시 40:1-11_기다림 끝에 응답하신 주님

2025년 09월 29일 월요일

여는 기도
할렐루야. 주님의 이름을 찬송하여라. 주님의 종들아, 찬송하여라.
[지휘자를 따라 부르는 노래, 다윗의 시]

1 내가 간절히 주님을 기다렸더니, 주님께서 나를 굽어보시고, 나의 울부짖음을 들어 주셨네.
2 주님께서 나를 멸망의 구덩이에서 건져 주시고, 진흙탕에서 나를 건져 주셨네. 내가 반석을 딛고 서게 해주시고 내 걸음을 안전하게 해주셨네.
3 주님께서 나의 입에 새 노래를, 우리 하나님께 드릴 찬송을 담아 주셨기에, 수많은 사람들이 나를 보고 두려운 마음으로 주님을 의지하네.
4 주님을 신뢰하여 우상들과 거짓 신들을 섬기지 않는 사람은 복되어라.
5 주, 나의 하나님, 주님께서는 놀라운 일을 많이 하시며, 우리 위한 계획을 많이도 세우셨으니, 아무도 주님 앞에 이것들을 열거할 수 없습니다. 내가 널리 알리고 전파하려 해도 이루 헤아릴 수도 없이 많습니다.
6 주님께서는 내 두 귀를 열어 주셨습니다. 주님은 제사나 예물도 기뻐하지 아니합니다. 번제나 속죄제도 원하지 않습니다.
7 그 때에 나는 주님께 아뢰었습니다. “나에 관하여 기록한 두루마리 책에 따라 내가 지금 왔습니다.
8 나의 하나님, 내가 주님의 뜻 행하기를 즐거워합니다. 주님의 법을 제 마음 속에 간직하고 있습니다.”
9 나는 많은 회중 앞에서, 주님께서 나를 구원하신 기쁜 소식을 전합니다. 주님께서 아시듯이, 내가 입을 다물고 있지 않을 것입니다.
10 나를 구원하신 주님의 의를 나의 가슴 속에 묻어 두지 않았고, 주님의 성실하심과 구원을 말합니다. 주님의 한결같은 사랑과 그 미쁘심을 많은 회중 앞에서 감추지 않을 것입니다.
11 하나님은 나의 주님이시니, 주님의 긍휼하심을 나에게서 거두지 말아 주십시오. 주님은 한결같은 사랑과 미쁘심으로, 언제나 나를 지켜 주십시오.

NASB
I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me and heard my cry(1절).
You, O LORD, will not withhold Your compassion from me; Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me(11절).

주석
1절. ‘간절히 주님을 기다렸더니’(waited patiently)라는 표현보다 ‘나는 오직 기다리기만 하였다’는 표현이 더 적절하다(IVP 성경주석, 696쪽).

1. 제사도, 예물도!! 
6절의 구절이 마음에 남는다. 
주님은 제사나 예물도 기뻐하지 않으신다. 
번제나 속죄제도 원하지 않으신다. 
그분이 원하시는 것은, 7-8절의 고백에 나와 있다. 
두루마리 책, 이것은 율법을 의미한다. 
주님의 뜻, 주님의 법을 마음 속에 간직하고 따르는 것, 이것을 주님께서 기뻐하신다. 
제사도 그 중에 하나다. 
그러나 그것이 전부가 되어서는 안된다. 
도리어 더 중요한 것, 하나님의 뜻 따르기가 우선되어야 한다. 
하나님은 형식을 원하는 것이 아니라 마음 전부를 원하신다. 
한 두 가지 행동을 원하시는 것이 아니라, 삶의 방식 전체를 원하신다. 
그분의 뜻을 이루기 위해 애쓰고 노력하는 것이 먼저다. 

2. 감추지 않는다. 
시인은 기쁜 소식 전하기를 멈추지 않는다. 
하나님이 행하신 구원의 소식을 말하기를 주저하지 않는다. 
입을 다물 생각이 없다. 
어떠한 상황에도 그는 구원의 소식을 말하고 싶어 안달이다. 
지금 부르는 이 노래도, 이 시도 그 결단의 산물이다. 
하나님이 하신 일에 대한 기쁨과 감사가 흘러나온다. 
주님이 하신 일, 주님의 성품, 주님의 성실하심과 구원에 대해 계속 말한다. 
이것이 그가 할 일이다. 
왕인 그가 하나님을 높인다. 
최고 권력자가 하나님에 대해 말하기를 멈추지 않는다. 

이런 권력자 아래 있다면 어떤 생각이 들까? 
지금 시대에 이런 권력자가 있다면, 약간 부담스러울 것 같다. 
왕인데 설교자다. 
정교일치 국가에서는 아주 당연한 일이지만, 현대사회에서는 위험하다. 
민주사회에서는 다양성을 존중해야 하기 때문이다. 
그렇다면 어떻게 그분이 하신 일과 구원을 말할 것인가? 
결국 삶이다. 
이제는 말이 가진 권위가 예전만 못하다. 
과거에는 말이 곧 삶으로 비춰지기도 했다. 
증언을 소중히 여겼다. 
그러나 지금은 사람의 말보다 그의 행동이 그의 말과 생각을 증명한다. 
CCTV가 곳곳에 있다. 
디지털 로그 기록이 항상 남아 있다. 
말이 아니라 실제 어떤 행동을 했는지를 알 수 있는 세상이다. 
그러니 말로만 번지르하게 한다고 믿지 않는다. 
권력과 권한이 있는 사람은 더욱 행동으로 말을 한다. 
삶으로 보여주지 않는 전도는 점점 더 무의지하며, 자칫 위선적 모습은 더욱 하나님의 영광을 가리게 된다. 
말로는 하나님의 구원을 발하는데, 행동으로는 하나님의 무존재를 드러내니, 사람들은 목사들을 무신론자라고 부르는 것이다. 
행동이 받쳐주지 않으면 말은 도리어 독이 된다. 

