Psalms 9-14 share several recurring themes, including honest expressions of struggle, frustration, and even resentment as people around the Psalmist who are not faithful to God willingly prosper unjustly and at the expense of others who suffer. The poetry of these Psalms also reflect prayers that move – move the Psalmist from lament into faith and move a God who sees and responds to the struggles and pleas of His people. We also find here an unmistakable revelation that God has created his people to bear his image in this way – looking for, listening to, and being present with others who struggle, even and especially folks who may not be like us or who may have very different perspectives on life.

Psalm 8 curiously declares that Lord who is sovereign over all creation and King of the earth itself establishes the safe places for his Kingdom advance in the world through “the mouths of babes and infants” – not by way of human power or by the sword or by armed drones. Long before the birth of Jesus, the psalmist speaks of a Prince of Peace whose reign is born in purity and gentleness and whose unstoppable will is to create a people who love, bless, and welcome their enemies, making straight the path for their King.

Too often, talking about race is all blame, fear, anger; we need a better way forward to racial reconciliation. Jesus offers us that better way. As we learn our own stories and history, we can celebrate the good in our culture and lament brokenness our people caused. And in Acts 6, we see Jesus’ better way lived out – the ethnic minority complains, leaders listen, and the whole community empowers minority leaders to address injustice.

God’s good news is evident throughout the Psalms. In Psalm 32, we are reminded that we cannot avoid the reality of our brokenness and sin, but that God’s purpose toward us is clear – a forgiveness that covers and sets us free from even our darkest moments.