I’m going to take a one month break from
discussing theology and jump into the Psalms. If you want to follow along, I
will read all the Psalms in the month, starting with Psalm 1, 31, 61, 91, 121, five
Psalms every day. Tomorrow will be 2, 32, 62, 92, and 122.
Psalm 1 highlights the two paths that can be
chosen in life, one following the LORD and the other not following. You might
ask if there is some middle ground, some third option. From Scripture’s vantage
point, there are only two. You either follow the LORD or you don’t. Not
everyone who rejects the LORD becomes a mass murderer, but their eternity is
the same – separated from God’s presence. God’s baseball, God’s rules.
The person who wrote Psalm 31, probably
David, is in quite a difficult spot. It looks as though his physical afflictions
could easily take him down. In the middle of these struggles with illness he
does two things: he remembers God’s faithfulness to him in the past (vv 21-22) and
expresses continued faith in God’s provision (vv 5, 14-17). He doesn’t lose perspective.
He freely expresses the extent of the difficulty, but still trusts the LORD. This
is no easy task when the body won’t cooperate with you.
Psalm 61 seems to be a psalm written before
David became King, perhaps when King Saul had tried to kill him and he had
fled. He is away from home and the familiar. His longing is to return home. It
would be easy when things aren’t going your way, or justice seems to have taken
a vacation, to become bitter and vengeful. But David doesn’t. He even prays for
his oppressor’s long life (vv6-7). I might pray for a quick end, maybe even
some tragic “accident” to happen. But he continues to be faithful even when he
has become the object of injustice.
Psalm 91 is loved by soldiers or others who
feel like they are under attack. We don’t need to fear what others might fear
(vv4-8). If we take refuge in the LORD, our eternity is secure, so nothing in
this life is worth fearing. No matter what enemy comes (v13) we don’t need to
fear. All the lion can do is eat us! And the LORD speaks into that seemingly
desperate situation and says that He will be with us and deliver us. And for
the Psalmist he offers long life and salvation. Long or short, life can be
blessing when we know that the LORD has not left us to walk it alone. He says, He
will rescue, protect, answer, be with, deliver, honor, satisfy and show. The
LORD will be involved in our lives.
Psalm 121 is the second “Psalm of Ascent”
sung during a pilgrim’s arrival for worship. The geography of the journey to
the Temple for worship is one of upward movement. The Temple is on the highest
point in Jerusalem. Everyone must go up to reach it. So part of that journey is
to sing these Psalms. Sung together they could unite the worshipers in their
common experience. Their hearts would be focused and prepared for the worship
experience ahead. This psalm focuses on the LORD and His protection. Maybe we
need some songs to sing together as we travel to church on Sundays!