OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS

Judges 4:1-7 are the opening verses of the story of Deborah the prophetess and judge. Psalm 123 is a cry to God for help

Judges 4 - "Faith in a Topsy-Turvy World"
Setting.  The book of Judges consists of a series of short stories that follow a set four-part pattern in which (1) Israel sins, (2) God judges or punishes Israel by having a neighboring nation threaten them, (3) Israel cries for help out of their situation of need, and (4) God raises up a savior in the form of a judge, who leads Israel against their enemy. The overarching sin of Israel, which take what different forms in distinct contexts throughout the book, is that they did not defeat all the nations of Canaan as God had commanded them   Judges 1:22-2:5). This situation is summarized in the divine speech …