Days 18 and 19 Summer Psalms 86-95

I have a book I read every day, year after year. It is a book of divinely inspired messages from God. The first copy I had, I picked up at a garage sale probably over 20 years ago. The messages God gives through its pages, one for each day of the year, I find uncannily appropriate for every day of my life. It often feels like the words are directly intended for me, that God is speaking to me personally. The book is called God Calling and it is edited by A.J. Russell. He doesn't claim to have written any of its contents, he only takes credit for getting it into publication. He notes that the book was actually written by two anonymous women from England who claim to have had apparitions of the Living Christ. Narrated in first person, God speaks with such a gentleness, firmness, strength, and unconditional love that the power of His words sink deeply into your heart. I reread my garage sale copy for so many years, the pages became yellow, brittle and eventually broke lose from the spine. God must have known I needed a new copy, because one day when my husband and I were on one of our crazy excursions, the Punxsutawney library to see the groundhog Phil, while browsing through a bargain bin of used books, I ran across another copy of God Calling! My hands could almost feel the power of its words as I realized that me finding it amongst all of the discarded books thrown randomly into boxes was no coincidence. This copy, the one I still use today, was intended especially for me, it is one from the book's 49th publication!

Today's message from God Calling was powerful. It's about mistakes. God tells us that often our mistakes are vital. We need them to learn a lesson; we need to learn how to "overcome" our weaknesses.and wrongs in our own nature in order to grow closer to Him. He says that the overcoming is not overcoming the person who may have bothered us, but the weakness in ourselves that that person may have aroused. That's pretty powerful. If we look at our mistakes as opportunities to "overcome" our weaknesses, we can find a certain joy in them and we can also gain wisdom from them. In today's psalms, I  focus on the ability to "overcome". It is a lifetime process. We are always overcoming, even up to our last breath here on Earth when we overcome our biggest obstacle, life into death. So it is important to learn from the authors of today's psalms. How did they "overcome"?

In Psalm 86, David is praying to God for a miracle or a sign to show his enemies that God favors him. In short, David feels he needs to show proof of God's love for him to the world.  Maybe he's hoping for a parting of the Red Sea type of miracle, but in the Psalm's last line, David looks to God to help him overcome, "Give me a sign of your favor: make my enemies see, to their confusion, that You, Lord, help and comfort me." Maybe asking for a miracle worked for David, but for most of us, overcoming is a struggle, a day to day cross to bear. Consequently, however, when we are in our darkest hour, praying for a little miracle doesn't hurt.

Do you remember our boy band who wrote some of the Psalms I discussed in my last posting , our joyful Sons of Korah singers, David's awesome personal choir? Well, they are back in Psalm 87, still shouting out hymns of praise to the Lord. Telling Him how wonderful and great He is through song. God must have loved these guys, as they sang all day, maybe into the night, worshiping Him 24/7. The Korah boys had it going on. They overcame through adulation, always keeping God on their good side. For example, in verse 3 they sing, "Glorious things are said of you, O City of God!" A little sugar goes a long way; and as my niece Kristen would say, the Sons of Korah knew how to "work it!"

We transition from the jubilant psalm of the Sons of Korah to Psalm 88 which is said to be one of the saddest Psalms. I'll relate the story of its writing in the best way I can. You see, King Solomon had a son named Rehoboam. Poor Rehoboam was lacking in character; even as he grew into adulthood, he was what one would call a "jerk." It was considered important for men without character at that time to seek counsel when needed from those who did have it. So when as a leader Rehoboam was asked to lighten the heavy tax burden that his father had set upon the people, Rehoboam, having no character, put the matter in front of his advisers. The younger men wanted to burden the people with more taxes, while the older men vehemently advised him to lower taxes. Well, Rehoboam was not only without character, but he was unwise as well. Now, wouldn't you think it would be wiser for him to listen to the advice of the experienced older men over the inexperienced younger men? No, not Rehoboam.The wisest of all the advisers was an elderly man named Heman, but his opinion to lower taxes was totally ignored by Rehoboam.  Heman writes about his rejection in Psalm 88. Poor Heman, I feel so bad for him as he fights to overcome being shunned. He considers himself an outcast in his old age. In verse 5 he says, "I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave." My heart goes out to Heman; he had to have been in the clutches of loneliness when he cried out to God in the last verse, "You have taken from me friend and neighbor - darkness is my closest friend."

Overcoming must seem insurmountable for many of the elderly. We see in our society how they are cast aside, expected to retire from their life's work then vanish into obscurity.  As a people, we are like Rehoboam, lacking in our own character. We fail to seek the advice and wisdom of the old. I greatly fear a day when I and millions of my fellow baby boomers may be discarded by our families into nursing homes or shut-in and forgotten in a confined apartment. I fear the loneliness of it, of endless days and nights of crying out to the Lord to help me "overcome" the abandonment of old age, where the only deliverance from such isolation is impending death.

Wise Heman had a brother named Ethan. He was also one of the elderly advisers shunned by Rehoboam, and in Psalm 89, Ethan writes a song in response to his rejection. The mood and tone of Psalm 89 is different than the deep anguish of Heman's previous psalm. Ethan begins by praising the Lord then proceeds to remind the Lord of the promises He had made to His people. It isn't until the final verses of this psalm that we learn of Ethan's grievance. He doesn't take his rejection by Rehoboam as personally as his brother Heman. Instead he puts a little spin on things. Ethan cries out to God, not for rejecting him individually, but for rejecting His people, basically for allowing such an imbecile as Rehohoam to lead the nation that was supposed to be protected and loved by God in the first place. Ethan is overcoming by not taking the weight of the world on his shoulders. He sees Rehoboam for the jerk that he is and refuses to have a pity party for himself over Rehoboam's shunning.

