Home Protection
The wicked wait for me to destroy me; I will diligently consider Your testimonies. Psalm 119:95 NASB
Diligently consider – Do you feel safe? I mean really safe, like not a care at all because no one can do you harm. Totally protected. Bulletproof all around. No chance of disaster, ruin, robbery, assault, collapse, surprise? Most of us never imagine what could happen. We go carefree on our way until—October 7, September 11, November 23, October 29, April 18. Those “no warning” disasters. Maybe your date isn’t one of these historic ones, but it’s still a permanent scar on your life.
Why didn’t God keep you safe?
That’s the big question behind this verse. Evil men or tragic events lurk in the shadows waiting to inflict pain, suffering, despair. Waiting to destroy. ʾābad—to destroy, perish, pass away. Perhaps you didn’t have a clue. Perhaps you were just an innocent bystander in the wrong place at the wrong time. It doesn’t matter why. It only matters when.
But before you stop reading because it’s just too depressing to think about it, take another look at this verse. “Evil men wait to destroy,” not “Evil men destroy.” The intention is there but perhaps not the action. They would if they could. That’s qāwâ, “. . . to wait or to look for with eager expectation. It is used for the wicked who make an attempt to destroy the life of the righteous.” [1] There are those in the world who would if they could, but something prevents them from acting. Not always. October 7, September 11, November 23, October 29, April 18—are realities. But not every day is October 7, September 11, November 23, October 29, April 18. Not every day is evil’s triumphant celebration. Most of the time, days like these don’t happen. And that means we stop thinking about what evil men could do. We imagine a world where evil men can’t do. So, we’re shocked, outraged, indignant when they do. We suddenly forget all those days when evil men were held at bay. We forget to be thankful for what didn’t happen. Instead we ask, “Why didn’t You stop this, Lord?”
Perhaps the poet helps us reframe our thinking. What is his home protection system? It is to diligently consider God’s testimonies. That needs some explanation. How can merely considering ʿēdewōtê make any difference? Wouldn’t you rather have an alarm system, a safe room, or a gun? No, the poet directs us to think about something other than physical security. “Testimonies” (ʿēdewōtê) is connected with yāʿad, “to appoint, to assemble, to meet.” What are God’s appointments, God’s assembly, God’s meetings? Well, to start with, these are words about God’s people—the whole of His people, not the particular individuals. The word also means betrothal and that certainly fits Israel, God’s betrothed. When I pay attention to, when I understand, when I examine (all meanings of bîn), I discover that God has never let go of Israel. All kinds of evil men have sought Israel’s demise—and yet—Israel continues. Why? Because Israel remembers God’s choice. It might be that evil men sometimes seem to break through God’s divine protection. Bad things do happen to righteous people. But the righteous people are still here, still thriving, still betrothed. What is the remedy for the evil intention of men? Not a spiked wall but a change in perspective. Gratitude for what didn’t happen. Confidence in God’s calling. Hope for what God will bring about.
Topical Index: testimonies,ʿēdewōtê, qāwâ, wait, evil, Psalm 119:95
[1] Hartley, J. E. (1999). 1994 קָוָה. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 791). Moody Press.
