Psalm 31

1  In you, O Lord, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame;
in your righteousness deliver me.
2  Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily.
3  You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,
4  take me out of the net that is hidden for me, for you are my refuge.
5  Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.
6  You hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the Lord.
7  I will exult and rejoice in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction;
you have taken heed of my adversities,
8  and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; you have set my feet in a broad place.
9  Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from grief, my soul and body also.
10  For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my misery, and my bones waste away.

11 I am the scorn of all my adversaries, a horror to my neighbors, an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me.
12  I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel. 13  For I hear the whispering of many- terror all around!- as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life.
14  But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.”
15  My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.
16  Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love.
17  Do not let me be put to shame, O Lord, for I call on you; let the wicked be put to shame; let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.
18  Let the lying lips be stilled that speak insolently against the righteous with pride and contempt.
19  O how abundant is your goodness that you have laid up for those who fear you, and accomplished for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of everyone!
20  In the shelter of your presence you hide them from human plots; you hold them safe under your shelter from contentious tongues.
21  Blessed be the Lord, for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me when I was beset as a city under siege.
22  I had said in my alarm, “I am driven far from your sight.”  But you heard my supplications when I cried out to you for help.
23  Love the Lord, all you his saints.  The Lord preserves the faithful, but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily.
24  Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord.

Be strong and let your heart take courage.  As we are wrapping up this short summer study of select psalms we have a chance to focus on a psalm that encapsulates the key themes of the book of psalms.  The author of Psalm 31 honestly pours out his heart to God in a time of need.  Unlike many of the other psalms we have looked at, this psalm does not seem to follow any sort of pattern.  It seems instead, that the author is simply laying before God, whatever comes to mind.

What we see in this psalm are expressions of trust that alternate with petitions and a smattering of examples of why the psalmist is in such need.  Theologians have argued about whether the plights that the psalmist writes about really happened or not.  I don’t think it really matters.  What matters is the psalmist felt under attack and burdened and he was willing to bring his concern before God.

I have kept a journal since I was in 7th grade.  I have never been legalistic about my journaling, expecting that I would write every day, but I have always found writing out my prayers and petitions to be helpful.  At times, I will go through those journals rereading what I was writing in certain times of my life.  I have found that my own writings resemble this Psalm.  At times, my writings are full of proclamations of God’s goodness.  On other dates, I have written list after list of what is wrong in my life and what I wish could be different.  Some pages have even included descriptions of my own enemies and my own hopes of God’s intervention in my life and in the lives of others.

I don’t read these journals very often.  I seem to find them a little redundant.  It seems that no matter my age: 12, 18, 24, 32, or 37, the pages of my journals (and the content of my prayers) remain the same.

The Psalms are like the journal pages of God’s people.  They are honest, gritty, hope-filled, laced with pain, and full of proclamation- and all at the same time.  A theme that we see in this psalm is that the psalmist clearly relies on God.  In fact, it seems the psalmist’s very integrity depends on God (v. 17).  Themes of delivery, rescue and being saved are seen throughout this psalm and all are tied to God’s steadfast love and faithfulness.

Make a list of each decade of you life.  Within each decade, think of one thing God did to rescue or save you.

There are also a variety of nouns that are used to describe God throughout Psalm 31.  Words like rock, refuge, stronghold and fortress are used by the psalmist as he proclaims God’s character in the past and how he knows Him to act toward His people.

What are some words you would use to describe the character of God as revealed  in your own life?  Take some time to sit with this question.  You may even decide to use this question to think about the presence of God in your own life each day.

The psalmist alternates between petition or complaint, and trust, ultimately turning her life over to God.  Take a few minutes to write down at least three petitions or complaints you are living with right now.  After writing each petition or complaint, write down some words of trust in God.  Alternate between your own complaints and petitions and reminders that God is trustworthy.

When we take time to place our own cares and concerns before God we find refuge.  We are reminded that we are not alone and that God is on this journey with us.  When we break up our petitions and concerns with words of proclamation about God’s character and words that express our desire to renew our trust in him, our cares and concerns have the chance to be reframed as they are set amidst the character of God.

The psalmist reminds us that all is not as it is intended to be.  There are difficult life circumstances and painful situations that pepper each of our lives.  We hold on to the hope that one day, all will be set right again.  Enemies will be defeated, wounds will be healed, and we will be whole and in God’s presence forever.  When we place our petitions and concerns alongside our trust in God- we have the courage and strength to wait on God and we find our identity to be connected to God’s identity as well.