As a senior citizen, which brother would I rather be, Heman or Ethan? Certainly, Ethan. Instead of giving up and committing myself to loneliness like Heman; my hope is to overcome the depression of old age by picking myself up by the boot straps, as they say, and enjoying every ounce of life that I still have left in me. I hope to find a place where I will be needed, useful, accepted, and looked after with love and mutual respect. If one place doesn't need me, I hope to continue my search until I find a place that does.

More on "overcoming" the despair of old age can be interpreted in Psalm 90. The author here is Moses. In speaking to God from the holy of holies, inside the tabernacle, the secret place of the most High, Moses relates the hardships of God's people, endured through the many years spent roaming the desert. It is easy to imagine an elderly person writing the same words, especially verses 9-15 :

 "All our days pass away under your wrath;
    we finish our years with a moan. 
¹⁰ Our days may come to seventy years,
    or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
    for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
¹¹ If only we knew the power of your anger!
    Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.
¹² Teach us to number our days,
    that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
¹³ Relent, Lord! How long will it be?
    Have compassion on your servants.
¹⁴ Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
    that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
¹⁵ Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
    for as many years as we have seen trouble.

Verse12 is so important to remember in praying to overcome the looming or present condition of aging, "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." I take this to mean that we should learn something from each and every day that we have the opportunity to live. And in verses 14 and 15, we can overcome any afflictions in this life simply by finding joy in God's love and gladness in our hearts. God's answer for everything that ails us is "joy" and the joy He has reserved for us, ultimately, Moses states in the last line of Psalm 91, "I will satisfy you, and show you my salvation." 

Psalm 92 was written by David possibly as a daily tribute to God, a good prayer for beginning the day. With the mindfulness of giving our day to Him, we can "overcome" any obstacles that the day may bring. In verses 1 and 2, David reminds us, "It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night." 

Today's last three psalms address the second coming of Jesus Christ. David gives his people hope in these psalms, reminding them that all darkness, evil, sadness, and pain will be "overcome" when the Lord rises up. In Psalm 94, David makes several references to judgement day and the payback that will come to the wicked and unbelievers. 

In my book God Calling, from the July 28th message, the Lord says, "I am your Shield. No buffets of the world can harm you. Feel that between you and all scorn and indignity is a strong shield. Practice feeling this until nothing has the power to spoil the inward peace. Then indeed a marvelous victory shall be won." God doesn't expect us to wait for judgement day to "overcome". We can "overcome" every day's trials today. I remember a cute little verse from a song my children sang in their vacation Bible school days, "Early in the morning when the sun begins to shine, I will open up my eyes and I'll praise you." That's all we have to do to overcome, just open up our eyes and praise Him. How easy and simple God makes it! Keep his joy in our hearts and praise him, voila!

Days 16 and 17 Summer Psalms 76-85

"Make your vows to the Lord and perform them," Psalm 76:11. How many times have I been down that road before, making promises to the Lord, during confession, the season of Lent, or at the start of the New Year? More often than not, I struggle with keeping my promises past a few weeks or even a few days for that matter. Over the years, I have learned that God does not expect miracles from me. Only he can perform miracles. Consequently, I'm not so hard on myself; God knows my weaknesses more than I know them. He has to be rolling His eyes at me when He hears some of my grand promises. The people of Bible days were not any different. They also made vows to the Lord and as human nature would have it, broke them. In today's readings I want to focus on accepting our weaknesses. It is said that God can find a way to work through our weaknesses, that often our weaknesses are our strength. Through today's 10 psalms, I examine our human failings in the words of Asaph, the author of psalms' 76-83.

Asaph was indeed a weak man. We know that because he was always questioning God. In Psalm 77:7-9, Asaph is at his worst when he cries out, "Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has His steadfast love for ever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up his compassion?" Oh yeah, Asaph is down in the dumps in a big way.

After reading Psalm 78, I was confused, however. Here is a guy who in psalm 77 is doubting God and in the next psalm he becomes God's number one spokesperson. Listen to how Psalm 78 begins, "Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us... the glorious deeds of the Lord, and His might, and the wonders which he has wrought." Asaph proceeds with his indoctrinating by telling the story of Moses and his people, a story of people who, despite the many miracles God worked through Moses, like Asaph, they questioned God.

In Psalm 79:5, Asaph continues to lament. In this chapter he is concerned for his people who have been taken as prisoners. He cries out, "How long, O Lord? Wilt thou be angry for ever?... Pour out thy anger on the nations that do not know thee, and on the kingdoms that do not call on thy name!" From this he makes a promise to the Lord. He basically proposes a deal in verses 11-12, "...according to thy great power preserve those doomed to die! Then we thy people, the flock of thy pasture, will give thanks to thee for ever; from generation to generation we will recount praise." Now that's some promise! Not only is Asaph including himself in this promise, but he includes his people and all the generations to come! Talk about making promises you can't keep! If God rolls his eyes at me, Asaph probably had God's eyes spinning out of control with that one.

Poor Asaph, what a chronic promise maker. Things aren't going any better for him in Psalm 80. Asaph is still questioning God as his enemies are on the warpath. This time they have burned the land of Asaph's people, so Asaph must feel his only option is to continue wheeling and dealing with God. He is helpless and beaten. Who hasn't tried bargaining with God? We have all been in that place before. Asaph begs the Lord in verse 16 to bring His hand down upon his wicked enemies, "... may they parish at the rebuke of thy countenance," then in verse 18 he vows, "...we will never turn back from thee; give us life, and we will call on thy name!" In other words, let's make a deal!


Psalm 81 opens with 3 very joyful verses, "Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob! the sweet lyre with the harp." Asaph is calling the others together to hear more of the story of their people; again he is acting as God's spokesperson. Through his story, he narrates as God in first person. Probably to summon the fear of the Lord in his listeners.

