First United Methodist Church Richardson, Texas

Week 1: June 6-12

Psalms 1 (Sun), 2-4, 141 (Mon), 5-8, 142 (Tue), 9-11, 143 (Wed), 12-15 (Thur), 16-18, 112 (Fri), 19-21, 113 (Sat)

Sunday

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

The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Background
The first two psalms are considered an introduction to The Psalms. This psalm begins with a "beatitude" contrasting right behavior with the wicked. The psalmist uses imagery to contrast the faithful from the wicked. In the end, is the judgment of the wicked. The key to the psalm lies in the first and last words - happy and perish.

Reflection
What does it mean for us to delight in the law of the Lord?

According to the psalmist, what constitutes the wicked?

The two word images are most prominent, but there is another underlying image, that of a journey the psalmist calls the "way." How do you understand the call to "the way of the righteous" in your own life?
Monday

Psalm 2
Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and his anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds asunder, and cast their cords from us.”

He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, “I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.”

I will tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, with trembling kiss his feet, or he will be angry, and you will perish in the way; for his wrath is quickly kindled. Happy are all who take refuge in him.

Background
Psalm 2 is what is called a Royal Psalm and is paired with Psalm 1 as an introduction to the Book of Psalms. The word ‘happy’ shows up again in v 12 because the entire Psalter is now about the ‘happy/blessed.” Both psalms call for dependence on God. The king is the anointed of God. Psalm 2 is the center piece to the fundamental question of the psalms, ‘Who rules the world?’ The answer is: God.

Reflection
Israel’s monarchical crisis is addressed here with the affirmation that God remains in control. Thinking about our own struggles with political unrest, the pandemic, etc., have we asked that same question   ‘Who is in control?’

This psalm may have been used in the installation of kings. Israel viewed their kings in a divine relationship.....very different from our contemporary view of political authority. How does this psalm instruct us in the way we view political leadership today?

V 10-12 is instruction for leaders. Whether a king, president, or the head of a household, is there a message for any of us to “be wise; be warned?”

Psalm 3
O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying to me, “There is no help for you in God.” Selah

But you, O Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head. I cry aloud to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the Lord sustains me. I am not afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.

Rise up, O Lord! Deliver me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked.

Deliverance belongs to the Lord; may your blessing be on your people! Selah

Background
Psalm 3 is an individual’s lament. The writer is facing a serious challenge, asking fist where God is, eventually concluding that the Lord is their refuse. The word “many” appears three times, indicating the challenges of the psalmist are serious. The psalm opens and closes with reference to ‘Lord/God.’ It ends with faith that God is our deliverance.

Reflection
This psalm moves from questioning God to a strong faith in God either now or in the future. How does this psalm reflect times when you were struggling?

We live in a culture that promotes independence and self-reliance. This psalm focuses on the necessity to rely solely on God. Is this theme a challenge to you?
Facing the questioning of the psalmist’s faith by ‘many’ can lead to a weakening of faith. Do you ever face similar challenges of your faith from others? How have you dealt with it?

Psalm 4
Answer me when I call, O God of my right! You gave me room when I was in distress. Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer. How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame?

How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? Selah

But know that the Lord has set apart the faithful for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.

When you are disturbed, do not sin; ponder it on your beds, and be silent. Selah

Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord.

There are many who say, “O that we might see some good! Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord!” You have put gladness in my heart more than when their grain and wine abound.

I will both lie down and sleep in peace; for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.

Background
There may be a unity of Psalm 3 and Psalm 4 with Psalm 4 being a response to the “blessing” sought in Psalm 3: 8. Both psalms are pleas for help. There is reference to God’s grace in the past, “You gave me room when I was in distress.” (V 1) And a call to again be ‘gracious.’ This is an appeal to what the psalmist sees as God’s character. Trusting in God provides more than material blessings, but the ‘light of your face’ (v 6), the face of God.

Reflection
The psalmist is concerned about what others say/think about them. In v 2, “How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame?” Can you reflect upon a time when people, possibly friends, were impugning your character and how you responded?

