Trivia:
Well all of you had some excellent answers, however Lindsay was correct. Way to go everyone. Just in case you forgot the question. Which country eats the most chocolate per person? Well the correct answer was Switzerland, they have even developed the first most desirable dark chocolate.
On the lighter side:
Here's a joke for any English teacher. Did you hear about time that the past, and the present, and the future walked into a bar. Well I can only tell you that, it was tense. Ho ho, Well, I can only say its Friday and thats the best I could do.
Challenge:
Psalm 9:15,16 "The nations have fallen into the pit they dug for others. Their feet have been caught in the trap they set. The Lord is known for His justice, The wicked are trapped by their own deeds. Selah"
Probably the first question we should settle is, Who are "the nations"? David is pointing us to those people groups who are and were constantly controlled by their hatred for others. Some of the groups we know both today and in the past that were purposely seeking to bring harm to the Jews, were consistently the Anti-Semitic nations. With that settled lets move forward.
Next we see that the constant tendency that these nations have is, that they are setting traps to bring harm to those people, as well as, they are angry with or harbor hatred for them. They habitually set traps to the extent that they themselves consequently later fall into the very traps that they built to bring harm to their enemies.
Now with this in mind we need to attempt to recognize the sorts of traps they are talking about. First, there are the traps that are the kind that you dig a hole and then cover up the presence of that hole, or camouflage its presence by covering over the hole with a net and then with leaves, or other debris that are found in the surrounding area. Then the second trap is the rope hidden in the nearby path that is unseen in order to lift them off the ground, or are to be held down to restrain escape.
This verse is pointing out the harm that comes to others due to the hatred that motivates the wicked (verse 16) and the consequence of continually following after this passion. They are either brought harm due to their own actions or they find themselves facing God's direct judgment. Either way they face fair and sure justice from committing the desired victimization of their devices.
We see more warnings of this in Job 18:8 where six differing traps are referred to, also in Psalm 124:7; Proverbs 7:23; Ecclesiastes 9:12; Ezekiel 19:8. So for someone to continually follow in this path of hatred, harm, and any destructive activity, there is a surety that the consequence will one day come.
This two verse thought ends with the term, "Selah" (think on these things), This is placed here to cause us to be reminded, that intentional evil, vengeful activity will be rewarded. They will ultimately fall into their own trap.
Now, can you think of any current day events that prove this warning to be upheld?
This passage is attempting to warn us not to follow after our natural tendency to retaliate, or cause harm to those who have offended us.
SO GO WITH GOD for He will guard us from harm and hurt, no matter the extent of the evil that may be attempted to be brought on our lives. Selah - think about this, for even our response to those hurts will bring loss to our lives. So be cautious of your response in either direction.