Psalms have been dear to me for as long as I can remember. When I was 10 and was in Bible drill, we had to memorize 25 Bible verses. I think 5 of them were from Psalms. On my 10th anniversary, when my husband was in the hospital and almost died (a much longer story that can be found on a friend's blog here) I sat on the hospital floor and crocheted a blanket while quoting these same Psalms. Indulge me for a while as we meander through the poetry of the Bible.
This week’s reading covers 47 different Psalms (which I was nice enough not to list separately in the title, did you notice?) and, for the record, they are almost all “my favorite.” We have spent so much time reading about King David, it is fascinating to find a record of his thoughts and prayers. It is refreshing to hear about his fears, his faith, and how those two attributes balance each other. Here are some highlights from this week, and some things we learn from when we read the Bible through instead of just memorizing verses.
Psalm 8:4-5 “What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty!”
Psalm 9:1 “I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders.”
Psalm 16:11 “You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” It’s just happy, no?
Fun fact: did you know that Psalm 19:1 and Psalm 19:14 were the first and last verses of the same chapter? Well, sure, it’s easy when you look at the references. Since I memorized them separately, these two verses existed unconnected in my mind for many years. Psalm 19:1 speaks of the heavens declaring the glory of God. His rule is seen even in the order of the sun and the stars. David progresses through this chapter from of the wonder of God’s creation to the sacredness of the law and order of God. Psalm 19:14, which kept me sane while SSG OPSEC was sick, is David’s plea that his own thoughts and meditations would be pleasing to God. It’s one thing to know these two lovely verses, it’s another thing to be able to see them as the beginning and end of a larger thought.
Don’t laugh, but a friend recently pointed out to me that Psalm 23 comes right after Psalm 22. Did I need to be reminded? Yes, but about the content, not the numbers. See, Psalm 22 is the Psalm of the Cross. It begins, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” David spends 31 verses processing his pain and reminding himself that God is his comfort. Then he can write Psalm 23, which begins, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.”
Another pain-filled Psalm is number 27. Life is hard for this warrior poet, and he is being attacked on all sides. But he ends with verse 13-14, “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.”
Psalm 30:5 “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.” Look at the end--joy comes in the morning! This is what I look forward to, that no matter what today brings, tomorrow may be better. And if tomorrow isn’t better, heaven will be.
Psalm 67:7 “God blesses us, That all the ends of the earth may fear Him.”
Psalm 86:11 “Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.” Yeah. Exactly.
Well, I’ve gone on longer than I meant to. Psalms do that to me. Have a great day. Take time to enjoy these Psalms if you haven’t already. See you next time!
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