The answer by the psalmist to the above attacks is that s/he, and all faithful, are valued by God. Is that a sufficient answer for you, that you are ‘set apart’, knowing that we are valued by God?

The psalmist declares that the light of God’s face is much greater than material blessings such as “grain and wine.” Can we say that about our relationship to God? Is having a relationship with God more important to us than the material needs of life?

Psalm 141
I call upon you, O Lord; come quickly to me; give ear to my voice when I call to you. Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.

Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not turn my heart to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with those who work iniquity; do not let me eat of their delicacies.

Let the righteous strike me; let the faithful correct me. Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head, for my prayer is continually against their wicked deeds. When they are given over to those who shall condemn them, then they shall learn that my words were pleasant. Like a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the land, so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.

But my eyes are turned toward you, O God, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenseless. Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me, and from the snares of evildoers. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I alone escape.

Background
Psalm 141 is considered an individual lament. It is believed that the ‘wicked deeds’ referred to in v 4 and 10 may be those mentioned in Psalm 139-140. It may be that Psalm 141 is part of a larger connection which includes Psalms 138-145. It is a psalm in response to the ongoing crisis of exile, and the enticements of the Babylonia culture. The wicked prosper and it’s seductive to the people of God. The psalmist looks for strength from God to forgo this temptation.

Reflection
Can you think of a time when cultural attractions were alluring to you and how you dealt with that temptation?

How difficult is it for you to remain totally focused on God, relying on God, in the face of cultural temptations?

This psalm is seen as a petition that God would accept the psalmists prayers as God would accept a sacrifice. Can you recount a time when your prayers seemed empty and you wondered if God was hearing them? How did you address this feeling?
Tuesday

Psalm 5
Give ear to my words, O Lord; give heed to my sighing. Listen to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you I pray. O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.

For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil will not sojourn with you. The boastful will not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. You destroy those who speak lies; the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful.

But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house, I will bow down toward your holy temple in awe of you. Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.

For there is no truth in their mouths; their hearts are destruction; their throats are open graves; they flatter with their tongues. Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of their many transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you.

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, so that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover them with favor as with a shield.

Background
The psalm alternatives between an appeal to God and on God’s dealings with the wicked. The psalmist displays trust in God. God abhors the ‘evildoers’ and destroys (literally ‘perish’ as in Psalm 1) them. V 7 may be considered the center of Hebrew theology, from the translation of the Hebrew word ‘hesed’, “steadfast love.” God’s sovereignty is exercised through committed love. Within persistent opposition, the psalmist is confident in God’s protection.

Reflection
The psalmist seems to be waiting patiently, in faith, that God will win over the wicked and protect them. The Lord’s prayer asks ‘thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’ Waiting patiently is a virtue of faith. How difficult is it to ‘wait patiently’?

Words can be healing or destructive. The psalmist speaks of those whom God will destroy ‘who speak lies’ and are ‘deceitful.’ Can you recall encountering someone who spoke lies about you or those things you love and how you responded? Were you able to rely on faith in God, as the psalmist?

The psalmist is asking God for judgement against the transgressors (v 10), not only because of things done against the psalmist and faithful, but against God. Have you ever prayed that God would bring judgement upon anyone?

Psalm 6
O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger, or discipline me in your wrath. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror. My soul also is struck with terror, while you, O Lord—how long?

Turn, O Lord, save my life; deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love. For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who can give you praise?

I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. My eyes waste away because of grief; they grow weak because of all my foes.

Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord accepts my prayer. All my enemies shall be ashamed and struck with terror; they shall turn back, and in a moment be put to shame.

Background
Psalm 6, like Psalms 3 - 5, is a call for help, not against evildoers, but because the psalmist seems to be ill. It begins suggesting that their illness may be a result of the wrath of God. The psalmist appeals for the grace of God. The psalm recognized vulnerability and finitude. It leads us to needing the grace of God. The psalm may reflect an ancient belief that illness was a result of sin. But the psalmist also recognizes that God is their only hope, but ‘how long?’ (V 3). Every experience of life is somehow an experience of God.

