11 The Lord gives the [k]command;
The women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host:
12 “Kings of armies flee, they flee,
And she who remains at home will divide the spoil!”
13 [l]When you lie down among the [m]sheepfolds,
You are like the wings of a dove covered with silver,
And its pinions with glistening gold.
14 When the Almighty scattered the kings [n]there,
It was snowing in Zalmon.15 A [o]mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan;
A mountain of many peaks is the mountain of Bashan.
16 Why do you look with envy, O mountains with many peaks,
At the mountain which God has desired for His abode?
Surely the Lord will dwell there forever.
17 The chariots of God are [p]myriads, thousands upon thousands;
[q]The Lord is among them as at Sinai, in holiness.
18 You have ascended on high, You have led captive Your captives;
You have received gifts among men,
Even among the rebellious also, that [r]the Lord God may dwell there.19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden,
The God who is our salvation. Selah.
20 God is to us a God of deliverances;
And to [s]God the Lord belong escapes [t]from death.
21 Surely God will shatter the head of His enemies,
The hairy crown of him who goes on in his guilty deeds.
22 The Lord [u]said, “I will bring them back from Bashan.
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea;
23 That [v]your foot may shatter them in blood,
The tongue of your dogs may have its portion from your enemies.”
This passage goes back and forth between the rejoicing of those who follow God and the destruction of those who oppose them. We rejoice because God is our deliverance, he always gives us a way of escape, and daily bears our burden.
Jesus invited us to cast our burdens on him. Rather than carry the heavy burdens of this world, we are to take his yoke/burden, which is far lighter. The yoke of God is not like anything in this world, it is not the “rat race” of constant striving. Instead, God literally commands us to rest. He invites us to spend time with him, not doing, but just being with Him. Then we will be equipped to do whatever needs doing. But not until we’ve rested with Him and let our hearts align with his.
Now, on the flip side, I want to make something clear. It’s easy to see the psalmist speak of God’s enemies and assume that if you haven’t believed, then you’re an enemy of God. The enemies of God are those who have set themselves against Him (purposefully), and most of those are not human beings. Certainly, there could be those who are completely lost, who know exactly who God is and have chosen to serve his enemies. They think they are choosing their own way, but sadly, that isn’t what they will get.
So, your neighbors, and most of the people you meet, are not your enemies. God wants us to love our neighbor and show them God’s light. Some day, their choice will be final, but until then, we love and show God’s grace and mercy. We model what it is to be at peace, to know true rest, to live a life that is markedly different.
If we are “full of grace and truth” as Jesus is, the world will be drawn to the light within us, and not repulsed. Do not be sucked in by the maddening pace around you, “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Live differently, and start today (and every day) by spending time resting in Him.