The Rorschach GodSample

God Stayed Silent:
In the Psalms, you can often tell if the writer feels spiritually uplifted or deeply troubled. By looking at how a psalm starts, you can see where God’s help is needed to address the truths expressed in the song. For instance, phrases like “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me” (Psalm 22:1, NIV) or “Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger” (Psalm 6:1, NIV) show distress, while “How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?” (Psalm 13:1, NIV) expresses longing for God’s presence. They offer insights into the challenges humanity encounters and reveal a redemptive thread, demonstrating the unwavering presence of a compassionate Father who refuses to abandon us in our darkest moments.

I’ve found Psalm 50 especially intriguing among the various instances where the Spirit of God influences the songwriting of different psalmists. Credited to Asaph, a prominent figure in the musical leadership of King David’s tabernacle, this psalm initiates with a compelling summons for all to focus on the profound reverence owed to God. As the verses unfold, we witness a prophetic outpouring directly from the heart of God. From verse 17 onward, God lists a series of human behaviors starkly contrasting with His own character and nature. These include disdain for His teachings, complicity with thieves, engagement in adultery, propagation of deceit and malice through speech, and the spiteful defamation of one’s own kin. As we reach verse 21, we find that God chose to remain silent despite the catalog of ungodly behaviors listed.

Before we can contemplate the significance of God’s silence, He clarifies why: He remained silent because we mistakenly believed He was exactly like us. Why does it seem to be the instinctive response of human reasoning to interpret God’s silence as passive endorsement of our actions? Throughout much of human history, we’ve fashioned a “god” who resembles us in every way. In this context, when faced with divine silence, we may unconsciously assume that God shares our perspectives and approves our conduct. It reflects our innate desire for affirmation and validation, a notion that if we’re comfortable with our actions, surely God must be, too. But such a limited understanding fails to grasp the true nature of the divine. So, why do we feel the need to reshape God in our own image if we’re already content with ourselves?

No matter how real our projected images of God might appear, these images must fully submit to the self-sacrificial, other-centered love that Jesus demonstrates in and through His earthly ministry.