어려운 시대다. 

[오늘의 기도]
예물보다 제사보다 예배보다 당신의 뜻을 행하기를 더욱 기뻐하시는 하나님, 
제가 종교적 형식에서 벗어나서 당신의 뜻을 행하는 것에 더욱 신경쓰게 하소서. 
종교적 행사를 기획하고 진행하는 것에는 능할지 모르겠으나, 
정말 하나님의 뜻이 무엇인지 알아가고 실천하는 데는 여전히 부족합니다. 
제 인생을 향한 하나님의 뜻이 무엇인지 더 깊이 알게 하소서. 
오늘 하루에 제가 감당해야 할 하나님의 계획이 무엇인지 더 깊이 알게 하소서. 

말보다 행실이 더욱 중요한 시대를 살고 있습니다. 
저의 모든 행동이 추적 가능합니다. 
말만 그럴 듯한 사람이 되지 않게 해 주세요. 
행실로 하나님의 존재를 드러내는 사람이 되게 하소서. 
말하는 것도 당연히 필요합니다. 
말과 행실이 완벽하게 들어맞는 사람이 어디에 있겠습니까! 
겸손하게 저의 부족함을 인정합니다. 
그럼에도 포기하고 싶지 않습니다. 
행실로 주님의 존재를 드러내는 사람이 되게 하소서. 

한국 교회, 특히 정치 목사들의 악행을 벌하소서. 
회개하고 돌이키게 하소서. 
자리 하나 차지하려고 돈을 살포하는 무리들을 꺾으소서. 
매관매직의 뿌리가 거기에 있습니다. 
남북이 서로 평화를 지켜가게 하소서. 
극우주의자들의 마음을 옥죄소서. 
극좌주의자들의 생각을 비틀어주소서. 
전세계에 평화가 찾아오게 하소서. 
에너지 문제로 항상 분쟁이 일어납니다. 
에너지 문제가 해결되게 하시고, 기후위기로부터 지구를 구출해주소서. 
주님의 구원을 다가올 모든 세대가 찬양하도록
주여!! 구원하소서. 

예수님의 이름으로 기도드립니다. 
아멘. 

 

----

1. More Important Than Sacrifices and Offerings

 

A verse from the Bible (verse 6) deeply resonates with me. God is pleased not by external rituals like sacrifices or offerings, but by something far more significant. He does not desire burnt offerings or sin offerings, which involve burning animals to atone for sin.

 

So, what does God truly want? As expressed in verses 7-8, it is to hold His word and His law – symbolized by the "scroll" – deeply within our hearts and to live accordingly. While sacrifice is one way to express our heart toward God, it should not be everything. Instead, following God's will is far more crucial and should take precedence.

 

God desires not mere outward forms, but the entirety of our hearts. He wants not just a few actions, but our entire way of life to be aligned with His will. Our efforts and dedication to fulfill His purpose come first.

 

2. Do Not Hide It, But…

 

The psalmist never stops proclaiming the joyful news, the news of salvation brought by God. He is eager to share the good news of salvation, so much so that he cannot keep quiet. This song, this psalm, is a product of that very determination. Joy and gratitude for what God has done flow from him.

 

He continuously speaks of God's wonderful deeds, His character, His faithfulness, and His salvation. He believes this is his calling. Even as a king, he exalts God. The most powerful ruler does not cease speaking about God.

 

What would it be like to live under such a ruler today?

 

It might feel a bit overwhelming. A king who acts like a preacher. In the past, when religion and state were intertwined, this was natural. However, in modern society, it could be dangerous. A democratic society must respect diversity.

 

So, how then should we proclaim God's work and salvation in this age? Ultimately, it must be shown through our 'lives.'

 

In today's world, words do not carry the same weight they once did. In the past, a person's words were often seen as a reflection of their life, and great value was placed on testimonies. But now, people are more convinced by actions than by words. CCTV cameras are everywhere, and digital footprints are always left behind. It's a world where we can know what actions someone actually took, not just what they said. Therefore, people are not easily convinced by mere glib talk.

 

Those in positions of power and authority must speak even more through their actions. Evangelism that isn't backed by one's life becomes increasingly meaningless, and hypocrisy can even overshadow the glory of God. If one speaks of God's salvation but their actions reveal God's non-existence, people might even label such pastors as atheists. If actions do not support words, then words can become poison.

 

It is a challenging era.

 

[Today's Prayer]

 

God, who delights more in our doing Your will than in sacrifices, offerings, or worship, please help me to break free from religious formalities and focus more on doing Your will. I may be adept at planning and conducting religious events, but I am still lacking in truly understanding and practicing Your will. Grant me deeper insight into Your purpose for my life. Help me to better understand Your plan for me to fulfill this day.

 

We live in an era where actions speak louder than words. All my actions can be traced. Please do not let me be a person of mere plausible words. Allow me to be a person who reveals God's existence through my conduct. Of course, speaking is also necessary. Who can perfectly align their words and actions? I humbly acknowledge my shortcomings. Yet, I do not want to give up. Help me to be a person who reveals Your presence through my actions.

 

Punish the misdeeds of the Korean Church, especially those political pastors. Lead them to repentance and turn them around. Break the power of those who scatter money to secure positions. The root of corruption and cronyism lies there. Grant peace between the two Koreas. Constrain the hearts of extreme right-wingers. Twist the thoughts of extreme left-wingers. Bring peace to the entire world. Conflicts often arise from energy issues. Resolve the energy problem and rescue the earth from the climate crisis. So that all coming generations may praise Your salvation—

 

Lord, save us!

 

I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.