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Psalm 34: Seek שָׁלוֹם and Pursue It
One day in Tokyo, a Japanese man in his thirties dropped by the church unannounced. He was seeking an answer to these questions: “If I come to church and study the Bible, what benefit will I get out of it? What might I gain by becoming a Christian?”
What an opportunity! How would you have answered? I told him that reading the Bible would bring him greater blessings than he could imagine. He would come to know the true God—the Creator of the whole world, including him. He would understand who he truly is: a sinner in need of forgiveness. He would learn God’s plan of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, who lived for him, died for him, rose again for him, ascended into heaven for him, and will come again for him. Through faith in Jesus, he would receive the wisdom of salvation and learn how to live every day of his life wisely and meaningfully. And if that were not enough, he would become an heir of God, inheriting eternal life with God in the world to come. I told him that Christians put their hope in Jesus who said, “I have come that they might have life to the full” (John 10:10).
He had follow-up questions, like where is Jesus now, what is wise living, and what is eternal life? We talked for about thirty minutes. He thanked me for my time and responses. Before he left, he told me he might come back. He never did. To this day, I wonder if I should have answered differently or been more insistent. Whenever I remember this man, I pray that he seeks out the Lord and receives the blessings we discussed. I would like to meet him again in the world to come.
Psalm 34 reminds me of this man and his questions. In a psalm that is Proverbs-esque, David invites people to learn from him: “Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord” (NIV, v. 12). He begins his lesson with a question that sounds a lot like the questions of that Japanese man: “Who among you desires life and would love to see many good days?” (my translation).
David, the teacher, answers his rhetorical question with five imperatives (six if you repeat the verb “keep”):
“…keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it” (NIV, vv. 13-14).
14 נְצֹ֣ר לְשֹׁונְךָ֣ מֵרָ֑ע
וּ֝שְׂפָתֶ֗יךָ מִדַּבֵּ֥ר מִרְמָֽה׃
15 ס֣וּר מֵ֭רָע וַעֲשֵׂה־טֹ֑וב
בַּקֵּ֖שׁ שָׁלֹ֣ום וְרָדְפֵֽהוּ׃
The first three lines focus on words and actions. The last line captures the orientation of the heart. God’s people seek שָׁלוֹם and pursue it. They yearn for שָׁלוֹם and actively run after it.
Almost every English translation renders שָׁלוֹם with the word “peace.” The Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB) translates “seek shalom, and pursue it.” What is the meaning of שָׁלוֹם in this verse? Are we to pursue peace with God? Peace with people?
In his commentary on the Psalms, John Goldingay translates it this way: “Seek well-being—pursue it.”1 In his glossary, Goldingay defines well-being this way:
Well-being (שָׁלוֹם): A wide-ranging term that covers peace in the sense of freedom from war; safety, friendship, blessing, and prosperity (28:3, 29:11, 35:20, 27; 37:11, 37; 38:3[4]).2
In its widest meaning, שָׁלוֹם means health, wholeness, and well-being. It is the final word of God’s blessing upon his people in Numbers 6:24–27. The Lord who blesses and keeps us, who is gracious and compassionate, and who shines on us with his presence is the only one who can satisfy the longings of our hearts. Apart from the Lord, there is no שָׁלוֹם. In the Lord, we have שָׁלוֹם.
We pursue שָׁלוֹם by pursuing the Lord, by hearing his Word, and by putting it into practice. Fearing the Lord (faith) is an active thing, rooted in God’s deliverance of the past and his promises of future salvation. David learned more about the fear of the Lord when the Lord delivered him out of Gath (see 1 Samuel 21:1–14). First-century Christians learned more about the fear of the Lord as they suffered persecution and endured it (see 1 Peter 3:10–12). We learn more about the fear of the Lord when for whatever reason we hear, understand, and believe this promise from David’s greater Son: “I have come that (you) may have life—life to the full.”
In Jesus we have well-being in this life and in the world to come. That’s worth chasing after. “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.”
Prof. Bradley Wordell serves as professor of Old Testament and Director of Grow in Grace at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, WI.
