" Too long has my soul had its dwelling
With those who hate peace.
I am for peace, but when I speak,
They are for war."
Psalms 120:6-7 (ESV)
Too long have I had my dwelling
among those who hate peace.
I am for peace,
but when I speak, they are for war!
In Psalms 120-122 there is much talk about peace. In fact, the writer is praying for peace in these psalms and recognizes both that man is not for peace and that only God can deliver real peace. Man, separate from God, is in a real place of conflict. Christ came that we might have peace. Note the following:
John 14:27
" Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."
In that passage, John, the writer, was quoting Jesus and Jesus was referring to the ministry of the Holy Spirit as the one who will bring us peace in our hearts. God promises to be our peace and break down the conflict and wall between us and Him and between us and others. The above psalm talks about and is referring to a situation where the writer would want peace and has sought peace, but those around them only want conflict ... even war. The writer is taking his complaint to God to restore peace and end the war. Perhaps this is referring to a time in King David's life that Saul was in hot pursuit of him, even though David, on two occasions, could have killed Saul but didn't. David wanted peace but Saul wanted war. Perhaps we could be thinking of Joseph who only wanted peace with his brothers but they wanted war and sold him as a slave. Perhaps it was Moses who only wanted peace with his sister-in-law Merriam, but she wanted war and God struck her as a leper for her rebellion. There are plenty of examples in God's Word of those who sought peace when the other sought conflict and, even war. There are those who "hate peace." If you have a relationship with Christ you are to be like Christ and desire peace. Christ prayed, in John 17, that the believers would be at peace with one another and, as a result, reflect the character of God and the character of the peace within the Trinity. We ought to pray for peace and that peace will reign in our hearts and in the hearts of other believers.
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