It may be that God truly is speaking divinely through Asaph, a weak man, a man who questions God and makes promises he obviously can't keep, and even one who accuses God of siding with the wicked. In Psalm 82:2, Asaph becomes confrontational with God, "How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked?" he demands. Progressing through the stages of grief, we hear Asaph's emotions turn from questioning, pleading, and promising, to full blown anger with God. In Psalm 83, Asaph is so angry that he throws all caution to the wind and right out commands God to get the job done, destroy his enemies. In verses 6 through 8, he identifies his enemies by name then in verses 9-15, he instructs God on what to do with them, and it isn't pretty. He tells God, "... make them like whirling dust, like chaff in the wind. As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze, so do thou pursue them with thy tempest and terrify them with thy hurricane!" These are the words of a man at his lowest. When we are so weighted down with grief, the last drop to the bottom of the pit is often anger.

The Osmond and Jones’ brothers, the Jackson Five, and all other famous musical families, move over for the Sons of Korah! This musical group of brothers were direct descendents of the three families in the tribe of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The Sons of Korah were Kohath's grandchildren, and David formed a magnificent choir from them. These boys sang with the joy of the Lord in their hearts. Some great quotes come from their work like Psalm 84:15, "For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness." There is some major sweet talking in this psalm. We do not hear Asaph's questioning, pleading, promising, and anger here. We hear a different human behavior, flattery. You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar as the saying goes. The Sons of Korah used their music for rejoicing and, yes, flattery. In Psalm 84: 1-3, the sons sing out a list of God's wonderful deeds, building Him up, flattery, flattery, "Lord, thou wast favorable to thy land; thou didst restore the fortunes of Jacob. Thou didst forgive the iniquity of thy people; thou didst pardon all their sin. Thou didst withdraw all thy wrath; thou didst turn from thy hot anger." They really lay it on thick!

From today's readings, it is clear that human nature doesn't change. We are the same people today as they were in Bible times. We have the same feelings, emotions, tendencies, reactions, etc. We still question God, we still plead with Him, we still make promises, we still become angry with Him, and we will even resort to flattery. However innocent any of it may seem; God knows us and loves us and in His way is guiding us. Yesterday, I spotted a blue herring watching us from a shady cover under the trees along the shoreline at Moraine State Park. I tried to kayak close to it to get a photo. He flew out and away as I rowed too near. The bird only went a few feet away, however, to watch us from another hidden cove, and we floated close to him again. From there he retreated into the thicket most likely to watch us from another advantage point. I think God does the same thing with us. He is always there watching us, but he moves out of the way for us, letting us make mistakes, watching us learn, knowing that each time we fail, we will grow closer to him. This cycle just repeats itself over and over. If we continue learning as Asaph did, we will find ourselves so desiring of God, we can almost feel the warmth of His breath on our shoulders.

 

Days' 14 and 15 Summer Psalms 66 - 75

The photo is of The Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Church in Pittsburgh. It sits at the center of a small ethnic community called Polish Hill and is a reminder to us of the city's faithful. Tim and I walked the hill to the parish's festival on Sunday. By no means an affluent community, the humble homes of Pittsburghers surround the church, a church which is clearly struggling to do its best to continue its work for the people. The cobbled streets bare the wear of many lifetimes of faithful Catholics who trod to the church's pews to worship at daily Mass. On Sunday the festival's folk music reminisced of their devotion, the artisans created momentos of their beloved icons, and the same food that once nourished those tired Polish immigrants was served by the hands of their descendents. In today's psalms, I learned more about the dedication of such people, men who held their faith above all else, who "always" found the joy of the Lord in their hearts in the face of despair.

In Psalm 66, God gives Hezekiah, a Jewish king, fifteen more years of life. Hezekiah turned to the Lord instead of his doctors and pleaded with God to spare him. Hezekiah was elated when God heard his cry. In his psalm, he writes robustly, "Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise!" In Psalm 67, although the author is unknown, the verses are written again, in exultation as the line "Let the peoples praise thee, O God; let all the peoples praise thee!" is repeated several times.

After Psalm 68, Ezra writes about the persecution the Jews endure during their attempts to rebuild the temple of God. Despite the abuse they receive from the Samaritans (a new people made up of Assyrians who intermarried with Jews), the Jews continued on. They persevered, and continued their work as Ezra writes, with the joy of the Lord in their hearts. Verse 32 shouts out, "Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; sing praises to the Lord."

We're back to David and his troubles in Psalm 69, and I have to admire David in this one. The poor guy has just lost another son, his handsome, personable second favorite son Adonijah. Like his son Absalom, Adonijah was on a power trip and wanted to steal the crown from Solomon, so Solomon had him slain. If we take a moment to ponder all of the heartache David suffered through his children, it truly is pitiful. David had a son that dies at birth, his son Absalom killed his brother Amnon for raping their sister, Absalom is later killed in battle for rebelling against David, now Adonijah is dead! Remarkable as it may be, David's love for God is still paramount. He finds it in himself to continue his praise of God's blessings. In Psalm 69: 30, David writes, "I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with Thanksgiving." Now, that is devotion and true commitment. For those of us who think we cannot endure another burden, think of David. God love him.

Even in Psalm 70 which is written after David hears the news of his son Absalom's death, David is thankful to God for delivering him from his enemy, his own son. He praises God with his words in verse 4, "May all who seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee!"

Always, always, always bless the Lord for his many favors. As Solomon shows us in Psalm 72, he is right in asking God to provide him with the wisdom to rule a nation. This should be the psalm that every politician on this earth wakes up and recites each morning. For instance in verse 4, "Defend the cause of the poor," and verse 13, "He has pity on the weak and the needy," we see Solomon's desire to do good. However, Solomon credits God for all of the good he is able to accomplish, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things." 

Psalm 73  is written by Asaph, David's choir director. Unlike David, Asaph has trouble understanding why God lets the wicked prosper. He cries out to God in verse 4, "For they have no pangs; their bodies are sound and sleek. They are not in trouble as other men are." Asaph questions why he even tries to be Godly in verse 13, "All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence." He tries to understand the God of David whose promises to reward the faithful with eternal life in heaven, but who will punish the evil with eternal damnation.