As we wrap up this study this week, I encourage you to use the psalms as a resource for courage and encouragement in your own life.  May the psalms provide words for you to use in your own life to capture how you are feeling and to use in prayer and meditation to remind you who God is, and who you are in light of having a relationship with God.

I am personally thankful for the ways the psalms model open and honest communication with God and for the reminders of the true character of God as well.  Blessings to each of you on your continued journey with Christ.  May you be strong and may your heart take courage as you experience God’s steadfast love and faithfulness in your own life.

Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone).  Amen.

Psalm 103

1  Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2  Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget his benefits-
3  who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
4  who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5  who satisfies you with good as long as you live
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6  The Lord works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.
8  The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9  He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever.
10  He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11  For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12  as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us.
13  As a father has compassion for his children,
so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.
14  For he knows how we are made; he remembers that we are dust.

15  As for mortals, their days are like grass;
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16  for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.
17  But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children,
18  to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.
19  The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20  Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding, obedient to his spoken word.
21  Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers that do his will.
22  Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.

Psalm 103 is one of the most familiar of all the psalms.  You probably remember singing it in worship services, hearing it read around Ash Wednesday and during Lent, and you may even have memorized pieces of it without even realizing they were committed to memory.

The first and last lines of this psalm are the same, “Bless the Lord, O my soul”.  Verses 1-5 have the form of a hymn.  Verses 1 and 2 begin with an invitation to praise.  To “bless” as used in this context means to show God honor.  Some scholars believe that it means to bend the knee before God.  Blessing the Lord is to use your whole self to be grateful to God.

In my own life, I have found it to be life giving to remember the blessings that God has given me and to turn that gratefulness around into blessing God.  At times, the exhaustion of worry and frustrations in my life clouds my view of God.  Instead of remembering what God has done for me, I remember what God seems to have left undone in my life.

Verse 2 reads “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits”.  The following verses in the psalm list some of those benefits- forgiveness, healing, redemption and even a crown of steadfast love and mercy- to name a few.   Spend some time slowly reading over this entire Psalm again- making a list of all the things God has done for you, according to this Psalm.

I find it comforting that the first thing that is listed in verse 3 is forgiveness.  Take some time to confess your sins to God.

Look over that list again- and think through the specifics as they apply to your own life.  What pits have you been redeemed from?  What “good” can you see in your own life?  How have you seen God’s “slow anger” in your own life?

Now, read verses 11-12.  You are forgiven.  As far as your mind can comprehend, that is how far God takes your sin away from you.  Take a moment to thank God for his forgiveness.

One of this psalms most frequently used words is “all”.  “All” is used to remind us that  God rules over all, loves all, takes care of all things, and is worthy to be praised by all things.  There is nothing that God does not deserve and there is nothing that he does not hold in his hands.
Take one of the things you are worried about and lay it before God.  Read the reminders that are found in this psalm and apply them to this situation in your life- remembering that God is with you.

I remember sitting in a class in seminary and the professor asked us to describe God.  One of my classmates described God as vengeful, angry, and destructive.  The person who was sitting next to me turned to me and said, “whoa, that guy is a little heavy on the  OT.”  Psalm 103 is a good place to start when talking with someone who perceives God in the OT to be simply a God of wrath and judgment.  In his Elements of Old Testament Theology, Claus Westermann writes,

The poet has no intention of contesting God’s activity in wrath.  But he makes a distinction.  God’s activity in wrath is limited; God’s goodness knows no boundaries (v. 17).  The same is true of sin and its forgiveness.  If God compensated man commensurate with the way he sins, then one might despair.  But here too, God is inconsistent; his forgiving goodness is immeasurable.  One might even say that the entire Psalm deals with the incomprehensible excess of God’s goodness.

What more can we say than, “Bless the Lord, O my soul.”  May you bask in the grace and love that God offers you, no matter your situation.  May this psalm serve to remind you that God’s intention is to give you good gifts and true life.  Amen.

