May 25, 2015.

This week I am going to switch up Monday and Wednesday’s reading, as a heads up. I’m sorry to disappoint if the title made you think it was Wednesday already!

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Daily Reading: Psalm 60-62.

Background: Psalm 57-59.

Concepts and Connections.

Chapter 60

A plea in the time of war: What is interesting about this psalm is that the heading says that it was meant for instruction, written by David in a time of war (see II Samuel 8, 10 for these battles). We get a sense that it is a psalm written in wartime from the beginning of the psalm, where interestingly David starts out by saying that the Lord had rejected them. They were likely loosing or not doing well in battle, and this psalm was a response to this bad bout of luck. There is much lack in war, and even this is attributed to God in the midst of the plea for help. God had spoken that the children of Israel were His people, and because of this the palmist pleas to the Lord to look favorably upon them when they go into battle. At the end of the psalm, David is very confident that the Lord will indeed deliver them from trouble, when is what seems to be the case in  II Samuel 8, 10.

Chapter 61

The Lord as our Rock: This psalm is about the stronghold that the Lord can be to anyone who is lead by Him. The psalmist asks the Lord to lead him to His rock, a rock that would serve as shelter or a refuge for David, who this psalm is too attributed to. Strength and protection are found throughout this psalm. Notice the level of trust that David puts in the Lord, asking to dwell in His tent forever. Then in the end, praises are ever sung to the Lord, the God of hosts. Notice how often David goes to the Lord, especially when he is in trouble. The Lord is our rock and refuge, a very peace in the midst of the storm. We ca always count on Him.

Chapter 62

For God alone: Notice the singular focus of this psalm, looking time and again to God alone. The Lord was the psalmist’s rock, salvation and fortress, just as He is to us. Man is unreliable, but God is always there, never to disappoint. In silence the psalmist’s soul waited on God, and God alone. This was his hope and refuge. There was to be no trust in extortion and riches, but only in the Lord, for to Him belongs both power and steadfast love. The Lord, the righteous Judge, will judge all the people of the Lord and render the proper judgment on all of the sons of men, wether good or evil. Let us ever be found to be doing the Lord’s work.

Tomorrow’s Reading: II Samuel 20-24.

Seek the Lord God, and Him alone.

-Walter