Asaph is really discouraged in Psalm 74. Following an invasion by Shishak, and Egyptian King, Asaph wrote this psalm as he watched Shishak's army pillage the temple of God in Jerusalem, taking off with all the gold. Asaph was devastated. Again we see in Asaph's writing his plaint against the wicked. How do they always come out on top? He wonders and questions God again in verses 10 and 11, "How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile thy name forever? Why dost thou hold back thy hand, why dost thou keep thy right hand in thy bosom?"

Working to overcome his wavering faith in Psalm 75, Asaph begins a series of psalms written in praise of God. He starts, "We give thanks to thee, O God,; we give thanks." In this psalm he also warns people not to speak against one another or boast of themselves. He says, "...God is the judge; he setteth up and putteth down another." Asaph is still concerned with the evil of the wicked, but you can see that instead of complaining to God about it, he is now acting against it. In speaking out against wrong, he is using the strength provided by God to make a change for good. Asaph's ends today's readings as they began, he is praising God, his hope and refuge in, at times, a very ungodly world, "I will rejoice for ever, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob."

In response to Psalm's 66 to 75, I have to say, I am humbled. These people, Hezekiah, Asaph, Solomon, David, and Ezra are without a doubt God's faithful. I can't begin to understand the pain and suffering of their time, yet they did not waiver in their loyalty to the Lord. Always, always, always, they blessed the Lord in all things. These readings and the people of Polish Hill, teach me a great lesson; God deserves my praise, my joy, my glad heart, each and every day, in each and every situation or circumstance. When all seems at loss, I must remember, whom do I have but God? There is nothing on this earth that I should desire but Him.

Days 12 and 13 Summer Psalms 56-65

"When I am afraid I put my trust in thee... In God I trust without fear." In Psalm 56, we find David fleeing from his enemies again. I swear that guy spent half of his life hiding out. This time he is held up in a cave asking God for protection from Saul. In Psalm 57 he cries, "O God, be merciful to me, for in thee my soul takes refuge, in the shadow of thy wings I will take refuge." The reminder again that God is our "refuge", too, is an important message to take with us from this Psalm

Why is it okay for David to talk smack on his enemies, when we are supposed to love our enemies? David asks God in Psalm 58 to "break the teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions, O Lord!... Let them be like the snail which dissolves into slime." He basically is asking God to be his hit man. David continues his bashing in Psalm 59:13, "consume them in wrath, consume them till they are no more." David's hostility towards his predators shows that David has the ability to be a very dangerous man if confronted face to face. I'm wondering more and more who David really is? He is a murderer and an adulterer, I learned, and now so vicious that he asks the Lord in heaven to pretty much annihilate is enemies.

They say you can't understand a person until you walk a mile in his shoes, so I'll avoid casting any stones at David. But I have  to wonder in Psalm 60: 1 when David cries out, "O God, thou hast rejected us, broken our defenses; thou hast been angry; oh, restore us," why God is ignoring David. Could it be that David has issues he needs to address. In 60:7-8, David sounds egotistical, "Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet; Judah is my sceptor. Moab is my washbasin." It sounds like all of his power has gone to his head. Now he wants God to give him Edom and Philistia, and he wonders why God is rejecting him, huh! Maybe someone is a little power hungry!

Through David's descriptive language in his prayers, we are given many sensory images of God. In Psalm 61, some familiar terms for God are "rock", "refuge", "tower," as a "shelter" with "wings".  In Psalm 62, we hear God referred to as the "rock" three more times, then as a "fortress", and again as David's "refuge". My favorite imagery of God is in Psalm 63:7. To imagine being in the "shadow of thy wings" is so comforting to me, and the next line of the verse is a perfect response to such a heavenly place, "I sing for joy." Who wouldn't sing for joy in the shadow of His wings? I remember while hiking through the narrow streets of the holy village of Sienna in Italy how my friend Kathy and I just felt like singing. The holiness of the place filled us and our response was to sing out, we were floating, "On Eagles Wings."

Psalms 62 through 64 are sad. David's son Absolom is forming a rebellion against him. Absolom is spreading rumors about his father all over the land and David is devastated. David knows that his son is plotting against him so he prays to God once again to "hide me from the secret plots of the wicked." Even when his adversary is his own son, David asks God to destroy the enemy. In verse 7, "God will shoot his arrow at them, they will be wounded suddenly. Because of their tongue he will bring them to ruin." Couldn't he just talk to Absolom and come to some peaceful agreement? I guess I just don't understand the penchant for killing inherent in men. Does God go along with war and annihilation? David makes it sound like God has no problem with it.

Psalm 65 is a beautiful Psalm for ending today's readings. The descriptive language, here, is both rich and lyrical. I want to remember this one for reading on special occasions before holiday meals with family.The author of this psalm is unknown, but it is clear that he credits God with all things, especially for the life giving food we eat:





Praise is due to thee, O God, in Zion; and to thee shall vows be performed,
^2. O thou who hearest prayer! To thee shall all flesh come
^3. on account of sins. When our transgressions prevail over us, thou dost forgive them.
^4. Blessed is he whom thou dost choose and bring near, to dwell in thy courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, thy holy temple!
^5. By dread deeds thou dost answer us with deliverance, O God of our salvation, who art the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of the farthest seas;
^6. who by thy strength hast established the mountains, being girded with might;
^7. who dost still the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples;
^8. so that those who dwell at earth's farthest bounds are afraid at thy signs; thou makest the outgoings of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.
^9. Thou visitest the earth and waterest it, thou greatly enrichest it; the river of God is full of water; thou providest their grain, for so thou hast prepared it.
^10. Thou waterest its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth.
^11. Thou crownest the year with thy bounty; the tracks of thy chariot drip with fatness.
^12. The pastures of the wilderness drip, the hills gird themselves with joy,
^13. the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy.