Psalm 140
1  Deliver me, O Lord, from evildoers; protect me from those who are violent,
2  who plan evil things in their minds and stir up wars continually.
3  They make their tongue sharp as a snake’s,
and under their lips is the venom of vipers.
4  Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
protect me from the violent who have planned my downfall.
5  The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
and with cords they have spread a net, along the road they have set snares for me.
6  I say to the Lord, “You are my God; give ear, O Lord,
to the voice of my supplications.”
7  O Lord, my Lord, my strong deliverer,
you have covered my head in the day of battle.
8  Do not grant, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; do not further their evil plot.
9  Those who surround me lift up their heads;
let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
10  Let burning coals fall on them!  Let them be flung into pits, no more to rise!
11  Do not let the slanderer be established in the land;
let evil speedily hunt down the violent!
12  I know that the Lord maintains the cause of the needy,
and executes justice for the poor.
13  Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
the upright shall live in your presence.

Psalm 140 is ordinarily characterized as a prayer for help or individual lament.  The psalm is written to express frustration and to call out to God and to ask for help.  This psalm (and many other psalms) are written using a chiastic structure (click here to read more Chiastic explanation).  The effect is to focus attention toward the center of the psalm.  In this psalm we see the following chiastic structure:
Verse 1:  ”evil”, “violent”
Verse 3:  ”lips”
Verse 4:  ”wicked”
Verse 8: “wicked”
Verse 9:  ”lips”
Verse 11:  ”evil”, “violent”

The opening petitions found in Psalm 140 are typical of the “prayer for help” psalms.  Verses 1-5 list the things that the psalmist wants to be delivered from.  What are some of the areas of your life or people in your life that you would like to be delivered from?

As I think about my own journey in these days, this is my personal version of verses 1-5:  ”Deliver me, O Lord, from distractions; protect me from those who try to manipulate me, who don’t realize they are wanting control of me but act in ways that hurt me.  They speak without thinking and I listen without thinking.  Guard me, O Lord, from those that want to harm me, protect me from those that distract me from hearing you.”  Write your own version of verses 1-5 as they apply to your life.

While it would appear from verses 1-5 that the violent are in control, the psalmist affirms in the central section of the psalm (verses 6-7) that God is sovereign.  The chiastic structure is used in this passage to point to verses 6-7 and the reminders those verses provide that God is in control.

Read Verses 8-11.  When read on their own, these verses, seem to present a selfish and unloving prayer.  It can seem “unchristian” to pray a prayer like we see in verse 10, “Let burning coals fall on them!  Let them be flung into pits, no more to rise!”  What do you think these verses mean?

It is important to know that the petitions in verses 8-11 are not about personal revenge but are instead focused on justice for the victimized.  This prayer is intended to be used to pray for those who have been oppressed and victimized.  Read verse 12, “I know that the Lord maintains the cause of the needy, and executes justice for the poor.”  These verses are about God’s care for these people and how we too are called to care for those who have been victimized and those who are not being treated justly.
Because we follow a God who cares about justice and healing for the victimized we are called to care about the same things.  Evil, injustice, and oppression must be confronted, opposed, and even hated because God hates them.

Spend some time praying for those who are victimized.  Ask God for hope, new ways, freedom, breaks in relationships, etc.
Take time to pray for your own enemies and oppressors.  Ask God to give you a tangible reminder that he is your strong deliverer.

Psalm 136

1  O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
2  O give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.
3  O give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever.
4  who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever.
5  who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever.
6  who spread out the earth on the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;
7  who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever;
8  the sun to rule over the day,for his steadfast love endures forever;
9  the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever;

10  who struck Egypt through their firstborn, for his steadfast love endures forever;
11  and brought Israel out from among them, for his steadfast love endures forever;
12  with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever;
13  who divided the Red Sea in two, for his steadfast love endures forever;
14  and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for his steadfast love endures forever;
15  but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures forever;

16  who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures forever;
17  who struck down great kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;
18  and killed famous kings, for his steadfast love endures forever;
19  Sihon, king of the Amorites, for his steadfast love endures forever;
20  and Og, king of Bashan, for his steadfast love endures forever;
21  and gave their land as a heritage, for his steadfast love endures forever;
22  a heritage to his servant, Israel, for his steadfast love endures forever;
23  It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever;
24  and rescued us from our foes, for his steadfast love endures forever;
25  who gives food to all flesh, for his steadfast love endures forever.

26  O give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Last week in our look at Psalm 138 the phrase “steadfast love” was brought to our attention as a phrase that is often used to describe one of God’s central characteristics.  This phrase is used 26 times in this passage as a refrain and primary descriptor of the character of God.