Systematic Theology: Causes of Salvation, Part One: The Prompting Cause
“Causes”—plural!—“of salvation”? That might at first sound blasphemous. Isn’t there only one “name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12)? Of course! And any cause of salvation leads us back to Christ. Still, like any jewel, viewing our salvation from different angles makes it sparkle all the more. Scripture accomplishes that when it speaks of various causes of salvation.
Let us first consider the prompting cause of our salvation. It’s found in simple passages such as, “God is love” (1 John 4:16), and, “Our God is a God who saves” (Psalm 68:20). In short, God’s love prompts our salvation.
Much of this is centered in God the Father, whose love drew us prodigal children to return to him (Luke 15:17–20). His love caused him to promise our salvation by sending the woman’s Seed (Gen. 3:15), the One from Abraham who would bless all the families of the earth (Gen. 12:3), the One from David, the throne of whose kingdom would be established forever (2 Sam. 7:13), and Isaiah’s promised Servant of the Lord (e.g., Isa. 52:13).
After all, “God so loved the world”—there’s the prompting cause of our salvation!—“that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Jesus reflected the prompting cause of our salvation when he prayed to his Father: “I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4). The apostles did the same. Peter on Pentecost pointed out the Father’s role: “This man [Jesus] was handed over by God’s set plan and foreknowledge” (Acts 2:23). Paul acknowledged the prompting cause of our salvation: God “wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4).
In fact, it’s even more personal than all of that. God’s love is the prompting cause of your salvation individually. Your personal salvation started in the heart of God eternally ago. “In love God predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:4–5). “Those God foreknew”—made himself acquainted with ahead of time—“he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29). And then, through your baptism in time, “because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved” (Eph. 2:4–5; cf. Col. 2:12–13).
What then is the cause of our salvation? To start, it’s “not that we have loved God, but that he loved us” (1 John 4:10), and consequently sent Jesus on our behalf. All glory and honor to our heavenly Father, whose love prompted him to plan our salvation!
Rev. Karl Walther serves at St. Mark’s Lutheran in Watertown, WI.
Historical Theology: The Context of the Protéstant Controversy
Exactly a century ago, the first protests of decisions by synod and district officials were heard in the Western Wisconsin District of the Wisconsin Synod. The fact that histories of the Wisconsin Synod, Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, and Northwestern College include a chapter on the Protéstant Controversy indicates its impact on these institutions.[1]
As with any study of history, understanding the context is critical—especially so with the Protéstant Controversy. This controversy could have only happened in the Wisconsin Synod, and it could have only happened when it did.
The “Roaring Twenties” gave the perception of a humming economy, although problems lurked beneath the surface, including spending beyond means by government, churches, and households. Societal and moral norms of previous decades were challenged by “flappers” with their suggestive dancing and shorter skirts. The launching of Prohibition led many people to flaunt authority. Gangsters like John Dillinger, Al Capone, and Bonnie and Clyde were often seen as celebrity heroes. American Christians—including those in the Wisconsin Synod—were struggling to come to grips with these societal and cultural shifts.
The battle between Liberalism and Fundamentalism reached its zenith in the 1920s. Liberalism’s high view of humanity’s potential had been dealt a blow by the violence of the First World War. Yet the advances in science boosted liberal Christian ideals and put conservative Christians on the defensive. The infamous “Scopes Monkey Trial” captivated the nation during the summer of 1925.[2] The Wisconsin Synod was not immune to these broader doctrinal battles.
The Wisconsin Synod itself was struggling with the shift from German to English which was still ongoing as the 1920s began. Many pastors were conducting bilingual ministries. Older members and pastors feared the loss of German would threaten doctrinal purity, while younger members and pastors sometimes expressed impatience with the slowness of change.
In addition, 1917 saw the formal merger of the Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and Nebraska synods to form the Joint Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Wisconsin and Other States (WELS as we know it today). The formation of districts added another level of administrative oversight, which those who possessed a “rugged individualism” chafed under. The large Wisconsin districts were often saddled with untried and inexperienced leaders. Today we take for granted the appeals process and call procedures of our districts and synod. That these had not yet been fully worked out contributed to the controversy.
All of this, coupled with two large personalities on a small seminary faculty, provided the context for a controversy that would cost the synod dearly and spawn a protesting “church body.”