Day 11 Summer Psalms 51 to 55

The first of today's readings, Psalm 51, opens with a full blown confession! Some pretty wicked deeds are at the root of this Psalm. David was at the lowest point of his whole life, totally and completely broken with the anguish of his sins. Not only did David commit adultery with the wife of one of his respected soldiers, Uriah, but he was also responsible for his death. In verses 1-4 is David's prayer confessing his sins and begging for God's forgiveness, "Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my sins, they are ever before me." 

David needs more than just forgiveness to restore his heart, he begs God, "... wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." He continues to plead with God for a full restoration in verse 10, one of my favorite Biblical passages, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me." This passage says so much for all of us. No matter how utterly despicable and miserable our sins, God can and will restore our hearts to their original state of purity! This is huge! What a deal! All we have to do is confess with a sincere and contrite heart, and we shall be forgiven. Murder, adultery, theft, incest, corruption, etc.; any sin will be forgiven to those who believe and repent! Each and every one of our hearts can be as clean and pure as the day we were born!

Part of confession and the forgiveness process, is a soulful promise to avoid any future sin. David is willing to do anything for God in order to make up for his sins. He promises, "I will  teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners will return to thee. Deliver me, O God, and my tongue will sing aloud of thy deliverance!" This is the glory of forgiveness. The sinner is so relieved, so renewed, and so refreshed, he wants to share his spirit with the world. David wants to shout from the mountain tops of God's forgiving power! Yes, I know this joy. I love confession for this very reason. Once forgiven, all is well. I'm filled and surrounded with an immediate peace.

The most difficult experiences in our lives are what make us. In Psalm 52, David writes about finding strength in the darkest of times. After another escape from death, David prays, "I am like a green olive tree in the house of God, I trust in the steadfast love of God for ever and ever." He understands the profound need for God in his life, and in Psalm 53, he is critical of men who do not believe, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'" I'm just like David. When I think of how dependent I am on God to pull me through each and every hard time in my life, I often wonder how those people who do not believe ever overcome life's tribulations. In Psalm 54:4, David adds, "Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life." He's right and how perfectly phrased; God is the upholder of my life as well. There have been so many times when I have been in complete despair, and it has always, always, always been God who has restored me.

I'll end with a very fitting verse from Psalm 55 which connects so wonderfully to the message of today's previous readings. Verse 22 says it all: "Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you."

Days' 9 and 10 Summer Psalms 41-50

In Psalm 41, David is betrayed by his long time friend, Ahithophel. I learned, however, that Ahithophel had every right to betray David as David stole his granddaughter, one from whom David was reaping pleasures of a certain kind! Ahithophel could have just as easily have written this psalm as David, considering the circumstances,"Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted his heel against me." So often we harbor feelings of betrayal toward our friends, but maybe if we think hard enough, the betrayal may be two sided. We hurt one another on this earth. It seems to be an endless cycle.

Psalm 42 was written after David's flee from Jerusalem because of Absalom's rebellion. This psalm like several others shows David's despair. "Why hast thou forgotten me?" he cries out to the Lord and continues his anguish in Psalm 43:2 pleading, "For thou art the God in whom I take refuge; why hast thou cast off?" So many of us question God in the same way. This is nothing new for God to hear us complain that He has forgotten us. But what do we learn from David despite his grievances? There is "hope". In verse 11 of this Psalm, he shakes off his despair and concedes, "Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God." David is saying that however broken and forgotten we may feel, we must believe that there is always hope and always something we can find to praise. Psalm 43 continues in the same way with David in torment and again at the end of the psalm, in verse 5, he repeats, "Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God."

The desperate feeling of being deserted by God persists in Psalm 44. Possibly written by any number of people who were held captive in Babylon, we still hear echoes of David's similar despair in verses 23 and 24, "Why sleepest thou, O Lord? Awake! Do not cast us off forever! Why dost thou hide thy face? Why dost thou forget our afflictions?"

A transition from despair to rejoicing occurs from Psalm 44 to 45. Psalm 45 is a love song for the occasion of one of King Solomon's many weddings (and there were thousands). The psalm emphasizes the seriousness of marriage and its sanctity specifically for the woman to uphold in her new position as a servant to her husband, the king. Since Solomon was known to have a fondness for heathen women, this psalm reminds the bride of her new duties as a noble princess. I don't like this psalm, especially verses 10 and 11 as they advise the bride to "...forget your people and your father's house; and the king will desire your beauty. Since he is your Lord, bow to him." How pitiful they must have been, these poor girls. I'm sure becoming a bride of King Solomon back in the day was considered a big deal. He probably paid the families well to have their daughters; and to a starving heathen family, what a relief it probably was to make such an exchange. When I read Bible stories such as this one, I become disgusted. Solomon may have been wise; but he was a pervert. Let's just get it out there!

"God is our refuge and strength." These words have been repeated throughout the psalms, but in Psalm 46, they come to life when we are reminded of the story of Moses crossing the Red Sea. One of my favorite all time Biblical phrases is stated in verse 10, "BE STILL, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD." What an important message for someone like me who can't be still, who needs to be in control, whose mind never stops, never stops, ne-ver stops ruminating! "BE STILL, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD" should be my mantra!

Woah! Psalm 47 takes a 180 degree turn. It's a full blown party time psalm. David is rejoicing at the end of his reign as king. He's done with his service and cries out in verse 1, "Clap your hands, all peoples. Shout to God with loud songs of 'joy'!" He has no regrets. Can't we all sing this jubilant psalm when we arrive at the end of something, a career, a project, a major life event. Even arriving at the end of child rearing! In fact, my husband and I just finished supporting our youngest child through college and now he is working and living on his own. Our daughter, also a college graduate, has just made the choice to end her marriage for the single life, to search for a job and find her own way. Looking over the span of over 25 years as a parent, can I say the same, no regrets, and like David "Clap my hands and shout to God with loud songs of 'joy'!" I'm naming Psalm 47, the "Get Over It and Party On Psalm". Thank you David!

