In difficult and distressing times, Christians long to be freed from this body of death and translated to glory. In Psalm 6 David cries to God during a time of intense physical and emotional distress. David acknowledges suffering as discipline when he implores the Lord (Psalm 6:1, ESV): O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, … Continue reading Loving discipline, Psalm 6
God’s shield of favor, Psalm 5
Why does suffering surprise us? What makes us think we are entitled to a life free from pain or persecution? Why should life be any different for us than it was for David, a man God loved? The psalter overflow with emotional pleas for God's deliverance, and Psalm 5 begins similarly to many others: Give … Continue reading God’s shield of favor, Psalm 5
Sin-free anger, Psalm 4
David covers a lot of territory in the short Psalm 4, but one striking section contains the apparently contradictory command to: "Be angry, and do not sin" (Psalm 4:4a, ESV). Prior to the first verse, this notation appears: "To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David." The psalmist begins, as he does many psalms, … Continue reading Sin-free anger, Psalm 4
Breaking teeth, Psalm 3
David wrote Psalm 3 when he fled from his son, Absalom. That chaotic scene appears in 2 Samuel 15:13-16:14, but the roots of this complex narrative go back to Ammon's rape of Tamar in 2 Samuel 13 and even further back to David's sins that begin in 2 Samuel 11. Much could be written about not only … Continue reading Breaking teeth, Psalm 3
Raging Nations, Psalm 2
Last week's quandary revolved around today's meditation. Should I go on to Proverbs or should I return to the beginning of the Psalms? When I began these psalm meditations in 2010, I posted reflections on only some of the first 55 psalms. I started the New Year with a meditation on Psalm 1 called "Happiness … Continue reading Raging Nations, Psalm 2
Praise God! (Psalm 150)
The last psalm in the psalter rings with praise. It particularly emphasizes instrumental praise, and since it begins with a direct reference to God's sanctuary, it seems a powerful argument for using all kinds of instruments in worship. It begins with a call to praise God in worship and in the vast expanses of his creation … Continue reading Praise God! (Psalm 150)
Glenda Faye Mathes 