Sunday Psalm

Psalm 63:3-5

Your constant love is better than life itself, and so I will praise you. 

I will give you thanks as long as I live; I will raise my hands to you in prayer.

My soul will feast and be satisfied, and I will sing glad songs of praise to you.

David the blogger - Psalms Part I

For the past several years I have been reading through the Bible using a list of each book and recommended readings for the day. The list was designed to read the Bible in 1 year. Okay... I just admitted that I have been working on this for several years... And one book that I have read in the past, but not within the "list" was Psalms.

As a child I read the Psalms -- for whatever reason I could identify with the author's anguish, love, hate, etc that flowed through the words. Over the years I have heard a reading from Psalms at worship on Sunday morning (each lectionary passage includes a Psalm -- so with 150 of them, and 52 weeks in a year, every third year we start over again) and at funerals (with the 23rd Psalm at 99% of them) and the words set to a variety of melodies for hymns or "Christian" songs.

Finally I put Psalms at the top of the Bible reading list and set off through those familiar expressions of praise and anguish. But the other night it occurred to me -- maybe I should try a different approach. Rather than just reading the words, look to further messages. What can I learn about God or my approach to Him in the midst of the written words? What response does He desire back from me in my devotion of service to Him?

On a day of wandering, I ran across a book, "The Bible" within "the Smart Guide to the Bible series". This was a really cheap book in a store that I did not anticipate selling anything religious. I bought the book because it was so cheap, I wanted to let the store know that I support their carrying Christian material, and in just 2 pages I learned something. One thing was the list classified as "expressions of emotion" -- that very thing thing that drew me as a youngster to reading Psalms. The emotions listed were:
1. Anger at others (Ps. 7, 36)
2. Guilt over sins (Ps. 32, 51)
3. Anxiety or fear (Ps. 23, 64)
4. Discouragement (Ps. 42, 107)
5. Joy (Ps. 33, 98)
6.Loneliness (Ps. 25, 91)
7. Stress (Ps. 31, 89)
8. Troubled (Ps. 10, 126)
9. Weakness (Ps. 62, 102)
10. Envy (Ps. 16, 73)
(p. 77)

Another list was the "What's to Talk About?"
Themes, confession of sins, consideration of right choices, anticipation of Christ, call on God to judge, complain to God, thanks for deliverance, and praise for God himself. (p. 77)

The view of David as a blogger popped in my head. He was just rambling at whatever came into his mind about God -- they caught on and now there is a book of those random thoughts presented in the Psalms.

OKAY -- not a hard book to read... Should be much easier than some of the other choices still on my "to-do" list for successfully reading the entire Bible. (I still have all the "Pentateuch" books left... although Genesis is almost complete.)

This morning I picked up The NIV Study Bible expecting just a few short paragraphs telling of the Psalms. Instead, I found pages written and some of the information changed my thinking of "David as a blogger". Here are some exerpts...

The Psalter served as a the prayer book (book of prayer, praise and religious instruction)...

Psalm Types (numbering added for emphasis)
1. Prayers of the individual (Ps. 3; 7-8)
2. Praise from the individual for God's saving help (Ps. 30; 34)
3. Prayers of the community (Ps. 12; 44; 79)
4. Praise from the community (Ps. 66; 75)
5. Confessions of confidence in the Lord (Ps. 11; 16; 52)
6. Hymns in praise of God's majesty and virtues (ps. 8; 19; 29; 65)
7. Hymns of celebrating God's universal reign (Ps. 47; 93-97)
8. Songs of Zion, city of God (Ps. 46; 48; 76; 84; 112; 126; 129; 137)
9. Royal psalms - by, for or concerning the king, the Lord's annointed (Ps. 2; 18; 20; 45; 72; 89; 110)
10 Pilgrimate psalms (Ps. 120-124)
11. Litergical songs (Ps. 15; 24; 68)
12. Didactic (instructional) songs (Ps. 1; 34; 37; 73; 112; 119; 128; 133)

Theology
The Psalter is for the most part a book of prayer and praise. It speaks to God in prayer and it speaks of God in praise -- also in professions of faith and trust... The Psalter is not a catechism of doctrine. Its "theology" is therefore not abstract or systematic but confessional and doxological."

