Psalm 91 is a psalm of confidence and trust. Its words have provided comfort to untold numbers of believers for thousands of years.
“Live under the protection of God Most High and stay in the shadow of God All-Powerful,” the psalm opens, “Then you will say to the LORD, ‘You are my fortress, my place of safety; you are my God, and I trust you.’” It is a beautiful statement, one full of promise.
Read More protection, safety, trustPsalm 59 is one of more than 70 psalms attributed to David, but one of only about a dozen that refer to specific occasions or circumstances in David’s story. The Bible tells us this is “a special psalm of David when Saul had David’s house watched so that he could kill him.” It was a desperate situation; David’s life was at stake, and we hear the distraught words ascribed to the one-day king of Israel.
Read More enemy, stress, strength“You, LORD, are the light that keeps me safe,” begins this psalm attributed to David, the man chosen by God to become Israel’s greatest king. From his youth as a shepherd, tending his father’s flocks day and night, David had known darkness and its dangers. But his confidence in the LORD was so sure, so true, that even in times of darkness he could proclaim, “I am not afraid of anyone.”
Read More fear, strength, light, salvation“Worship is the appropriate place for us to bring our greatest grief and deepest suffering into the presence of God.” I read the words, by author J. David Pleins in his book The Psalms: Songs of Tragedy, Hope and Justice, with a touch of incredulity. He can’t be serious! I thought.
Read More suffering, worshipPsalm 34 is an acrostic poem in its original Hebrew language; the first word of each stanza begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
While the Psalm may read more like prose in English, it can be helpful to remember that it is indeed poetry, and to read it like carefully crafted poetry is meant to be read: slowly, reflectively, savouring each new thought.
Read More fear, praise, troubleThe superscription to this Psalm tells us the context in which ancient Israel believed the song was composed. David “wrote this when Doeg from Edom went to Saul and said, ‘David has gone to Ahimelech’s house.’”
We can read that terrible story in 1 Samuel 21-22.
Read More trust, disappointment, betrayal“Fear makes you faithless, faith makes you fearless.” The statement, attributed to an anonymous source, appeared in my Facebook news feed, posted by a friend in a status update. But the words gave me pause, compelling me to stop my mindless scrolling. I read the words over again. Then again. I shut my laptop; this was a thought worth pondering for a while.
Read More protection, fear