“O God, pagan nations have conquered your land, your special possession. They have defiled your holy Temple and made Jerusalem a heap of ruins. They have left the bodies of your servants as food for the birds of heaven. The flesh of your godly ones has become food for the wild animals. Blood has flowed like water all around Jerusalem; no one is left to bury the dead. We are mocked by our neighbors, an object of scorn and derision to those around us. O Lord, how long will you be angry with us? Forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire? Pour out your wrath on the nations that refuse to acknowledge you— on kingdoms that do not call upon your name. For they have devoured your people Israel, making the land a desolate wilderness. Do not hold us guilty for the sins of our ancestors! Let your compassion quickly meet our needs, for we are on the brink of despair. Help us, O God of our salvation! Help us for the glory of your name. Save us and forgive our sins for the honor of your name. Why should pagan nations be allowed to scoff, asking, “Where is their God?” Show us your vengeance against the nations, for they have spilled the blood of your servants. Listen to the moaning of the prisoners. Demonstrate your great power by saving those condemned to die. O Lord, pay back our neighbors seven times for the scorn they have hurled at you. Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will thank you forever and ever, praising your greatness from generation to generation.”
Psalms 79:1-13 NLT
God’s relationship with people is two tiered. On the one hand, he is personally relational. This is what most of the western world understands relationships with God to be. On the other hand, he is corporately relational as well. This is to say that he has a relationship with the overall community in which humans have been placed. Sometimes this is a country, sometimes it’s a city. Sometimes it’s a family and other times it’s a category of species. Both things are true and seem to both be valid methods for approaching God. When the corporate relation is corrupt, man may approach God personally. When the personal relationship is disordered, man may approach God through a federal head. In this way, there is no recourse by which a man can look fatalistically upon his problems. He need not think that he is to forever suffer for the sins of another unjustly, because he may approach the throne room of God without being a king. This is appropriate. He may approach God as a father. This method of dealing with stress ought to be in the forefronts of our minds. When we feel like we have no recourse, we must remember that our relationship with God has many inroads despite him being God. He is not aloof. He is always able to be approached.
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