At the core of the theology of the Psalter is the conviction that the gravitational center of life (of right human understanding, trust, hope, service, morality, adoration),but also history of the whole creation (heaven and earth) is God (YAHWEH, "The Lord). He is the Great King over all, the One to whom all things are subject. He created all things and preserves them; they are the robe of glory with which he has clothed himself. Because he ordered them, they have a well-defined and true identity (no chaos there). Because he maintains them, they are sustained and kept secure from disruption, confusion or annihilation. Because he alone is sovereign God, they are govered by one hand and held in the service of one divine purpose. Under God creation is a cosmos -- an orderly and systematic whole. What we distingguish as "nature" and history had for them one Lord, under whose rule all things worked together. Through the creation the Great King's majestic glory is displayed. He is good (wise, righteous, faithful, amazingly benevolent and merciful -- evoking trust), and he is great (his knowledge, thoughts and works are beyond human comprehension -- evoking reverent awe). By his good and lordly rule he is shown to be the Holy One."


At this point, I can honestly say that I never imagined so much depth to the Psalms. The concept of David (or other authors) as simply bloggers jotting down their thoughts has come to a screeching halt. Instead, I am filled with wonder at learning more to the words and meaning shared.

When we are living

The following hymn pressed on me that as a servant of Christ, my life should be actively showing that love for Him. I belong to Him!
Note: This work is under copyright, so please do not copy from here to use in publication. See The Presbyterian Hymnal , 1990, Westminster / John Knox Press.

When We Are Living

When we are living, it is in Christ Jesus,
And when we're dying, it is in the Lord.
Both in our living and in our dying,
We belong to God.
We belong to God.

Through all our living, we our fruits must give.
Good works of service are for offering.
When we are giving, or when receiving,
We belong to God.
We belong to God.

Mid times of sorrow and in times of pain,
When sensing beauty or in love's embrace,
Whether we suffer, or sing rejoicing,
We belong to God.
We belong to God.

Across this wide world, we shall always find
Those who are crying with no peace of mind,
But when we help them, or when we feed them,
We belong to God.
We belong to God.

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 51

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

Against you, you alone, have I sinner, and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgement.

Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.

You desire trugth in the inward being;

therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness, let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a enw and right spirit within me.

Do not cast me aware from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustatin in me a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.

Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.

For you have no delight in sacrifice; if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.

The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,

then you will delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your alter.

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 4

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
Thou has relieved me in my distress;
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.

O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach?
How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception?
But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself;
The Lord hears when I call to Him.

Tremble, and do no sin;
Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still.
Off the sacrifices of righteousness,
And trus in the Lord.

Many are saying, "Who will show us any good?"
Lift up the light of Thy countenance upon us, O Lord!
Thou hast put gladness in my heart,
More than when their grain and new wine abound.
In peace I will both lie down and sleep,
For thou alone, O Lord, dost make me to dwell in safety.

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 43

Show that I am right, God!
Defend me against everyone who doesn't know you; rescue me from each of those deceitful liars.
I run to you for protection.
Why have you turned me away?
Why must enemies mistreat me and make me sad?

Send your light and your truth to guide me.
let them lead me to your house on your sacred mountain.
Then I will worship at your altar because you make me joyful.
You are my God, and I will praise you.
Yes, I will praise you as I play my harp.

Why am I discouraged? Why am I restless?
I trust you! And I will praise you again because you help me, and you are my God.

I selected this Psalm today because of the last verses. It is God in whom I put my trust. It is Him to whom I turn for strength and guidance. There were times today that I really was confused to what was going on. Where was my husband? I knew that he did not go with us to church because he was not feeling well, so why was he not in the room? Why would he leave without his coat and hat -- and why did he not put on shoes? Why would he leave without his usual morning rituals?

You know, even when we are faced with something not-so-nice, God is still there with us. He does not leave us, nor does he put us into situations that are more than we can handle. Maybe... in the midst of the day (and finding my husband at the hospital with the flu) we are a light in a place we never imagined we would be. That is my prayer -- that somehow in some way, someone saw God working through me or in me. May it be His light and truth that guide me -- and that I will quickly lift my praise to Him.

At the end of an interesting day, this is my prayer:
I trust You! And I will praise you again because you help me, and you are my God.
Amen...

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the mountains; from whence shall my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul.
The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever.

Amen...

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 121

I will lift my eyes to the mountains;

From whence shall my help come?

My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to slip;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, He who keeps Israel

Will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;

The Lord is your shade on your right hand.

The sun will not smite you by day,

Nor the moon by night.

The Lord will protect you from all evil;

He will keep your soul.

The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in

From this time forth and forever.