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August 10, 2020 Daily Devotional

The Psalms do not shy away from the experience of anger. God's anger and judgment

makes way in this Psalm for the salvation of the poor and the establishment of justice.

Verse 10 says, "even human rage will turn to your praise", other translations say "wrath

instead of rage.


Therapist, pastor, and scholar, Tiffany Houck-Loomis speaks to this,

"That the Hebrew Bible contains this text, which boasts of wrath as a form of praise, speaksto the complex nature of humanity and God and the relationship between these two parties. As a liturgical act, wrath enables us to face the evil that is and to find our way through it. It forces us to own our own evil, our own transgressive acts of peace and justice in the service of honoring the hate that is alive and active in each of us. In owning this part of us we are able to link it with the good, with love, and with reconciliatory care." Tiffany Houck-Loomis in Psalms, Books 2–3 (Wisdom Commentary Series), edited by Denise Dombkowsk iHopkins.



Psalm 76

1 God is known in Judah;

his name is great in Israel.

2 His dwelling place became Salem;

his habitation was Zion.

3 It was there that he broke the fiery shafts of the bow,

the shield, the sword—even the battle itself! Selah

4 You are ablaze with light,

mightier than the mountains that give food.

5 The bravehearted lie plundered.

They sank into deep lethargy.

All the strong troops

couldn’t even lift their hands!

6 At your rebuke, Jacob’s God,

both chariot and horse were stopped dead-still.

7 You! You are awesome!

Who can stand before you when you are angry?

8 You have announced judgment from heaven.

The earth grew afraid and fell silent

9 when God rose up to establish justice,

when God rose up to save all of the earth’s poor. Selah

10 Even human rage will turn to your praise

when you dress yourself

with whatever remains of your wrath.[a]

11 Make promises to the Lord your God and keep them!

Let all around him bring gifts to the awesome one.

12 He breaks the spirit of princes.

He is terrifying to all the kings of the earth.

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