Psalm 40

 Psalm 40

This incredible and complex psalm has so much more than we would get in a casual reading. This is especially true concerning the prophecy about Christ in the middle of the Psalm (vs. 6-8), which is quoted in Hebrews 10:5-7, especially verse 8. The Psalmist speaks the words of the Messiah. These words ought to be our words as well: “I delight to do Your will.” That word, "delight," describes something that brings pleasure. As Christians we sometimes have a negative response to the word ‘pleasure,’ as if pleasure itself has a bad reputation.  But pleasure need not be found in selfish and sinful behaviors. It is possible that doing the will of God is our greatest pleasure. The book of Hebrews tells us, “For the joy set before Him (Jesus) endured the cross.”  How is that kind of dedication to God possible?  The answer is in the last phrase of this Psalm.  When the Law or will of God is at the core of our heart, behaviors that mark obedience are our pleasure.  Our chief purpose is to know God and to enjoy Him both now and forever.

“Lord, help me to know and love you so deeply that I find my greatest pleasure in that which pleases you. AMEN.”

Psalm 39

 Psalm 39

David was a hot mess. We don't know for certain what the issue was. Perhaps this psalm is a reflection of his sin with Bathsheba or some other iniquity. Perhaps it was prompted by hardship and persecution. Maybe it was a physical illness or in some way related to all of the above. Whatever the cause is, David can't even talk about it, but denial is never an effective strategy. Inside, David was a hot mess and was getting hotter. He asked a question that's extremely common in suffering; from a toothache to a terminal illness to a broken heart, we often ask, “How long?” In the final stages of my dad's terminal illness, one question he asked the hospice nurse was, “How long will this take?” Since life is short, we want to know, “Is this condition going to be my lot for all of my days?”

In verse 7 a corner is turned. The question changes from ‘how long?’ to ‘who?’. In either living or dying, David's hope must be in the Lord. God can end his hardship either by solving the problem, granting forgiveness, or by ending his days. Certainly all humans are as enduring as an exhaled breath. David comes to the conclusion that his only hope is in God: peace in the days on Earth and life after life on Earth.

“Lord, help me use every hardship as a tool to turn my heart toward You. AMEN.”

Psalm 38

 Psalm 38

In our secular world there is a rush to feel better physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. There was a bumper sticker making the rounds that simply said, “Guilt Sucks.”While no one wants to suffer, the rush to feel better may lead to bad choices. This is especially true spiritually. In this psalm David explores the depths of the effect of his sin. He is not rushing to find a quick salve of grace and get on with his life. The description of the first half of the Psalm may be literal or figurative, but in either case, he is looking into the deep consequences of his sins. He does not try to offer some self-justification. (v 13-14) 

Enemies oppose him, friends reject him, and he doesn’t even make an excuse. At the end of it all, he is left only with his guilt and his only hope. While we ought not wallow in false guilt, we need to be careful about heaping on ourselves cheap grace. If our sin cost Jesus His life, we ought not easily and frivolously pretend it is a little thing.

“Lord, make me deeply aware of the great evil of my sin, and help me to have a truly repentant and contrite heart. AMEN.”

Psalm 37

 Psalm 37

We know that God works out His justice in due time. We know that we should not stress and worry about the wicked nor desire their lifestyle. We know that we are to wait on the Lord, and that is hard. Perhaps waiting is hard because we rationally think waiting is to passively sit by and do nothing. In the midst of this psalm's direction to wait, we see that waiting is not passive. There are four actions described or prescribed for us in verse 3 while we wait. 

First, trust in the Lord rather than allowing our minds to be disturbed by circumstance; calmly, with confidence in the Lord, tell Him you trust Him. 

Second, doing good. Nothing makes time and waiting pass faster than being active in good works. To occupy the mind in meaningful good works keeps our minds off of stressful things. 

Third, dwell in the Lord, or, put another way, bloom where you are planted. Always wanting the next thing is counterproductive.

Fourth, cultivate faithfulness. Literally feed on truth. Like grass to sheep, so is truth for the soul. That is what waiting looks like.

“Help me, Lord, to be actively waiting. AMEN.”

Psalm 36

 Psalm 36

Long before a person's life is ruined by sin, there was a secret conversation that took place in their heart. As I recall people whose lives ended up in a sort of a Hell on Earth as a result of their sin, I knew that much earlier they had talked themselves into bad behaviors. At that moment these bad behaviors seem to be inconsequential shortcuts to what they wanted. Objectively they may have known they were wrong, but in the silent moments of their lives, they convinced themselves in their hearts and by means of words from themselves to themselves to engage in a sinful act. That sinful act led to another and to another and to a truly nasty divorce, a term in prison, or a gun muzzle in the roof of their mouth. Verses 1-4 describe the inner heart and conversation of sin.

Thankfully there is an alternative. The mercy and loving kindness of God is available.  It is as expansive as a universe, higher than the mountains, and deeper than the oceans.  The psalmist describes God's mercy that is beyond measure. It is more predictable than the sunrise. The whispers of darkness will lead us to ruin. The intervention of mercy will lead us to life. Which voice will you listen to and adhere to?

“Help me, Lord, to never listen to the dark voices in my own heart, but to Your voice of mercy. AMEN.”

Psalm 35

 Psalm 35

When we believe that people are basically good and will inherently respond with fairness, justice, and kindness to our lives of right behavior, we will sooner or later be disappointed. More realistically, we have the examples of David, Jeremiah, the martyrs, and our Lord. Sinful people sooner or later will sin against agents of righteousness. The old adage is true: “Hurt people hurt people.” It is a broken, sinful world in which we live. 

This psalm is descriptive of the treacherous actions of evil people. but also gives an appropriate and hope-filled response. In verses 1-8 there is a prayer or complaint about evil and a request for intervention. In verses 11-16 there is perhaps a prophecy of the trials of Jesus. In 17-28 there is praise for God's goodness and it concludes with a plea for those who befriend the accused. 

But in the middle, in verses 9 and 10, there is the key to how we deal with the misery of persecution. There is an expression of confidence and praise. To the core of his being, the righteous person is certain of God's power and goodness. That is why despair is such an evil thing; it denies both. Evil and hardship are real, but God is both good and able.

“Lord, in this messed up and crazy world, help me to never lose hope but always remember You are good and able. AMEN.”

Psalm 34

 Psalm 34

This Psalm used in its context indicates that following God is not for the faint of heart. I once heard a man, who had been caught in serious misbehavior, revealing a deep pattern of sin and hypocrisy, say, “I want the Lord to break me.” Only God knows if that was sincere or mere playacting. But in Psalm 34:18 David describes the man with a “broken spirit.” "Broken" is not a soft or gentle word. It means to shatter into splinters, to destroy, or to burst. There is no sense of anything left intact that we might hold on to. This is no broken picture frame that we can glue back together. Think of a fragile glass ornament on an anvil that is smashed by a huge hammer. I'm not sure I would be able to say, “I want to be broken.” But when we need to be broken, if we are wise, we accept and embrace what God does. We suffer the affliction, the crushing of verse 18, and we are thankful on the other side. To a great degree we determine how deep that affliction is and how massive the hammer stroke. The more tenaciously we hold on to our sin and pride, the heavier the hammer stroke will need to be to break the hard heart.

“Lord, help me to repent of sin sooner rather than later. AMEN.”