Reflection
God is both the problem and the hope in this psalm. How have you understood the role of God in the midst of illness or other of life’s challenges? Have you seen these challenges to be a result of God’s wrath?

The psalmist couches the understanding of pain and suffering and death as conditions of finitude, requiring total reliance on God’s grace. Reflect on how your concept of God’s grace has helped you understand your finitude.

The psalmist believes God to be compassionate. “The Lord has heard my supplications;” (v 9). Have you been able to understand the compassion of God in the midst of suffering?

Psalm 7
O Lord my God, in you I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me, or like a lion they will tear me apart; they will drag me away, with no one to rescue. O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands, if I have repaid my ally with harm or plundered my foe without cause, then let the enemy pursue and overtake me, trample my life to the ground, and lay my soul in the dust. Selah

Rise up, O Lord, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake, O my God; you have appointed a judgment. Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered around you, and over it take your seat on high. The Lord judges the peoples; judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.

O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous, you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God. God is my shield, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, and a God who has indignation every day.

If one does not repent, God will whet his sword; he has bent and strung his bow; he has prepared his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts. See how they conceive evil, and are pregnant with mischief, and bring forth lies. They make a pit, digging it out, and fall into the hole that they have made. Their mischief returns upon their own heads, and on their own heads their violence descends.

I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

Background
The psalmist is facing enemies and asking God to judge on the basis of ‘my righteousness’ (vs 8). The word ‘righteous’ appears five times in this Psalm, and ‘judgement’ twice. It is God’s will to enact justice and righteousness. The wicked will destroy themselves and the Lord’s righteousness will bring praise from the psalmist.

Reflection
Psalm 7 affirms the righteousness of God to uphold the righteous and downfall of the wicked. The affirmation is eschatological, reflecting future actions of God. Reflect on times when you had to rely on ‘hoped for’ future actions of God to bring justice in your life.

The psalmist speaks of ‘my righteousness’ and ‘integrity’, but is this psalm about the psalmist’s character, or the character of God, the righteous judge? Can we have confidence is our own righteousness, or do we need to rely in faith on the righteousness of God?

The psalmist calls upon God to judge. “The Lord judges the peoples; judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.” (V 7) Has there been a time you have invited God’s judgement, confident in your righteousness?

Psalm 8
O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?

Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor. You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Background
This is the first hymn of praise in Psalms. This is a cosmic painting with God the creator, with significant value given to human beings. This speaks of a partnership. The enemy is chaos. The human quest is wondering how a God with such majesty can have regard for the lowly human being. God has given humanity ‘dominion’ over God’s works.

Reflection
The psalmist stands in awe of a creator God who would give such authority to human beings. Do you approach the understanding of God’s creation with similar awe?

Given our issues with climate change, have we upheld the responsibility the psalmist believes God has given us?

How do you understand the juxtaposition of the sinful nature of human beings with being a “little lower than God” from Psalm 8?

Psalm 142
With my voice I cry to the Lord; with my voice I make supplication to the Lord. I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him. When my spirit is faint, you know my way.

In the path where I walk they have hidden a trap for me. Look on my right hand and see— there is no one who takes notice of me; no refuge remains to me; no one cares for me.

I cry to you, O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” Give heed to my cry, for I am brought very low.

Save me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me. Bring me out of prison, so that I may give thanks to your name. The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.

Background
Psalm 142 is a psalm of individual lament. The use of the word ‘cry’ indicates a strong trust that God will listen to our supplications. The psalmist depends upon God’s mercy. The psalmist has no one to turn to except God. “You are my refuge,...” (v 5) The psalmist is entrusting the future completely to God. The psalmist may be facing death, but God offers life.

Reflection
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you believed only God could save you? That you put your whole trust in God?

Does your life of faith include finding peace in mystery, in God who is maybe experienced, but unseen? Has this been a challenge in a culture that is so “seeing” and scientifically based?

Does the phrase “the righteous will surround me” indicate the importance of support from a faith community? Have you experienced such support?
Wednesday

Psalm 9
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

When my enemies turned back, they stumbled and perished before you. For you have maintained my just cause; you have sat on the throne giving righteous judgment.

