Tags
2 Samuel 22:48-49, 2 Samuel 22:50, fatherless, golden rule, injustice, Jeremiah 22:3, Stranger, thanks, thanksgiving, violent, widow
2 Samuel 22:50
Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.
Therefore I will give thanks unto thee. Therefore I will give thanks unto thee because of 2 Samuel 22:48-49. “It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me, And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
We are to give thanks because it is the LORD who has delivered us from the violent man.
The violent man referred to here is one who is wrong, cruel or practices injustice. It was how the LORD described the earth to Noah just before the flood when He said the earth is filled with violence. The etymology or origin of the word violent, used to describe what the LORD has delivered us from, goes back to a root meaning, to do physical or ethical wrong to. This word is used in Jeremiah 22:3. “Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.”
Do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless or the widow. Do not harm and do no physical or ethical wrong to the stranger, the fatherless and the widow. Simply put, don’t take advantage of others and practice the Golden Rule, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I’m afraid that in today’s world the Golden Rule has been perverted to mean that he that has the gold makes the rules. In God’s books the more power, prestige, influence and wealth you have, the greater your responsibility is to ensure that the stranger, the fatherless and the widow around you are treated correctly.
The bible says that we are to give thanks right in the middle of the heathens and that the LORD has delivered us from the violent man. The LORD doesn’t have to move us or remove people from around us in order to protect us and deliver us from being physically or ethically done wrong. He can protect us and deliver us right in the middle of it.
On this day set aside by our nation for the giving of thanks let us direct our gratitude to the LORD who delivered us from physical and ethical wrong in the beginning and established this great nation. Then we will be blessed with the LORD’s protection as we go forward so that we may do unto others as we would have them do unto us.