Saturday, November 21, 2009

Day 161 (Saturday) - Psalms 24:7-27:6


David begs God not to abandon him. “Do not be angry with me” and “Don’t turn your back on me in my time of need” are common phrases that David uses to ensure that God will be there for him. We have an assurance that David never had, we are on the back side of the redemptive initiation and have secured God’s promise that he will never leave us or abandon us. Though this is good, I wonder what our faith would be like without this assurance?

Friday, November 20, 2009

Day 160 (Friday) - Psalms 22:1-24:6


Psalm 22 is probably one of the best known Psalms for any reader of the New Testament because of its Passion prophecies. Of the 13 major Old Testament texts that are quoted in the 4 Gospels, 9 of them come from the Psalms and 5 of those 9 from Psalm 22. I think the best known is “Eloi, eloi, lama sabachthani.”

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Day 159 (Thursday) - Psalms 18:37-21:13

Even today, the Psalms have been put to music as it was in David’s day. Psalm 19 has inspires God of Wonders and May the Words of My Mouth. I’d like to offer you a song from Tim Hughes that really speaks to me as the core of this song also comes from Psalm 19.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Day 158 (Wednesday) - Psalms 17:6-18:36


I think 18:25-27 are some very powerful verses. God is described as revealing himself to people in the way they reveal themselves. God is a God of love, but in love there is justice and without justice, there can be no real love. The Pharaoh was wicked and God treated him harshly. Nebuchadnezzar was proud and God humbled him. I need to remember this when I think God is treating me unfairly. There are some words to a song I listen to that says, “Just maybe, God responds to you the way you respond to him.”

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Day 157 (Tuesday) - Psalms 11:1-17:5


Right off the bat in our reading today, we come across 11:5 where God says he hates. Hate is a tough emotion. I tell my kids not to say hate, as if it’s a bad word, but I find myself using it in the most casual settings where the intensity of that word is not needed or intended. The dictionary defines it as: to dislike intensely or passionately; feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility toward; detest. I’ll be honest in telling you that I don’t like thinking of God hating, but I am mature enough to know and understand that he does. Negativity is never a great motivator, but knowing that God does hate encourages me in my behavior.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Day 156 (Monday) - Psalms 9-10


One of the things I love about this book is the additional instructions that are included and are not a part of the text. The Psalms are a Hymn book. They communicate everything from what type of instruments should be used, what tune they should be sung to, where the interludes are and what volume they are to be played at. I so wish there were written music to actually hear them the way they were intended, but we must also remember that they were written for the most part in Hebrew so we miss out on some of the word play and poetry that would have been there in the original language.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Day 155 (Sunday) - Psalms 5:8-8:9


The majority of the Psalms are written by David. It is an interesting look onto the heart of the king and to see the emotions that were there in some of the stories and battles in his life. The narrative comes across very dry and we see David as very confident and capable, but as you can already see, he questions himself and if God is really on his side. His pleading is powerful and shows his humility. David get God and knows he must act in accordance to his will if he is to benefit from God’s power on his behalf.