Peacemaking

Read Psalms 120:1–124:8

1. I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.
2. Rescue me, O Lord, from liars and from all deceitful people.
3. O deceptive tongue, what will God do to you? How will he increase your punishment?
4. You will be pierced with sharp arrows and burned with glowing coals.
5. How I suffer in far-off Meshech. It pains me to live in distant Kedar.
6. I am tired of living among people who hate peace.
7. I search for peace; but when I speak of peace, they want war! Psalm 120:1-7

Psalm 120 was written by a man who had some thoughts on fighting. He had seen a lot of action and wanted a little peace. But chances are he didn’t get any—at least not from his adversaries. As you read this psalm, learn the value of being a peacemaker.

The other psalms in this reading cover many different topics: knowing where your help comes from (Psalm 121); entering God’s presence (Psalm 122); looking to God for mercy (Psalm 123); and celebrating God’s protection when you are attacked by others (Psalm 124).

The psalm writer wrote, “I search for peace; but . . . they want war” (Psalm 120:7). Many people feel that way and would rather fight for what they believe in than back down or compromise for the sake of peace. For those people, the glory of battle lies in winning. But when someone wins like that, somebody else loses.

In contrast, the glory of peacemaking lies in the fact that it can produce two winners. Peacemaking is God’s way (see Matthew 5:9), so we, too, should strive to be peacemakers by carefully and prayerfully trying to resolve conflicts without force. But at the same time, we should keep in mind that peace at all costs is not peace. Therefore, we should not sacrifice God’s principles to achieve a lesser peace.

The next time you are involved in a disagreement, look for things on which you both can agree. Work from there toward a solution that is mutually beneficial and pleasing to God. Be a peacemaker.