Skewed Views of God
by David Gibson
The Book of Psalms records several wrong views of God:
No God
“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt; they do abominable deeds . . .” (Psalm 14:1). How can someone say there is no God, in view of all the evidence to the contrary? “Design demands a designer.”
A God of Limited Knowledge
“They kill the widow and the sojourner, and murder the fatherless; and they say, ‘The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive’. . . . He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see? He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke?” (Psalms 94:6-7, 9-10).
A God of Limited Power
“They spoke against God, saying, ‘Can God spread a table in the wilderness? He struck the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed. Can he also give bread or provide meat for his people?’” (Psalm 78:19-20). In other words, God took care of us yesterday, but can He do it again today?
A God in Man’s Image
God expresses His displeasure with those who choose evil companions and who engage in evil talk, lies, and slander. “These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself...” (Psalms 50:21).
The True View of God
Psalms 139 serves as a needed corrective to all the above. The psalmist presents God as the Exalted One who knows all, who is everywhere, who made us, and who cares about how we think.
Now that’s God!
