Today’s Tasting: Psalms 1-2, 15, 22-24, 47, 68
“I may truly call this book an anatomy of all parts of the soul, for no one can feel a movement of the spirit which is not reflected in this mirror. All the sorrows, troubles, fears, doubts, hopes, pains, perplexities and stormy outbreaks by which the hearts of men are tossed have been depicted here to the very life.” —John Calvin
Psalms can be one of the hardest books of the Bible to read and comprehend. Scholars believe it was written over a period of a 1000 years (1400-400 BC) from Moses to Ezra. The passages are poems, written to be accompanied by a musical instrument such as a harp. It is this style of writing that often makes them hard to understand. If you can read them from this perspective, it is possible to view them as John Calvin did in the above quote.
Psalms 1 & 15 remind us how blessed we are. With today’s bombardment from the media, we often forget that the path to happiness and contentment lies in living a righteous life…not in partaking in the ways of the world. We are reminded to be kind to our friends and neighbors; remain just and truthful; be honest and fair in our dealings.
Psalm 2 & 15 remind us of what is to come during and after the great tribulation. Psalm 2 reminds us that while humanity may believe they are kings, there is only one king and he will return one day to rule; while Psalm 15 celebrates the coming reign of Jesus.
Psalms 22 & 23 recount the crucifixion and the blessings that we now have as a result of Jesus’ sufferings. If we meditate on Psalm 22, we can feel what Jesus must have felt all alone on the cross as he died a horrible death so we could be saved. Psalm 23 is one of the most well know Psalms and reminds of the reward we gained as a result of Jesus’s willingness to suffer for our sins.
Psalms 47 & 68 are celebratory songs that honor God, while reminding us to remain righteous.
Today’s Nourishment: The Bible is full of inspiration designed to teach and guide us in living righteous, Christ-like lives. The Psalms are an excellent example of this as they cover a wide range of the aspects of life. Some give us a historical account of the times from the perspective of those actually living it. Others retell the Christ story and the promises to come as a result of His sacrifice. The Psalmist also used this method of writing to confess sins or ask God to bring justice upon their enemies.
Regardless of the topic, I find the Psalms to have a raw “realness” to them that allows you to connect in a very personal way with the writer. They may be thousands of years old, yet the message they deliver are still very relevant to our modern lives.
Join the conversation and share the Psalm or verse from this collection of Psalms are relevant to your life? What in your life needs to hear this scripture?
Tomorrow’s Delight: Psalms 89, 96, 100-101, 105, 132
Hugs & Blessings,
Monica
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Great post today Monica! I love the Psalms! I think my favorite is Psalm 103. It reminds me that God is always faithful and kind to me and the many ways He takes care of me.
I too love the Psalms and find much comfort in reading them. In this collection it was Ps 22:24 that touched me. He says when I’m afflicted He doesn’t hide His face from me and when I cry out to Him He hears me. I have found this to be so true many times in my life situations. I’ve cried out to Him a lot lately and this passage let me know today that He hears me and is not hiding His face from me that He has everything under control and I can have peace in knowing He’s not going to leave me! Thank You Father, I trust You and put my confidence in You!