Reading Through the Psalms

Psalm 139 is one of the most vivid pictures of the loving care of God and his personal interest in us. In contrast to the cold and distant god of Islam who demands followers kill in his name to reach him and the abstract and impersonal god of Hinduism, Kabbalah, and the New Age where not only is the deity impersonal and unaware, even of itself in its highest form, but the ultimate goal is the destruction of the individual, a "oneness with the universe" where the unique person is no more.

Psalms 38 and 88 were both written in times of trouble. David cried out to God asking, "Do you see what is happening to me? Do you know what is going on?" Even in the the dark time, David expresses his confidence in God, knowing that if he humbles himself and cries out to God, the Lord will deliver him.

In Psalm 37, David addresses the question so many of us ask, "If the wages of sin is death (Genesis 2:17, Romans 6:23,) then why do so many wicked seem to prosper." David's assurance is that God will vindicate the righteous.

In the beginning of Psalm 36, David gives the key insight . . . the one thing . . . that keeps people from God. Pride, and more specifically, pride in their own self righteousness. The wicked flatter themselves and cannot detect their own sin.

In James 4:7, the James, the half brother of Jesus gives a short and succint instruction on how to stand firm in the face of trials and tribulation. "Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil and he will flee." Paul gives further instruction in Ephesian 6:10-18 where he talks about the armor of God and how to prepare to stand firm. All of these was preceded by David, who in Psalm 35 also references the armor of God and God's salvation, Yeshua.

In these three Psalms, the writer encourages those who seek after God to praise him for his goodness. Psalm 34 is especially rich in David's exaltation

in the Lord after God provided a way out of a difficult situation. He called to God and the Lord answered (vs. 6) and the confident declaration "the Lord's angel encamps around those who fear him and delivers them" is a verse to keep close to our hearts whatever trials come.

This collection of Psalms includes both praise and the prophetic. In Psalm 33, David reiterates his common refrain to trust in the Lord. Whatever the

circumstance or situation, God alone is our ultimate hope, to put one's confidence in anything else is foolishness.

When you listen to the news, sometimes it seems like the world has gone insane. It doesn't seem to make sense. It doesn't make sense because ther

are forces in operation outside of what we immediately see.

Every account in the Old Testament is either a prophetic foreshadowing of what was to come or an illustrative lesson applicable throughout time for those who seek after God.

In Psalm 30, David expresses his confidence in God and in his salvation (Yeshua) and looking forward to the resurrection of Christ when joy comes in the morning.