Today's psalms have run their gamut, from despair to perversion, then from joy to incest!  I feel like I am on a roller coaster ride. In Psalm 48, the land of Judah is praising God after having just won a victory over two heathen nations, Maob and Ammon. The story behind this psalm is one for Hollywood. You see, the leaders of these two heathen nations were the son's of Lot (remember him who fled from the sinful city of Sodom and his wife turned to stone for looking back at the burning city) born out of his incest with his two daughters. Yuck! Picturing all of this in my head is very disturbing. Lot's sons then grew up and became nasty human beings as would be expected. They tried to fight Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, but Jehoshaphat sought the Lord's favor by proclaiming a fast throughout his whole nation. God tells Jehoshaphat to stay out of the fight, don't lift a finger, he will take care of everything. In the end Maob and Ammon start quarreling with one another and destroy themselves. How is that for an example of the unexpected way God can work in our lives. When God tells us to, "BE STILL, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD," he means it! Something great may be happening for us if we can just stay out of his way, BE STILL!

Psalm 49, a great one to remember in this world we live of materialism and greed. It can become a restless competition with neighbors and a source of ego if we are not careful. The author of this psalm is disturbed by the disparity of wealth, but gives us important advice to remember about those who put their faith in the material world, "The fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others. Their graves are their homes forever." In verse 16, the author continues, "Be not afraid when one becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him." The green eyed monster of jealousy appears in many situations, so Psalm 49 is a good remedy against the beast in all of us.

To end today's readings, Psalm 50 is most appropriate. It is a song. In Bible times, songs were an important part of expression after each major and minor event of life. In Ephesians 5:18-19 we are told that when we are filled with the holy spirit to "address one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart." Certainly this is another important message in my reading's today, and again one for us all, for have we not forgotten the importance of singing to the Lord in all things? Other than at church and on solemn occasions, most of us aren't out there singing to the Lord. Ephesian's 5:18 doesn't say to sing to ourselves behind closed doors, but we are to "address one another in spiritual song." I find this psalm just another reason to love yoga, it's another opportunity I have to sing and chant openly!

Day 8 Summer Psalms' 36-40

David has just won a big battle over one of the Goliath brothers in Psalm 36 and praises the Lord for his victory. Egoism, David realizes, can be a sin as a result of a victory, so he remembers to ask God in his prayer, "Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me."

Psalm 37 is instruction on how to wait upon the Lord and to avoid evil. Several lines really spoke to me in this passage. Verse 7 says, "Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him." One of my most undesirable character traits is patience. One I need to confess over and over, and in verse 8 we are warned, "Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil." When I'm impatient, I fret! A good example of my fretting is during my commutes to work in the morning. Always on the clock to arrive at school for the 7:15 AM swipe-in, I'm like the devil incarnate behind the wheel. School buses, tankers, coal trucks and slow-pokes slowing me down can change me into a raving mad woman! Verse 27 instructs us to "Depart from evil, and do good; so shall you abide for ever; for the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints." I know that evil is upon me when I tail the drivers who get in my way. Are you kidding? Good goes out the window when I pass in no passing zones or beep my horn at the languid Joe bus driver who enjoys every minute of the prospect of making me late! Sainthood becomes an unattainable dream when I'm behind the wheel.

Yes, we're all human!  Read, read, read Psalm 38 if you intend to read any of them. Even the most holy succumb to sin. David describes the feeling of abjection so clearly. The misery that comes from sin is the same for me as it is for David, verse 3, "... there is no health in my bones because of my sin"; verse 8, "... I am utterly spent and crushed; I groan because of the tumult of my heart,"; and in verse 10, "My heart throbs, my strength fails me; and the light of my eyes - it also has gone from me."

Like all humans, including David, we reach the point where the weight of our sin must be purged in order to find our peace with God and with ourselves. "I am ready to fall," David cries in Psalm 38, verse 17, "and my pain ever with me." The need for confession is part of all of us and in David's next line, he too confesses, "I confess my iniquity, I am sorry for my sin!"

So many times we say things that we wish that we could take back. David speaks of this human weakness, the sin of the tongue in Psalm 39. As I've grown older, I realize how foolish I have been in my lifetime in speaking before carefully examining my words. If the law was to cut off tongues for verbal transgressions, mine would have been sliced off long ago. Like David describes, when we speak out of turn, we often do so out of distress. The fire burns within us, and we blow it out our mouths. For defense, David asks God, "Bridle my mouth, so long as evil is in my presence."

On the sixth of June, 1993, I highlighted Psalm 40: 9-11. I don't know why. I wish I could remember. My son was 3 1/2 yeas old and my daughter was 7 1/2 years old, and  I was 33 at the time. Something must have stood out in that passage for me to make note of it. David wrote this Psalm after the war with Absalom and taking the throne. It is a Psalm of praise and petition. For today, verse 11 touches me the most, "Do not thou, O Lord, withhold thy mercy from me, let thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness ever preserve me."  The words "preserve me." Yes, that's what I need, preserved, in more ways than one. My prayer petition today, Dear Lord, preserve me and all whom I love, preserve us from sin, preserve us from loneliness, preserve us from inaction, and preserve us from illness. Please, God, preserve us most of all for You!

Day 7 of 30 days of Summer Psalms

In Psalm 31, David is ill. He clings to God as his rock and fortress as he endures the scorn of his neighbors. Illness during David's time was considered a bad omen, so the sick were treated with disdain by the wicked. While they sought the help of vain idols for their own ailments, David trusted in the Lord to see him through his distress. When he speaks of his love for the Lord, he identifies himself and others who also believe in God as "saints" in Psalm 31:23. I like his choice of the term "saints" to describe the humble.

In the next Psalm, David is healed of his illness then offers a confession. He states, "When, I declared not my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long." He continues in verse 5, "I acknowledged my sin to thee, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said,'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord'; then thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin." He gives us good advice to confess our sins as part of purging an illness and more advice for dealing with distress in verse 6. David speaks from experience, "Therefore let every one who is godly offer prayer to thee; at a time of distress, in the rush of great waters." He adds, "Steadfast love surrounds him who trusts in the Lord."

