“I,
Yahweh,
Do not change.
Therefore you,
O sons of Jacob!
Have not perished.”
Yahweh was clear. He was not changing. He was going to protect the sons of Jacob. Thus, they have not perished or died.
Does God protect you?
Prayer for Yahweh’s protection (Mic 7:14-7:15)
“Shepherd your people
With your staff.
Shepherd the flock
That belongs to you.
They live alone
In a forest,
In the midst
Of a garden land.
Let them feed
In Bashan,
In Gilead,
As in the days of old.
As in the days
When you came out
Of the land of Egypt,
Show us
Marvelous things.”
Micah wanted Yahweh to use his shepherd’s staff to protect his people that belonged to him. However, they were now living in a forest that was in the middle of some wonderful garden land. They wanted to feed on the plains of Bashan and Gilead, like in the good old days, when they first came out of Egypt. They wanted to see all these wonderful things, as they began their restoration after the exile.
Yahweh keeps them from evil (Ps 121:7-121:8)
“Yahweh will keep you from all evil.
He will keep your life.
Yahweh will keep
Your going out.
Yahweh will keep
Your coming in.
Yahweh will do this
From this time on and forevermore.”
This psalm ends with Yahweh keeping these pilgrims of Israel from evil. He would protect their lives, whether they were coming in or going out. He would be their eternal protector from this time on.
Yahweh protects against the wicked (Ps 37:32-37:33)
Cade
“The wicked watch for the righteous.
They seek to kill them.
Yahweh will not
Abandon them to their power.
Yahweh will not
Let them be condemned,
When they are brought to trial.”
The wicked ones are out to get the righteous ones. They are watching them so that they can kill them. However, Yahweh will not abandon the righteous to the wicked ones. He will not let them be condemned in trial. Yahweh will protect the just ones against the evildoers.
The prayer of Judith for God’s help (Jdt 9:11-9:14)
“Your strength does not depend on numbers.
Your might does not depend on the powerful.
You are the God of the lowly.
You are the helper of the oppressed.
You are the upholder of the weak.
You are the protector of the forsaken.
You are the savior of those without hope.
Please, please, God of my father,
God of the heritage of Israel,
Lord of heaven and earth,
Creator of the waters,
King of all your creation,
Hear my prayer!
Make my deceitful words bring wound.
May they bruise those who have planned cruel things
Against your covenant,
Against your sacred house,
Against Mount Zion,
Against the house your children possess.
Let your whole nation and every tribe
Know and understand
That you are the God,
The God of all power and might.
There is no other who protects the people of Israel
But you alone!”
The prayer of Judith ends with this strong theological statement about the power of God. She seeks help from the all powerful God. The power of God cannot be enumerated. Our God is the God of the lowly, the oppressed, the weak, the forsaken, and the hopeless. He is the God of the heritage of Israel, the God of heaven and earth, the creator of water, the king of all creation. Judith asked that her prayer be heard. Her deceitful words will bruise those who are against God’s covenant, his sacred house, Mount Zion, and his children. Let everyone among all the tribes know that he is the God of power and might. No one protects Israel like God himself.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 