Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever;
let them perish in disgrace,
18 that they may know that you alone,
whose name is the LORD,
are the Most High over all the earth.
In school, we always wanted the bully to be publicly humiliated, preferably by making us look like we were victorious over them. That never happened in my case, and in fact, my motives were not pure. The psalmist does not make that same mistake. His objective is that God would be honored and glorified. He would have the whole world know that God is the LORD and that he is LORD over all the earth. Sure, he wanted the opponents of God to be put to shame, but one gets the impression that their repentance would have pleased the psalmist just as nicely. His main motive was the exaltation of God. Job well done, Psalmist!
Jesus in his High Priestly prayer prayed that through his suffering and the proclamation of the church, that the world may know that God sent the Son to save the world, not to put it to shame forever. He brought hope to the bullies of this world. They no longer need to rely on their own strength and power over weaker people for their self worth. They can submit to the strong tower that is God and rely on his power to save. May we exalt the Lord and proclaim the way to be saved, that they may know that God alone can save them from perishing in disgrace.
Dear Lord, thank you that you have interceded on our behalf when we were weak and alone. Help us to proclaim the way to be saved to someone today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church