Prof. Joel Otto serves as Dean of Students and Professor of History and Education at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, WI.
[1] Edward C. Fredrich and John M. Brenner, The Wisconsin Synod Lutherans, Second Edition (Milwaukee: Northwestern, 2025), 159–168. John M. Brenner and Peter M. Prange, Jars of Clay: A History of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (1863–2013) (Mequon: Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, 2013), 129–146. Erwin Ernst Kowalke, Centennial Story: Northwestern College, 1865–1965 (Watertown: Northwestern College, 1965), 180–187.
[2] The Tennessee legislature had passed a law banning the teaching of evolution in the state’s public schools. The so-called “Scopes Monkey Trial” was a test case in an attempt to strike it down. William Jennings Bryan, three-time presidential candidate and Secretary of State under Woodrow Wilson, was the attorney for the prosecution, while Clarence Darrow, a famous Chicago lawyer, was one of the defense attorneys. The trial captivated the attention of the nation in the summer of 1925 thanks to the advent of radio. It was seen as a battle between “liberalism” and “traditionalism.” For more information see https://www.famous-trials.com/scopesmonkey/2127-home.
Practical Theology: Fostering Brotherhood Among Pastors, Part Five: Paying Attention
The practical advice in this series thus far has largely revolved around facilitating and increasing opportunities for getting brother pastors together. It is difficult to foster brotherhood among pastors when pastors exist in isolation or in cliques. But brotherhood can still wither on the vine even when pastors get together regularly—if they do not give each other their attention.
Paying attention requires intentional effort. We are the victims of what has been called an “attention economy,” where media companies and other businesses attempt to drain us dry of our attention, racing against each other to the bottom of our brain stem.[1] We’ve been trained to constantly check our phones, our feeds, our emails, and to feel like we are certainly missing something important if we don’t. Fatigued by all these different entities competing for our attention, we are more distracted and attention-impotent than ever. As a result, we have little attention left to give our brothers.
So how can we be “quick to listen” (James 1:19) to our brother pastors? How can we make sure we’re putting their interests ahead of our own, as Christ did for us (Phil. 2:4)? Let’s start by eliminating the competition. Silence your phone, or better yet, put it on Airplane Mode. Close your laptop. If you need to take notes, have a pad and pen available. Just the act of doing that sends a message: “I’m here for you right now. You matter to me.” (This is just an encouragement to do the same thing for your brother pastors that you would do for a member who pops into your office.)
Be more eager to ask your brother questions than to be asked questions by him. With your questions, take an interest in his life and ministry, while also helping him to see God’s blessings and not just the wrenches the devil is throwing into the gears (“What are some family or ministry joys you’ve had lately?”). Then intentionally and actively listen to his answers.
Learn the dates that are important to your brother pastors—birthday (if they like to celebrate their birthday), marriage anniversary, ministry anniversary, etc. (Circuit pastors, perhaps one of the pastors in your care can create a document that keeps tracks of this information and can make it available to the others.) Then mark and celebrate those occasions with them. Remember the surprise ministry anniversary celebration from 1907 that I shared in the first installment?[2] You don’t need to organize something that elaborate, but organizing something or giving some sort of gift says loud and clear, “I care about you. You’re important to me”—which also reminds him of the fact that Jesus says the same.
Paying attention to your brother-pastors is another way of doing unto others as you would have them do to you (Luke 6:31).
God willing, we’ll wrap up this series next month with some practical ideas and concluding thoughts.
[1] See Caleb Bassett, “Let’s rethink how we think about technology in worship,” in Worship the Lord 89 (March 2018), and “Humane Technology for Lutheran Worship,” in Worship the Lord 110 (September 2021).
[2] Summary: On a Monday afternoon, the congregational leaders went over to the parsonage and brought their unsuspecting pastor over to the church, where a number of brother pastors and church members were assembled. A special service was held, with a special sermon and special choir pieces. Afterwards, the brother pastors presented a gift of artwork and money, and the congregational chairman also presented a gift of money. Everyone then gathered at the parsonage for several hours for fellowship and conversation.
Rev. Nathaniel Biebert serves as pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Winner, SD.