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Seek Peace and Pursue It
If only…if only
In approximately 1012 BC (or BCE for those who insist on changing language and calendars for politically correct purposes), David, the former shepherd turned warrior and member of the Israelite royal family, was on the run. He was being hunted by his father-in-law, the king of Israel.
It was during this season of his life that David penned one of his most beautiful writings — what we know as Psalm 34. One of its verses encapsulates a moving exhortation I wish all human beings would take to heart…
Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. (Psalm 34:14, KJV)
Did David live up to this consistently? No
That’s not the point. I can’t stand it when postmodern (and even, at times, modernist) deconstructionists start going after wonderful texts like this by pointing fingers at the imperfections of the author(s) in question — in this case, David.
That David was imperfect is irrelevant to the truth of this exhortation!
The fact is, no one lives up to this consistently and fully. There are no perfectly righteous human beings. David makes that point himself in another passage.