How would you describe the term “steadfast love”?  If you are not sure, google the phrase or do a dictionary search on the word steadfast.

What have you experienced in your life that is unchanging?

I am reminded that there isn’t much in life that is unchanging.  There are a few unchanging things but it seems that our culture places value on the ever changing nature of the world.  Innovating, exploring, experiencing new things, and always looking for the next big thing, are phrases that describe the values we experience on a daily basis.

This psalm is a psalm of praise.  Although this psalm recites pieces of Israel’s history, it is more than just a Psalm of remembrance for God’s people.  This psalm is intended to reveal God’s character.

Read the Psalm again.  Make a list of the characteristics of God that are revealed through this psalm.

Walter Bruggemann suggests that an historical psalm, such as this one, be viewed under the rubric of “abiding astonishment”.  Historical Psalms focus less on the past and more on the present as they seek to evoke a response of obedience, petition, gratitude, and new political possibility from the reader.

This psalm is broken into several parts.  Verses 1-4 proclaim God’s place as the one and only God of all.  The rest of the psalm uses Israel’s story to proclaim that all situations throughout time,space, and people groups are pervaded by and dependent upon God’s steadfast love.  Verses 5-9 speak of creation, verses 10-15 describe exodus events, verse 16-20 talk about the wilderness journey, and verses 21-22 speak of the possession of the land.  Verses 23-26 then take us back to the character of God and his work in the here and now, even unto providing our next meal.

As we read Psalm 136, we see that in every situation God’s steadfast love is the basis of his response to us, his people.  God’s attitude toward the world and God’s motivation for action are summarized by steadfast love.  Steadfast love inevitably involves God’s grace; thus this psalm is a reminder that all things, great and small, are dependent upon the grace of God.

I encourage you to write your own version of Psalm 136, taking time to state your own life experiences and situations and following them with “and his steadfast love endures forever” as a reminder that no matter what you have faced, are facing, or will face, God’s steadfast love for you will never cease.

Psalm 138

1  I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
2  I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name
and your word above everything.
3  On the day I called, you answered me, you increased my strength of soul.
4  All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord,
for they have heard the words of your mouth.
5  They shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
for great is the glory of the Lord.
6  For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly;
but the haughty he perceived from far away.
7  Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies;
you stretch out your hand, and your right hand delivers me.
8  The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.

A group of 8 psalms that have come to be known as psalms of David begin here, and conclude the psalms that were thought to be written by David.  In verse 1 we see David giving thanks to God with his whole heart.  He is bold enough to state that he is not afraid of other gods but instead sings praise to the one God in front of those gods.

Different religions and philosophies of faith abound in these days just as they did in David’s time.  What are some of the “gods” that you see gaining popularity and attention in these days?

What are some of the ‘gods’ that you find yourself being pulled toward at times?

Take a moment to write down some words of praise to the one God…

Verse 2 speaks of an ability to speak praises to God because of his “steadfast love” and “faithfulness”.
Read Exodus 34:6-7.  In this passage in Exodus we see God describe himself as one having “steadfast love” and faithfulness.  What do those two terms mean to you?

Those two descriptions of God’s care have been used by generations as a basic profession of Israel’s faith throughout scripture, in worship, and in several places in the psalms.  They are frequently paired in the psalms as the basis for an appeal to God for help or as a profession of trust.  It is as if they are repeatedly used as a confession of God’s character.

Think about the things that are weighing heavy on your heart right now.  Find comfort and a listening ear in God who is faithful and offers his steadfast love.  Spend a few moments giving those things over to God with all this in mind.

Verse 3 reminds us that when we call upon God we are heard.  As we trust God with our cares and concerns we are reminded that he will answer and our “strength of soul” is increased.  May you feel your own strength of soul increased as you feel God’s presence in the issues you have laid before him.

In verses 4-6 David moves from his own personal prayer and thanksgiving to a proclamation that all the world will praise God as well.  The kingdom of God is called to mind as we think of it’s arrival in this world now, with the coming of Christ, and the eventual fullness of the kingdom of God when Christ returns and the world is set right in the way it was created to be.

There is a sense that God’s goodness is so great–that all the world will one day proclaim it and sing praises to Him. These verses echo the Lord’s prayer in many ways “thy kingdom come, thy will be done”. Spend a few moments in silence pondering the kingdom of God and God’s will in your life.

