Psalm 70 - 89:13

I've finally caught up. It hasn't been great...especially since I'm reading big chunks of Psalms. It's just hard to read in one sitting. Oh well...

For this section of reading I was reminded of a current concern among churches in America - social justice. I was a part of an area worship-service a few years back and I was introduced to this entire compartment of worship ministry that was opened up. Songs about helping the homeless, hungry, and needy were incorporated.

Psalm 82 reminds me of this act of worship. "Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. Rescure the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people."

Since that service it seems that many churches are building whole worship experiences around this topic of social justice. I wonder if something like that really changes anything or is it just being trendy.

Psalm 46-69

Second "catch-up post" of the day. I think it's interesting to read many of these Psalms that are written out of shear despair. They talk about drowning in the flood waters, attacks of the enemies, and living in drought. I think it's hard for most of us to relate to that extreme state of despair, or is it?

Perhaps we shouldn't compare that despair in literal terms, but rather spiritual terms. The reality is that we are lost, sinking, and dying without Christ. Many of these Psalms could gain new interest for me if I read them with that perspective.

Anyway, here's my Psalm for the day. Psalm 63.
O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in your sanctuary
and gazed upon your power and glory.
3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
how I praise you!
4 I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.

6 I lie awake thinking of you,
meditating on you through the night.
7 Because you are my helper,
I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
8 I cling to you;
your strong right hand holds me securely.

9 But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin.
They will go down into the depths of the earth.
10 They will die by the sword
and become the food of jackals.
11 But the king will rejoice in God.
All who trust in him will praise him,
while liars will be silenced.

Psalm 25-45

I'm fallen off the horse a little bit this week. Monday I did my reading but finished it in bed. Therefore I figured I'd post on Tuesday morning. Well Tuesday ended up with me in bed with a fever. Ugh! I hate getting sick. I think my wife hates it even more than I do. It just makes her "on" all the time as she feels the need to keep her and Audrey at least 10 feet away from me at all times. Nevertheless I hope to catch up tonight as I'm feeling a little better.

I think my routine for the psalms will simply be quoting specific ones that I think draw believers closer to God in worship. Today's quotation comes from a portion of Psalm 42. If it weren't for a semi-cheezy version of this song in the early '90s I think people would enjoy the Psalm even more.

As the deer longs for streams of water,
so I long for you, O God.
2 I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I go and stand before him?
3 Day and night I have only tears for food,
while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,
"Where is this God of yours?"

4 My heart is breaking
as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
amid the sound of a great celebration!

5 Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and6 my God!

Now I am deeply discouraged,
but I will remember you—
even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan,
from the land of Mount Mizar.
7 I hear the tumult of the raging seas
as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.
8 But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me,
and through each night I sing his songs,
praying to God who gives me life.

Job 42 - Psalm 24

From the very beginning I was a little bummed about having to read the Psalms in the midst of this 90-day sprint. I guess my anxiety comes from cherishing the Psalms as they are often the inspiration for songs and prayers that I use on Sundays. Reading 24 in one day just seems kidna wrong. Oh well...I guess I must press on.

In commenting about worship the Psalms should generate some really easy discussion. Today I read what has probably become my favorite Psalm - Psalm 8. I'd like to quote a it tonight and leave it at that.

1 O Lord , our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!
Your glory is higher than the heavens.
2 You have taught children and infants
to tell of your strength,s
silencing your enemies
and all who oppose you.

3 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers—
the moon and the stars you set in place—
4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them,
human beings that you should care for them?s
5 Yet you made them only a little lower than Gods
and crowned thems with glory and honor.
6 You gave them charge of everything you made,
putting all things under their authority—
7 the flocks and the herds
and all the wild animals,
8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims the ocean currents.

9 O Lord , our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

Job 25-41

God is supreme. He is the source of wisdom and is not able to be truly challenged by man. From time to time we may think we can argue or fight with him on some real basis, but the truth is that he is God and God alone. We aren't.

I really enjoyed reading the end of Job where God kinda let Job have it. God says, "Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much...Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb, and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness?...Where does light come from and where does darkness go? Can you take each to its home? Do you know how to get there? But of course you know all this! For you were born before it was all created, and you are so very experienced!"

Wow - such sarcasm there at the end. I love how at times we can get so snippy with God as to assume that he can even experience our frustration from a mortal point of view. The reality is he can. He was mortal in Jesus. The other part of that though is that he was also perfect, as he was the maker of clouds, sea, darkness, and light. That's the beauty of the Gospel.

Even here in Job we're seeing the root of our motivation to worship. The majesty of a Creator strangely mixed with the realness of mankind. Thank you God for choosing to be our earthly Savior while still fulfilling your perfection as Creator.

Job 8 - 24

This evening I continued on into Job. It really is an uplifting book isn't it? In the midst of Job's mourning and sorrow, I love this glimmer of hope recorded in chapter 19. This is ultimately the answer to the question I posed yesterday - how can people worship in the midst of tragedy, death, and destruction. Here's Job's insight:

But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought."

Interesting discussion about a living redeemer seeing as how Jesus has not been born yet...

Esther 1 - Job 7

Today seemed like a lot of reading. All of Esther and the first 7 chapters of Job. I can't say I was a huge fan of Esther, but maybe it's because it is 11:30.

As far as Job goes though, I have always enjoyed Job's story. God and Satan get together and have a wager of sorts - kinda weird, I know. God tries to convince Satan that Job won't curse God even when thing go bad in his life. So Satan kills all of his livestock, and children. As a response:

"Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship."

Wow! It seems that we are so quick to make worship about ourselves. It has become about how we feel and what we're thinking. The reality is that God is deserving of our worship regardless of our earthly situation. That can be so hard. I pray that in the midst of tragedy and death and difficulty that I will still be able to worship.