The Hearing Test

Every so often my optician – who I thought was only there to test my eyesight and prescribe spectacles – invites me to come in for a hearing test. I am not sure what would happen if I went, but I can imagine a number of the checks that would be applied. The audiologist would see how far my ears could pick up noise on a range of frequencies. As likely as not, they would also be interested in how far I could filter out background noises so as to hear what was important.

I noticed an interesting spiritual hearing test in John MacArthur’s notes on Psalm 12, and thought I would share it with you. The psalm is typical of King David’s writing and has some very raw emotions:

Help, LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men.

Everyone lies to his neighbour; their flattering lips speak with deception.

May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue

that says, "We will triumph with our tongues; we own our lips – who is our master?"

"Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says the LORD. "I will protect them from those who malign them."

And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.

O LORD, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people for ever.

The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honoured among men.

(NIV 1984)

MacArthur points out that men’s words hurt, but the Lord’s words heal. As the Psalm goes on, “David provides a model for passing a spiritual hearing test, in that genuine disciples listen to and properly respond to two radically different sources of speech”.

The first speech source that comes screaming into our ears is the voice of the wicked: lying, flattering, deceiving, boasting, triumphant and self-important. This voice clamours to be heard above all else and is very disconcerting. It has no apparent competition, for the faithful and godly have died out from the land.

How do we blot out this raucous din? Your task and mine is to recognise how twisted and unjust it all is and to pray, despite all the distraction it causes. “Help, Lord!” the psalmist cries out. He appeals to God’s prevailing power. God is the ultimate key to cutting off the claims of false tongues.

Then the psalmist strengthens himself with the fact that God answers him with a voice of His own that rises above the hubbub. God has not overlooked the troubles of His suffering ones even though the only voices they have heard up till now are hostile ones. God resolves to protect the oppressed. His words are pure and clear and He will persevere.

The psalm-writers are realistic, level-headed people. David does not suggest that the wicked ones with their unnerving bluster simply go away as soon as you and I think about God. “The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honoured among men”, he laments. That is a fact of life that we have with us until God’s kingdom is finally established in His Son Jesus Christ, and His will is done on earth as it is in heaven. But with His guidance we are at least tuning in to the right voice.