How do the two go hand in hand?

Verse 7 proclaims the truth that even when we are in the midst of trouble God is there, preserving us and protecting us.  Who are your “enemies” in these days?  Can you sense God preserving you?

Remember the song “He’s got the whole world, in His hands.  He’s got the whole world in his hands…”? Verses 7 and 8 speak of God’s hands three times: God stretches out His hands to us, he delivers us by His right hand, and we are the work of his hands.

No matter what you are experiencing, God is with you.  This passage is a grand reminder that God is with each one of us. You are invited to close this time praying for eyes to see the ways that God’s hands are on your life.

Feel free to post your comments below.

Psalm 1
1 Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,

or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers;

2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law they meditate day and night.

3 They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season,

and their leaves do not wither.  In all that they do they prosper.

4 The wicked are not so,

but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous,

6 for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous

but the way of the wicked will perish.

Americans are passionate about how to figure out how to be happy.  Psalm 1 holds one of the secrets to being happy, beginning with a beattitude type statement in verse one, “Happy are who do not follow the advice of the wicked.”

Each of us can define “the advice of the wicked” in our own way. How would you define “the advice of the wicked” in your own life and experience?

The psalmist writes that those who are happy delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on the law of the Lord.
What images come to mind when you think of God’s law?

The word “law” as it is used in this passage is not used to simply talk about the commandments, although it does refer to the commandments. In this context the word law means “instruction”.  The idea of God instructing us can feel a bit heavy and oppressive. The old image that comes to mind is the image of a God who is sitting up in heaven with a clipboard that has a sheet of paper on it with your name written at the top. The thought is that God is holding that clipboard and watching our every move, specifically waiting for us to make a wrong move. When we do make a wrong move- God will then “instruct” us through reprimands and punishment. That doesn’t sound like the key to happiness to me.

The psalmist gives us a different view of the law stating that those that know God’s law will “delight” in it.
What does it look like to “delight” in God’s law? Write down some examples.

Pause to pray and ask God to reveal to you what it means for you to delight in his law.

Those who do delight in the law of the Lord are compared to trees planted by streams of water.

What characteristics are true of a tree planted by a stream of water?

Verse 3 says that these trees and those who are happy will “prosper”. What does the world communicate about what it means to “prosper”? How do you think God defines what it looks like to “prosper” as a follower of His?

The word prosper is often interpreted as being materially rewarded by God. In this context, to prosper means that those who trust in God and are open to his teachings have a deep well from which to draw hope and encouragement in the midst of any and every situation.

The conversation about what it looks like to be happy is set alongside what it looks like to be wicked. While those that delight in God’s law are compared to thriving trees that are bearing fruit and prospering, the wicked are compared to chaff.

Chaff is the waste product of wheat that is simply blown away by the wind. It is not usable for much, and tends to literally “go where the wind blows.” While the righteous have rootedness and stability the wicked have no stability, no rootedness, and no place to stand.

How would you define the “wicked”?

Any of us could be considered wicked when we cut ourselves off from the source of life, God, and when we simply “go where the wind blows”.  What are some things you can do or spiritual disciplines you could practice to keep you from being tempted to simply “go where the wind blows”?

The last two verses of this Psalm describe the wicked as those who will not stand judgement and will ultimately perish whereas those who are righteous will be watched over by God.  James L. Mays writes that the way of the righteous “is not so much a reward as a result of life’s connection with the source of life.”

When we are cut off God, which is the source of life, we quickly find ourselves falling into the ways of the wicked.  This psalm reminds us to seek the happiness that comes from delighting in the laws of the Lord.  As we make ourselves open to God’s word making an impact on how we live our lives we are reminded that we will prosper as we find our purpose and hope in God alone, the source of true happiness.

Spend a few minutes in prayer asking God to give you deep roots and praying that you will bear much fruit.

Feel free to add comments and prayers below in response to this text.

Welcome to Summer with the Psalms, a six week,
online summer Bible study.  We hope you will take these short,
weekly studies and use them however you choose-
in your personal devotion time, with a friend, on the road,
or with your small group.

We encourage you to write your comments and feedback in the comments section            each week to let us know how you are experiencing
these passages along the way.

We are praying that you will be blessed as you engage the psalmists writings and what these passages tell us about the character of God and our relationships with God.

Grace and Peace to you.