After seeking forgiveness in Psalm 32, David praises the Lord with heartfelt thanks for his healing in Psalm 33. David makes the point in verse 13 that the Lord is always watching out for us from His throne in heaven, on all the inhabitants of the earth. He observes all our deeds. David extols the Lord for His commitment to those who fear Him and notes that our souls are waiting for the Lord to deliver us from death in the last verses of this chapter. David attributes all his gratitude to the Lord for his health.

I like chapter 34 the best out of today's psalms. In David's flight from Saul who is scheming to kill him, David recognizes the help God provides him in the form of angels. He proclaims, "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them." When I imagine angels surrounding me in my own times of trouble, it's a powerful weapon against evil. David writes more on the aid of the Lord's angels against his enemies in chapter 35: 5-6, "...with the angel of the Lord driving them! Let their way be dark and slippery with the angel of the Lord pursuing them." What a force the angels can be for all of us; they exist in the form of messengers, soldiers, guardians, and more. They are vigilant in their duties when the Lord calls upon them; David witnessed their expertise when he fled from Saul, and they are still working hard for us today. A whole spiritual realm is out there fighting for our existence, we can't see it with our 5 senses, but if we become more observant with our inner eye, it's an undeniable presence.

After completing the 6th day of the 30 days of Psalms, I see a pattern forming from David's prayers. He pleads, repents, gives thanks, and praises the Lord, then repeats the cycle. David's life is full of ups and downs just like our own. We must learn, as David learned, to give every moment of our experience here on earth over to God. He is supporting our welfare in every way, so it is to the Lord we must implore, whether we are pleading, repenting, thanking, or praising, all things we need to place before Him.

Day's 5 and 6 of 30 Day Summer Psalms

For day's 5 and 6 of my summer psalm journey, David's Psalm's 21-30, I am going to pull my favorite lines then respond to the verses that speak to me the most intensely:

Psalm 21: 6
"Thou dost make me glad with the 'joy' of thy presence."
Psalm 22:1
"My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
Psalm 22:6
"But I am a worm, and no man...
Psalm 22:14
"My heart is like wax, it is melted within my breast."
Psalm 23: 4
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me"
Psalms 25: 1,4-9, 11, 16-18
"To thee, O Lord, I lift up my soul...
Make me to know thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.
Lead me in thy truth and teach me, for thou art the God of my salvation;...
Be mindful of thy mercy, O Lord, and of thy steadfast love,
Remember not the sins of my youth, or my transgressions;
Good and upright is the Lord; therfore he instructs sinners in the way,
He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way.
For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great.
Turn thou to me, and be gracious to me; for I am lonely and afflicted, 
Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distresses,
Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins."
Psalm 27: 4
"One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple."
Psalms 30:5, 11
"Weeping may tarry for the night, but 'joy' comes with the morning...
Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing."

In Psalm 21:6, where is David when he exclaims the 'joy' he finds in the presence of the Lord? Is he under the stars, in the temple, in his home, or with family? I know that when I feel the joy of God's presence the most, I can be just about any place, at home, church, yoga, school, and easily in nature on a lake, a bike trail, a river, in a garden, or with family, friends, my students, but especially with my children.  Where is David when he changes his emotions in Psalm 22:1, when he feels that God has forsaken him? Is he at war, in a temple, hiding out in his home, or running from his enemies? For me, I feel forsaken that my children are gone; I'm so lonely for the life they once brought to our home.

Psalm 25 seems especially created for me, who dares to even mention the word "forsaken" in His holy presence. As David begged, I, too, plead that God "remembers not the sins of my youth, or my transgressions." He, most of all, knows of my loneliness and affliction and like David, I pray that He "Relieves the troubles of my heart and brings me out of my distresses... forgives all my sins." The night's sadness, David reminds us in Psalm 30, will turn to "'joy' in the morning... and mourning will turn to dancing." This is the promise I know comes each time I am in sorrow's stronghold; there will be a time for dancing once again - Sa Ta Na Ma - birth, life, death, rebirth.

Day 4 of 30 Days of Summer Psalms Chapter's 16-20

Psalm 16 opens beautifully, David tells the Lord, "I have no good apart from thee." How many times have I felt the same. I have no good apart from him. As I grow older, I feel this truth more and more. One day, one hour, one minute away from the Lord is lonely, is somehow wrong. The world just isn't right without God as the focus. At the end of Psalm 16, David adds, "Thou dost show me the path of life, in thy presence there is fulness of joy." Joy is a word that keeps popping up for me lately. God is purposely leading me to the word "joy." In my scripture readings, meditations, even through my yoga readings there is an emphasis on Joy, Joy, Joy!

David is mindful of all of God's blessings in Psalm 18: 32-50. He praises God with a running list of them. From girding him with strength for battle, training his hands for war, to protecting him from his enemies, David sings God's praises. His words are a reminder to me that I too should always be cognizant of the Lord's blessings in my own life. So here is my starter list:

My Praises to God for His Blessings Today

You are my loving God!
The God who placed my home so perfectly in this world
Where with my spouse, we raised a daughter and son,
A home, close to sisters, a brother, nieces, nephews, my mother, and friends
You who made my senses strong to see, hear, smell, and touch your wonders in nature
In my backyard, near forests, parks, on bike trails
You who gave me lakes, streams, mountains, flowers, plants, and trees to behold
And the means to enjoy them by bicycle, kayak, Jeep, and on foot.

You who provided my career in teaching to earn a living, one with challenges for every day
And opportunities to learn from others as much if not more than they learn from me
You blessed me with talents, Lord, to enrich my life and settings to share those talents
Through my book club, yoga, church, and adventures outdoors
For these things I will extol thee, O Lord, I sing your everlasting praises!

