that does not mean that no one one who serves God will acquire wealth, merely that it cannot be their goal). One or the other will be our master. We must choose which we will serve.
I struggle with what to think about this passage. The only message I get from is that we need to examine ourselves individually and as a group to make sure that we are faithfully keeping God’s commands. If any one member of a group is hiding rebellion against God’s instructions, it may stymie the group in its efforts to follow God’s will.