Know God - day 16

Reading from a variety of Psalms

David is credited with many of the Psalms.  The prayers.  The words, "God said" do not appear in the psalms often - likely because the psalms/prayers are from us TO God.  However, 2 Tim 3:16 tells us that all scripture is god breathed.  So... God IS saying stuff to us through the psalms.  According to Pastor, God is
1. teaching us how to pray (I can always use more instruction in that area!!)
2. giving voice to our greatest joys and deepest sorrows.
3. giving us a vocabulary to talk about him, creation and theology rightly.

A Psalm of Wisdom - Psalm 1
Meditating on the law of the Lord day and night will make you like a tree planted by a stream.  The stream could be in a desert.  Where I taught in Montana was dry prairie.  The only stands of trees were near the creeks.  Same in Colorado, in the high desert.  These trees thrived where there was water. God tells us we will thrive when we dunk ourselves in his word.  Pastor tells of a liturgical hymn (a what???) based on Ps 1.
Like trees by streams of water...
Happy are those who delight in the law of the Lord.
Their roots grow deep.
Their fruit grows ripe.
Their leaves never wither.
Happy are those who delight in the law of the Lord.


Pastor writes that in his years of counseling, he's watched people who haven't delighted in God's laws try to dig out of holes they've gotten themselves into.  Seeing this has made God's wisdom increasingly attractive.  Then he asks us to rate ourselves on how thoroughly we delight in God's laws.  So?  How are you doing? I will admit that I don't do too well.  I don't know if I know how to keep all the laws - or just focus on what Christ commanded in the NT.

A Psalm of Praise and Thanksgiving - Ps 95:1-7
Pastor writes that this Psalm reminds him who god truly is.  Something we all need in the busyness of our lives.  The psalm reminds us that...
1.  God is my 'rock' ... and we need a firm foundation due to our human unsteadiness.
2.  God is my creator who holds "4 in his hands ... the depths of the earth, the heights of the mountains" ... We need a creator who is strong and capable because we can't handle it all on our own.

What attributes of God do we most need (and need to praise) in our lives?  verse 7: for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.  I need his care. His gentle healing touches.  His love. I long to have him hold me, cradle me, keep me under his care.  I feel like the lamb who has wandered away and is terrified, crying out for rescue.

Psalm of Lament - Psalm 42
Thirsty.  The psalmists' soul is parched. hurting.  The first part of this psalm is familiar to me as a song, "As the deer panteth for the water, so my soul longeth after you. You alone are my hearts desire and I long to follow you. You alone are my strength, my shield. To you alone may my spirit yield. You alone are my heart's desire and I long to worship you."  but it doesn't mention the psalmists' hurt, parched spirit.

I really like 42:3 'My tears have been my food, both day and night.'  For the past 2 weeks - I feel as if my tears have been my food.  My only source of nourishment.  but they weren't flowing until this week.  I was starving. Now they flow all the time it seems.

Pastor writes, "The psalms are very honest - joy and sorrow, thanksgiving and anger, hope and despair. The psalms invite you to 'pour out your soul.' What sad, doubting, pondering parts of your soul might you need to pour out to God today?

A feeling of despair. loneliness. grief. sorrow. anger. When will there be joy? thanksgiving? hope? I have had 2 people this week tell me that this leg of my journey -this horrid leg of my journey - may last several months.  That is supposed to bring hope? I have been pouring out my soul to God to hear things like that.

This could be my cry 42:9 I say to God my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?"