Luther Wrong Doer Analysis

Hindering…well in short this is something one should not do. I think this idea stems from Luther’s notion of God’s power and our trust in-spite-of our perceived reality. For Luther, although the wicked may seem to be prospering now it is only temporary for “God will cut them off” (LW 14:112). Also I think this hindering idea is very much connected to the idea that a person of faith is one who is malleable or who can be formed into the “correct shape” (LW 14: 214). I saw this in last week’s readings with the idea of the word as a sledgehammer or smith’s hammer. It is very apparent that Luther believes that this forming process takes place in various ways and often in uncomfortable ways… Most notably this occurs through God’s Word and through suffering. It seems that Luther believes that God will even use the “wicked” or “wrong doers”
Throughout this psalm Luther continually says things like “be still,” “let us be quite,” “But he who waits for God will endure,” “remain in the land, go on dwelling where you are,” and “just do your part, go on working and making a living” (LW 14:227,212). Luther at one point says that, “Committing our way to God does not mean that we do nothing, It means that though the hypocrites may denounce, ridicule, slander, or frustrate what we do, we must not give in to them or quite, but keep right on with it, letting them have their stubbornness and entrusting the whole cause to God, who will make it come out right on both sides” (LW 14:213). There is an active persistence that Luther is perpetuating here. I find some real comfort in these words because there is some real conviction and power here in the face of a harsh reality. Just a few pages to the right Luther mentioned John Hus and the footnote includes, “The pope burned John Hus and many other saints, only recently Leonhard Kaiser and many others” (LW 14: 88). There is no doubt that Luther understands this path to have great