Doesn’t Anyone Else Care? - The One Year Book of Psalms
Doesn’t Anyone Else Care?
Judges 5:1-9
(Deborah’s Song, Part 1)
2“When Israel’s leaders take charge,
and the people gladly follow—
bless the LORD!
3“Listen, you kings!
Pay attention, you mighty rulers!
For I will sing to the LORD.
I will lift up my song to the LORD, the God of Israel.
4“LORD, when you set out from Seir
and marched across the fields of Edom,
the earth trembled
and the cloudy skies poured down rain.
5The mountains quaked at the coming of the LORD.
Even Mount Sinai shook in the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel.
6“In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, and in the days of Jael,
people avoided the main roads,
and travelers stayed on crooked side paths.
7There were few people left in the villages of Israel—
until Deborah arose as a mother for Israel.
8When Israel chose new gods,
war erupted at the city gates.
Yet not a shield or spear could be seen
among forty thousand warriors in Israel!
9My heart goes out to Israel’s leaders,
and to those who gladly followed.
Bless the LORD!”
Psalm Link
Psalm 18:39-40
39You have armed me with strength for the battle;
you have subdued my enemies under my feet.
40You made them turn and run;
I have destroyed all who hated me.
Have you ever experienced frustration in trying to get a group of people to do something? Many mothers can relate to this frustration. They have to constantly prod everyone to get ready to go, for if they don’t, nothing seems to get done. At times they probably feel like shouting, “Doesn’t anyone else care? Am I the only one who is doing anything about this?”
It was something like that in the days of Deborah. The Israelites were being oppressed by the Canaanites, but the Israelites had no weapons (Judges 5:8). The Canaanites, on the other hand, had nine hundred chariots! So nobody did anything about the situation.
Deborah wore three hats: a judge, a prophet, and “a mother for Israel” (Judges 5:7). Israel desperately needed all three right then. They needed a judge to bring law to a land that was falling apart. They needed a prophet to bring them God’s message when they thought God had forgotten them. And they needed a mother to call everyone together and get them moving.
Because of Deborah’s actions, Israel was rescued from the Canaanites. Just as the Lord used Deborah to accomplish his purposes for his people, he can use you as well. All you need to do is submit yourself to his leading.
Lead on, O King Eternal, we follow, not with fears;
For gladness breaks like morning where’er thy face appears;
Your cross is lifted o’er us; we journey in its light;
The crown awaits the conquest: lead on, O God of might.
ERNEST W. SHURTLEFF
Bible Networking
Israel often celebrated national victories with songs. See Exodus 15:1-18; Numbers 21:27-30; and 1 Samuel 18:7.
Notable Quotable
“Let us adore the God before whom the unconscious earth and sky act as if they recognized their Maker and were moved with a tremor of reverence.”
CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON
