3 The scepter of the wicked will not remain
over the land allotted to the righteous,
so that the righteous will not apply their hands to injustice.
4 Do what is good, Lord, to the good,
to those whose hearts are upright.

Do what is good, Lord,

5 But as for those who turn aside to crooked ways,
the Lord will banish them with the evildoers.

Peace be with Israel.

So, where is the foundation, the assurance of PEACE?
Not in numbers, not in reasoning, not in allies, not in elections, not in negotiations, not in United Nations, not in ‘the majority thinks’ or in Marching for Truth or whatever…

Those who TRUST in the LORD! Not be shaken, forever remaining, total stability…. PEACE!
From an inner foundation and rest. Our effort is not outwards, to other people, about persuading but returning to our inner man where we find peace and rest through the trust we put in the One who knows all and is in total control. That’s why David could sing his songs, release his worship. His biggest fight was always against his soul, who is almost trained, conditioned, to be without peace: Be QUIET my SOUL!

Hebrews 12:18-29

An Unshakable Kingdom

18-21 Unlike your ancestors, you didn’t come to Mount Sinai—all that volcanic blaze and earthshaking rumble—to hear God speak. The earsplitting words and soul-shaking message terrified them and they begged him to stop. When they heard the words—“If an animal touches the Mountain, it’s as good as dead”—they were afraid to move. Even Moses was terrified.

22-24 No, that’s not your experience at all. You’ve come to Mount Zion, the city where the living God resides. The invisible Jerusalem is populated by throngs of festive angels and Christian citizens. It is the city where God is Judge, with judgments that make us just. You’ve come to Jesus, who presents us with a new covenant, a fresh charter from God. He is the Mediator of this covenant. The murder of Jesus, unlike Abel’s—a homicide that cried out for vengeance—became a proclamation of grace.

25-27 So don’t turn a deaf ear to these gracious words. If those who ignored earthly warnings didn’t get away with it, what will happen to us if we turn our backs on heavenly warnings? His voice that time shook the earth to its foundations; this time—he’s told us this quite plainly—he’ll also rock the heavens: “One last shaking, from top to bottom, stem to stern.” The phrase “one last shaking” means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered.

28-29 Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire!