October 25, 2019 -- Psalm 119:39 -- What is 'reproach?'

Turn away the reproach that I dread,

for your rules are good.

Psalm 119:39 English Standard Version

The reproach of God is the shame that we experience when we have sinned and such sins are exposed in the light of God’s Word, or through proper accountability among the saints. Such reproach falls on us because of sexual sins, or the consequences of our rebellious actions, or the exposure of a lie we have told or the injury our enemies inflict on us—the fact that we have been attacked and we feel defenseless because their accusations are true and where we have failed in our duties their attacks take on a particular vitriol against which we feel helpless..

We dread such reproaches because it shows our weaknesses. We dread such reproaches because it shows we have dishonoured the Name and reputation of God—which is bound up with us as Christians. What we do as Christians can show others the glory of God’s Name or our inactions and our wrong-doing can lead others to conclude there is no power in the Name of God—thus bringing discredit to His Name by our conduct. Understand this, the Living God is Holy, He is glorious and worthy of all praise, no matter what His people do. However, those who are looking for reasons to hate God would use our inappropriate and sinful conduct against us and against God the Merciful.

Yet the Psalmist notes this: the LORD’s rules—actually the original language (Hebrew) states the LORD’s judgements—are good. No matter our conduct God’s judgements are good. He is the source of all good. His judgments are shown most clearly as good in the fact that God the Father, in His great love, sent Jesus to seek and to save lost sinners. Jesus took our punishment on Himself at the cross and gives to us His righteousness. When Jesus prays to the Father on our behalf, He says “Father, forgive them, You have punished their sins upon My Person and now see them as right-living because of My perfections. Credit to them what I have done.”

Oh, weak and wounded sinner, look to Jesus and find in Him relief. Oh weary Christian, scorned and shamed, look to Jesus and find in Him relief and forgiveness full and free. The Spirit of God, sent to us by Jesus, poured over us by the Father, shows to you the truth of the Bible. The Spirit of God reveals your sins so that you will hate such sins more and more and recognize in Jesus Christ you have One Who has saved you. Believe in His Name. You will find the reproach you dread is in fact turned away, Jesus took it all, and gives to us His reputation, His right-standing before the Father in heaven, and His Spirit Who ever helps us to live fully as followers of Jesus. The Spirit stands ready to aid the Christian in battling old lusts and desires and stubbornly clinging sins so that our life and our desires, our will and our actions reflect more of Jesus and His glory.

Thank You, Great Father in Heaven, that You have answered the prayer of this psalmist—our reproach has been turned away in Jesus Christ. Blessed are You, Jesus the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world, for in Your Name we have forgiveness and new life. Spirit of the Living God, fight our battles with us and within us so that we will soldier on as those who know that the rules of God are good and His judgments are the path of salvation and true freedom. Amen.