Psalm 118:5-9 says, “In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people to do me? Yes, the Lord is for me: he will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.” (NLT)

Those verses were part of my Scripture reading this morning. As I read the rest of Psalm 118 I was further impacted by what the psalmist writes. But I couldn’t help but come up short as I read verses 5-9. Given our current political climate and the world stage, those verses took on more meaning. And then as I read Moses’ opening comments in his swan song (Deuteronomy), I couldn’t help but make a connection.

Moses and the people of Israel are at the cusp of the Promised Land…again. Forty years earlier they were there also, but a lack of trust and faith in God’s ability to keep His word led to their wandering the wilderness. Deut. 1:2-3 is stating the current situation: “Normally it takes only eleven days to travel from Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea…But forty years after…” Moses is now challenging them with entrance into the Promised Land. He is recalling historically how God has been with them. In fact, in 2:36 he writes, “The Lord our God also helped us conquer Aroer on the edge of the Arnon Gorge…” Moses was trying to help them see God’s role in their lives. But their failure had been to see that God was enough. All they saw were giants and unobtainable cities and land.

Circle back to that passage in Psalm 118. The psalmist is reminding his readers of God’s role in their lives: “It is better…”  It is wise to get control of spending, especially that which is wasteful (and in some cases morally wrong). But we are foolish to think that one man, or two men, any number of men/women will fix things. Humans are fallible which means we will make mistakes. We all long for peace on earth but we are fools to think any man will accomplish that. We can try but unless the Prince of Peace is involved, there won’t be any. IMHO I believe there will not be peace on earth until the Prince of Peace returns. Man can try…and should…in order to make this world a better place to live, but unless and until we realize that our trust is not to be in any human, it will be temporary at best.

Just as Moses reminded the people of Israel who their real leader was and who gave them the victory; until we see what the psalmist is trying to say about where our trust must be, we will miss the mark. I’m all for peace and dealing with the debt, but let’s remember WHO truly is in charge and who alone can make it right.