So much to say... my list as David's, I'm certain, could continue. It offers me a sense of peace to count my blessings; a sense of the good in this world. "I'm sorry, my dear Lord, when I ever doubt your blessings. You are, as David notes in Psalm 19: 14, 'my rock and my redeemer.'"

Tammy Smith

Day 3 Summer Psalms 11-15

David, David, David. He is very uptight about the wicked in Psalms 11 through 15. Again, he finds his refuge in the Lord in a world where he believes, "There is no longer any that is godly." He asks God for protection in Psalm 12:7-8 from a whole generation of wicked men who he says exalt vileness. "There is none that does good," he states in Psalm 14, "They have all gone astray, they are all alike corrupt; there is none that does good, no, not one." David posits a series of rhetorical questions in Psalm 15. He questions the Lord, "Who shall dwell on thy holy hill?" Is there anyone, David wonders, "...who walks blamelessly, and does what is right...?"

It's odd that I should read this today. Like David, I too was wondering if there is any good left in the world especially after I learned about a friend of mine who has succumbed to adultery. She is leaving her husband for another man; I was shocked and deeply saddened. It's truly out of her character, a devoted mother and family person. The only thing I can guess is that she is suffering in some way emotionally or physically.

It is not surprising that so many marriages are ending and that family life is corroding away at massive rates. Like David said in Psalm 12:8, "Vileness is exalted among the sons of men." Just turn on the TV. The programming supports the breakup of marriages and families. Reality TV, especially, tries to present the most immoral and despicable examples of relationships. The more vile, the more exalted the program. They encourage people to think that anything goes: sex between men, sex between women, sex with multiple partners, adultery, same sex marriage, etc. With such a massive movement to annihilate the Christian and conservative ideal of marriage and family, as with David, we, too, need protection against this generation. O Lord, who is left to "dwell on thy holy hill?"

Day 2 Summer Psalms' 6-10

In Psalm 6, David is feeling very low. He says he is is "languishing" and his "bones are troubled." He also adds that his "soul is sorely troubled." Every night David cries to the Lord, "I flood my bed with tears." The reason it seems that David is so wasted with grief is because of his enemies. He states they are "workers of evil."

Psalm 7 is his cry for help. David offers the Lord a deal. "If there is any wrong in my hands," he says, "let the enemy pursue me and overtake me." Part of David's contract with God is his promise to give Him thanks and to sing His praises. He follows through with his words in Psalm 8, repeating the accolade "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is thy name in all the Earth!" at the beginning and at the end of his chant.

David reminds us in Psalm 9 that we will all stand in judgement before the Lord. We must let go of our egos and realize that "we are but men." David also questions God in Psalm 10 wondering why the Lord stands so far off while the wicked  pursue the poor, satiate their greed, feed the sexual desires of their heart, and curse God. David identifies the evildoers and cries out to God to lift His hand against them, "Break thou the arm of the wicked and evildoer and seek them out till they are vanquished."

Today, I woke up feeling the same as David in Psalm 6. Misery loves company, and I found that in David  as he cries into his pillow feeling his heartache all the way through his bones and into his soul. During my meditation at yoga today I was able to rise above my sorrow, and like David it was through chanting. As we chanted "Sa Ta Na Ma" meaning "birth, life, death, rebirth," I felt a close connection with the the choirs of angels who are eternally singing God's praises in the heavenly realm, like I was harmonizing with them for the 5 minutes we chanted. As I repeated the mantra and tapped out the mudra, it reminded me that everything is in a constant state of change; this time, too, will pass just as the seasons come and go. Thinking about this period in my life as a "death" to one thing, but soon to be a "birth" to something else is helpful. God knows where he is going with it. I just have to release my ego, as David warns men in Psalm 9 and let God prevail in my life. "He does not forget the cry of the afflicted."

Still, however, we all need to be vigilant like David in calling out the evil not only in others, but in ourselves, too. David's prayer in Psalm 7 is penitent. He isn't afraid to say to God, "Lay my soul in the dust," or "judge me first," if he is with sin. I guess we need to face the truth of our own lives first before we begin to work on the world's.

Day 1 Summer Psalms' 1-5

Day 1 Psalm's 1-5:

In these first Psalms, the narrator, David speaks in first person to God. He seems very comfortable in his relationship with his creator when he asks and even commands God to help him. "Arise, O Lord!" David says, "Deliver me, O my God! David shouts with demands. "Answer me when I call, O God of my right!...Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer. He tells God to, "Give ear to my words, O Lord,; give heed to my groaning."

In Psalm's 1-5, David is concerned about the evil in others and the effect the evil has on him and people who who are trying to maintain their walk with the Lord. He is not afraid to warn people of their wickedness nor is he afraid to fight evil and to let others know of his beliefs. He is firm in his belief that God is with him, protecting him. He says, "...the Lord sustains me. I am not afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me."

David's conversation with God characterizes a relationship that we all can have with our maker. I would like to have an ounce of David's faith that when I cry out to God for help, without hesitation, I know he will answer me.

Concern over the wickedness in the world is not any different now than it was in David's time. However, there are verses of hope in these first Psalms. As long as we have absolute faith in the Lord, David says, "for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. Thou dost break the teeth of the wicked," he adds, "Thou destroys those who speak lies; the Lord abhors bloodthirsty and deceitful men."

Dear Lord, enlighten me on how to counsel the wicked in my life. Keep me close to you so that I may never be exposed too long or too heavily to evil. I know I need you as my refuge. I tire easily, I'm weak, but with You nothing is impossible.

In conclusion, I know it's a late start for a "summer" commitment, but the Monday after the 4th of July weekend is just as good as any. This journey also appropriately begins on an anniversary day of which I'm grieving, so I'm very much in need of the psalms to help me through this heartbreaking loss. Through the psalms, I hope to find relief from the hurt that I'm told I'm not expected to feel. Through David's insightful words to the Lord in his Psalms, I hope to once again resurrect the joy that I know is God in my heart.