PSALM
14
The
fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
You
evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge.
—Psalm
14:1, 6 NIV
A commotion on the sidewalk in front of my
house drew me to the window. One young man shouted threats and obscenities to
another, while another man and a woman stood by, hollering at them to stop. A
stroller stood to the side. Not knowing who belonged with whom, I grabbed my cellphone
and hurried out the front door. I announced that I was calling the police, my
heart pounding as the fight escalated. Two toddlers in the stroller strained to
see what was unfolding. I grabbed the stroller handle and pushed the children
down the block and around the corner, hoping to at least prevent their
witnessing this if I couldn’t stop the fight. Of course, I prayed the entire
time.
In hindsight, I believe the first man was
on a drug that can result in unprovoked violence. He eventually settled down
enough to continue down the sidewalk, still yelling, while the woman with him
followed and the two with the stroller carried on the opposite way. I wanted to
invite the woman into my house for her safety, but feared for my own. I'll probably forever wonder how I could have handled that better.
This psalm describes perfectly what
happens when God is not acknowledged. It would seem hopeless if not for the concluding
verses that inspire hope that God will ultimately restore justice. David calls
for both introspection and a commitment to seeking God while living in a
corrupt world.
