Read Psalm 118:1-9 1Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! 2Let Israel say, His steadfast love endures forever.” 3Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” 4Let those who fear the Lord say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” 5Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. 6The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? 7The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. 8It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. 9It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.
This is the last of the hallel psalms sung on Passover night by all of Israel. For certain Jesus and the disciples sang this hymn after eating the bread and drinking the cup not just as a reminder of the Exodus, but as a preview of the cross of Christ and his victory over sin and death. We can only imagine how comforting these words would have been to the soul of Jesus – The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
Of course, the immediate answer for Jesus would not be comforting at all. Man, in the form of the religious and political leaders, would arrest, falsely accuse, try, shame, humiliate, torture, and crucify him, all without legal precedent or just cause. The question, what can man do to me, has to be answered with eternity in mind. Not only for Christ, but for all who are in Christ as well. Union with Christ is why the author of Hebrews can put the psalmist’s question into the mouths of all believers in 13:5-6.
5Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
To live is Christ allows the question what can man do to me to become our holy defiance. It is a heart changing question. From covetousness to contentment. From fear to faith. From persecution to perseverance. Whatever comes my way today I will not fear, for what can man do to me?
You: In what ways do you live in fear of man?
You in Christ: How does union with Christ dispel the fear of man in our hearts?
Christ in you: What might holy defiance look like in your life today as you embrace faith over fear of man?
Pray: Jesus, I want to fear you alone, keeper of my soul. What can man do to me? In the immediate it seems like a lot. But in the eternal, nothing. Help me to trust my eternal with you over my immediate. Amen.
To Live is Christ 