Thoughts on Psalms
This section is more or less a journal. As such, it’s not my typical writing. It’s not even an attempt at a mildly deep study. Rather, it’s what stuck me about each passage on the day and at the time I read it. Then with just enough background to give some idea why those thoughts came to mind.
Psalm 33 – The Lord is our help and our shield
But, to help us do what?
The Psalm says, “We wait in hope for the Lord, He is our help and our shield”. But what does that really mean? The Lord is our help and shield to do what, exactly? What’s the goal? And who/what are we shielded from?
When you read the entire Psalm, it’s obviously praising God. It’s like a worship song. But, if all we do is read the last few verses, we might not realize that.
...Psalm 32 – When I kept silent my bones wasted away
Why does silence cause such devastation in us?
David wrote, “When I kept silent my bones wasted away”. But why? What was it about David’s silence that brought about such internal devastation? Does silence still do that to us today? And is it for the same reason?
...Psalm 31 – Let their lying lips be silenced
Let their lying lips be silenced. Yes, it’s a line in Psalm 31. And David had his reason for writing it. These days, almost anything anyone says could be the target of that thought. There was a time when truth meant something. Not, it has almost no real meaning. Similarly, we used to know when people lied. Now, it’s like we either don’t know or don’t care.
...Psalm 30 – Can God’s love really turn mourning into dancing?
There’s a song that says God’s love can turn mourning into dancing. In fact, the song even says, “again”? Is that for real? Where does that idea come from?
...Psalm 29 – Praise The Lord For His Glory And Strength
Psalm 29 says Praise The Lord For His Glory And Strength. Is that what we think of? Or do we think first of the things God did for us? Or what God’s going to do for us?
...Psalm 28 – Do we know we sometimes pray to God against ourselves?
Do we really pray to God against ourselves? That can’t be. And yet, if we pay attention, we’ll probably find that we do it quite a bit. I can’t help but wonder, and worry about, how many times have I done that?
...Psalm 26 – How can anybody possibly live a perfect life?
Can anybody possibly live a perfect life? Every Christian knows the answer is no. But in Psalm 26 David seems to say that’s exactly what he’s doing. How can that be? Certainly, he knows better than to believe that.
...Psalm 27 – If I love God am I protected from everything?
If I love God am I protected from everything? You know, some people think this is true. It’s certainly possible to read parts of the Bible and get that impression. However, the key word there is “parts”. There are verses that make it feel like God will protect us from everyone and everything. The thing is though, if we read anything but those particular verses, we find out that thought is way too “Old Testament”. And even for the Old Testament way too out of context.
...Psalm 25 – Why can’t we trust what we know?
Even when we know a lot about God, in our heads, we still doubt. Even when we trust God in our hearts, we still worry. It’s nice to know we’re not alone. Those are some of the same things David seems to express in Psalm 25. Why can’t we trust what we know?
...Psalm 24 – God is coming – Are you ready?
Are you ready? God is coming. We don’t know when, but He will be here. At any moment. So it’s not even a question of “will you be ready”. No. It’s a question of “are you ready”. Now.
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