Rēad to Read …Again
Daily Reading: Psalm 1-8
Psalm 4:2
O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.
Congratulations, if you started the Rēad to Read program at the first of the year, you are almost half way through the Bible. Great job, keep on reading! Remember the goal is to move from “I will read the Bible” to “I have read the Bible.” Just like living the true Christian life this takes daily determination. Here a little, there a little. Just read a few chapters of the Bible each day, and in one year you will read it all. Whether it is your first time reading the Bible through, or your hundredth time, congratulations. I trust these “daily devotions at dawn” help your understanding and enrich your reading. Now, on to the book of Psalms.
This is an interesting book; it is the longest book in the Bible as far as chapter count goes. It also contains the longest chapter of the Bible and the shortest. There are at least seven authors of the Psalms recorded, King David being the most prominent. The Psalms are songs that the Hebrews sang. To put it into terms that we can readily understand, some say that this was their national hymn book. In this interesting book there are some words that are unique. One is found in today’s verse; it is only used twice in the entire Bible, both in today’s reading assignment. That word is “leasing.”
Leasing is used in Psalm 4:2, and 5:6. It means the act of lying, a lie, or a falsehood. Notice the question today’s verse asked …how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? There is an old saying about this that seems to carry with it more truth than we would like to admit. “It is easier to believe a lie than it is the truth.” Why? Who knows! But this old adage is more real than it should be. Lying is pervasive, meaning that lies seem to creep into everything. Like marinade that penetrates meat before cooking, lies penetrate the mind and the heart if not guarded against. David indicates that individuals seek after lies, and questions why.
Leasing is also used in Psalm 5:6 wherein David clearly states Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: … In these two usages of the word, we see two sides of “leasing.” There is the side of those who seek after lies, and the side of those who speak the lies. One is guaranteed to be destroyed, the other runs the risk. To understand lies is a difficult thing. Why do people tell lies? Why do so many believe the lies that are told? This is almost un-understandable, but the fact that they do is evident. It was said of a man one time in a book that he would “rather climb a tree and tell a lie than to stand on the ground and tell the truth.” Silly, but it paints a picture, does it not?
The best advice for a believer in Christ is to do all one can to guard against falling for a lie and furthermore do not lie. In other words, “Beware of leasing.”
Dr. William T. Howe
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