Judges 5:17-31: a reflection

17Gilead lived beyond the Jordan. Why did Dan remain in ships? Asher sat still at the haven of the sea, and lived by his creeks. 18Zebulun was a people that jeopardized their lives to the death; Naphtali also, on the high places of the field. 19“The kings came and fought, then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. They took no plunder of silver. 20From the sky the stars fought. From their courses, they fought against Sisera. 21The river Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. My soul, march on with strength. 22Then the horse hoofs stamped because of the prancing, the prancing of their strong ones. 23‘Curse Meroz,’ said the LORD’s angel. ‘Curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn’t come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty.’ 24“Jael shall be blessed above women, the wife of Heber the Kenite; blessed shall she be above women in the tent. 25He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish. 26She put her hand to the tent peg, and her right hand to the workmen’s hammer. With the hammer she struck Sisera. She struck through his head. Yes, she pierced and struck through his temples. 27At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay. At her feet he bowed, he fell. Where he bowed, there he fell down dead. 28“Through the window she looked out, and cried: Sisera’s mother looked through the lattice. ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming? Why do the wheels of his chariots wait?’ 29Her wise ladies answered her, Yes, she returned answer to herself, 30‘Have they not found, have they not divided the plunder? A lady, two ladies to every man; to Sisera a plunder of dyed garments, a plunder of dyed garments embroidered, of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the plunder?’ 31“So let all your enemies perish, LORD, but let those who love him be as the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had rest forty years.

In the song of Deborah celebrating God's deliverance, alongside the praise of those who fought bravely comes a sharp rebuke of those who did not come to help when they were needed. Curse Meroz, said the angel of the LORD; curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn't come to help the LORD. While some tribes jeopardized their lives in the battle, the people of Meroz stood aside, did not come to help when help was needed, and for this they are not merely overlooked but cursed. Their fault was not doing evil, but failing to do good, standing aside when they were needed. This is a sobering note: to stand aside when help is needed, to fail to come when God's cause or God's people need our help, is itself a real fault, not merely a neutral inaction. Meroz was rebuked not for wrongdoing but for standing aside when help was called for. Failing to help when we are needed is a real fault, not innocent inaction. To stand aside when help is needed is condemned, not excused.

Notice what Meroz was cursed for: not for doing evil, but for standing aside when help was needed. When God's people were in the struggle and needed help, Meroz did not come; they held back, stood aside, failed to lend their aid. And for this failure to help, they are sharply rebuked, cursed by the angel of the LORD. This is worth pondering, for we often think of fault only in terms of the wrong we actively do; but here the fault is the good left undone, the help withheld when it was needed. To stand aside when help is called for, to fail to come when God's cause or God's people need us, is a real fault, not innocent neutrality. Meroz did not attack God's people; they simply failed to help them, and that failure was condemned. This warns us that standing aside when we are needed, withholding the help we could give, is not a neutral thing but a real failing. To fail to help when help is needed is itself a fault. The good we could do and fail to do, the help we withhold when needed, is not excused as mere inaction. Standing aside when needed is condemned, not neutral.

That is worth taking to heart, for standing aside when help is needed is a real fault, not innocent inaction, and we are called to come when we are needed. We can think ourselves innocent when we merely stand aside, withholding help without actively doing wrong; but Meroz was cursed not for evil done but for failing to come to help when help was needed. To stand aside when God's cause or God's people need our help is a real failing, not neutral. We are called to come, to help, when we are needed, not to hold back. Do not stand aside when help is needed, thinking your inaction innocent; come and help, as those who held back were rebuked. Come to help when God's cause or God's people need you, rather than standing aside as though inaction were innocent, as Meroz was cursed not for wrongdoing but for failing to come to help when help was needed; for the good we could do and fail to do, the help we withhold when it is called for, is not a neutral thing but a real fault, and to stand aside when we are needed, holding back the help we could give, is condemned rather than excused, so that we are called to come and help when we are needed rather than merely refraining from wrong.

Lord, in the song of Deborah celebrating your deliverance, alongside the praise of those who fought bravely comes a sharp rebuke of those who did not come to help when they were needed. Curse Meroz, said the angel of the LORD; curse bitterly its inhabitants, because they didn't come to help the LORD. While some tribes jeopardized their lives in the battle, the people of Meroz stood aside, did not come to help when help was needed, and for this they are not merely overlooked but cursed. Their fault was not doing evil, but failing to do good, standing aside when they were needed. Show me what Meroz was cursed for: not for doing evil, but for standing aside when help was needed. When your people were in the struggle and needed help, Meroz did not come; they held back, failed to lend their aid. And for this failure to help, they are sharply rebuked. This is worth pondering, for I often think of fault only in terms of the wrong I actively do; but here the fault is the good left undone, the help withheld when it was needed. To stand aside when help is called for, to fail to come when your cause or your people need me, is a real fault, not innocent neutrality. Take that to my heart, for standing aside when help is needed is a real fault, not innocent inaction, and I am called to come when I am needed. I can think myself innocent when I merely stand aside, withholding help without actively doing wrong; but Meroz was cursed not for evil done but for failing to come to help. Keep me from standing aside when help is needed, thinking my inaction innocent; help me come and help, Lord, when your cause or your people need me, as those who held back were rebuked, that I may not withhold the help I could give when it is called for.