Bible TimePsalm 31: North Korea Imprisons Journalists
To American journalists working for Al Gore's Current TV, were arrested on the North Korean border.
Psalm 31
Theoretical Time:
- 13000-02-26 NH 10:2:03 AA
- 2009-03-18 03:09:08 TMMT
- 2009-03-18 00:48:14 GMT
- 2009-03-17 20:48:14 EDT
Psalms 31
1In you, Yahvah, I put my trust; let me never be ashamed; deliver me in your righteousness.
2Incline your ear to me and answer me speedily; be to me the strong rock and the house of refuge; and save me.
3For you are my strength and my refuge; therefore for your name's sake, comfort me and guide me.
4Pull me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me; for you are my protector.
5Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, Yahvah, god of truth.
6I have hated those who observe false worship; but I trust in you, Yahvah.
7I will be glad and rejoice in your mercy; for you have seen my humility; you have known my soul in adversities;
8and you have not surrendered me into the hand of my enemies; you have established my feet in tranquility.
9Have mercy on me, Yahvah, for I am in distress; my eye is troubled with wrath, yes, my soul and my body.
10For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing; my strength is weakened because of poverty, and my bones are shaken because of my enemies.
11I have become a disgrace to my neighbors and a dread to my acquaintances, those who saw me on the street fled from me.
12I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind; I am like something given up for lost.
13For I have heard of the complicity of many persons; while they connived together against me, they schemed to take away my life.
14But I trusted in you, Yahvah; I said, You are my god, Yahvah.
15The times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me.
16Make your face shine on your servant; save me through your mercies.
17Do not let me be ashamed, Yahvah; for I have called on you; let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.
18Let the lips of the wicked be silent; for they speak falsely and disdainfully against the righteous.
19How great is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who worship you, which you have worked for those who trust in you before the sons of men.
20Hide them in the citadel of your presence, from the tumult of men; with your shadow, guard them from contention.
21Blessed be Yahvah, for he has elected for himself the chosen ones in a strong city.
22I said in my haste, I am lost from before your eyes; nevertheless, you heard the voice of my supplications when I cried to you.
23Love Yahvah, all his righteous ones; for Yahvah preserves the faithful, and rewards the wicked according to their works.
24Be of good courage and he will strengthen your heart, all you who trust in Yahvah.
Journalists Arrested
A pair of American journalists working for Al Gore's Current TV, were arrested at the border between China and North Korea.
Euna Lee and Laura Ling were shooting a video on a report on the trafficking of women from North Korea to China. Reports of the arrests did not surface for several days. Exact time was on March 17, 2009, local time.
The 2 women faced trial in June and then were dramatically freed after a surprise visit by Bill Clinton on August 4, 2009, in a prophetic fulfillment of Psalm 82.
Durihana
The pastor that arranged their trip to China was the founder of Durihana a Christian rescue operation that has successfully smuggled over 700 Christians from North Korea. Pastor Chun Ki-won had arranged for Lee and Ling's visit to the border to report on the trafficking of women, but had warned them to stay clear of the border itself. His own arrest in 2002, and 8 months of imprisonment, stirred many South Koreans to the general plight of Christians in North Korea.
Connections
The Psalm speaks directly to the issues that surround this case. The plight of refugees, and their need for a refuge, is addressed in verses 2 and 3. The secret nature of the government of North Korea, and their severe persecution of Christians is addressed in verse 4.
The Christian community of Korea, both North and South, has been staunchly against the cult worship of Kim and his ilk. That is addressed in verse 6.
The nature of "adversities" and how God knows where we are is addressed in verse 7. Verse 8 deals with the way so many of God's people have been delivered from the hands of the North Koreans. In this particular case 700 through Durihana, and 2 more needing deliverance as of this day.
Verses 9 through 13 deal with the hidden nature of what happens inside North Korea, with no one to remember, or know, what is going on.
Verse 14 through 18 call for the just rewards of those who come against God's people.
The Psalm concludes with how God preserves the faithful, and admonishes trusting in God for deliverance.