You have rebuked the nations, you have destroyed the wicked; you have blotted out their name forever and ever. The enemies have vanished in everlasting ruins; their cities you have rooted out; the very memory of them has perished.

But the Lord sits enthroned forever, he has established his throne for judgment. He judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with equity.

The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion. Declare his deeds among the peoples. For he who avenges blood is mindful of them; he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.

Be gracious to me, O Lord. See what I suffer from those who hate me; you are the one who lifts me up from the gates of death, so that I may recount all your praises, and, in the gates of daughter Zion, rejoice in your deliverance.

The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid has their own foot been caught. The Lord has made himself known, he has executed judgment; the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion. Selah

The wicked shall depart to Sheol, all the nations that forget God.

For the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor perish forever.

Rise up, O Lord! Do not let mortals prevail; let the nations be judged before you. Put them in fear, O Lord; let the nations know that they are only human. Selah

Background
Psalm 9 and Psalm 10 may have been a single acrostic poem with every other line beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The psalm includes thanksgiving, an account of deliverance, God’s banishment of the wicked and an affirmation of God’s protection. Psalm 9 is primarily a prayer for help. God’s destruction of “the nations” and “the wicked” is total, as not even their “memory” exists, while God “remembers” the faithful. God’s commitment to justice offers hope for the oppressed.

Reflection
The psalmist sees God as a protector of the ‘oppressed’ and the “needy.” Do you read this as a prayer for others, or does the psalmist include him/herself in the oppressed?

Notice that even the ‘memory’ of the wicked has been erased. How often does memory of a frightening event or act of a person against you haunt you?

The recurrent characteristic of God in the Psalms, particularly in Psalm 9, is of judgement and destruction of the enemy of the faithful (and of God). How does this image fit into your theological understanding? How does it fit with a New Testament understanding of a loving God?

Psalm 10
Why, O Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? In arrogance the wicked persecute the poor— let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.

For the wicked boast of the desires of their heart, those greedy for gain curse and renounce the Lord. In the pride of their countenance the wicked say, “God will not seek it out”; all their thoughts are, “There is no God.”

Their ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of their sight; as for their foes, they scoff at them. They think in their heart, “We shall not be moved; throughout all generations we shall not meet adversity.”

Their mouths are filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under their tongues are mischief and iniquity. They sit in ambush in the villages; in hiding places they murder the innocent.

Their eyes stealthily watch for the helpless; they lurk in secret like a lion in its covert; they lurk that they may seize the poor; they seize the poor and drag them off in their net.

They stoop, they crouch, and the helpless fall by their might. They think in their heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”

Rise up, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; do not forget the oppressed. Why do the wicked renounce God, and say in their hearts, “You will not call us to account”?

But you do see! Indeed you note trouble and grief, that you may take it into your hands; the helpless commit themselves to you; you have been the helper of the orphan.

Break the arm of the wicked and evildoers; seek out their wickedness until you find none. The Lord is king forever and ever; the nations shall perish from his land.

O Lord, you will hear the desire of the meek; you will strengthen their heart, you will incline your ear to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed, so that those from earth may strike terror no more.

Background
As mentioned in the background of Psalm 9, these two psalms were likely one acrostic poem originally. While Psalm 9 focuses on the rebellion of nations, Psalm 10 turns its attention to wicked persons. Although the world may not seem so, this psalm affirms that God rules the world. Psalm 10 opens in a seeming contradiction to Psalm 9 when it asks “Why, O Lord, do you stand far off?” Psalm 9 clearly celebrates a God who is present and active. Like in Psalm 9, there is a definite concern for the ‘oppressed’ in Psalm 10. The wicked see themselves as self-sufficient and arrogant. The psalmist reminds God of the oppression of the weak by the wicked and seeks an accounting.

Reflection
Have you ever felt like you needed to bring injustice to the attention of God and ask for justice?

When you believe the world is out of step with God’s intended creation, does that ever color your faith and trust in God?

The Psalms clearly mix God’s present action toward the wicked individuals and nations with an ‘eschatological’ understanding, that God preferred future is unfolding, but not complete. What kind of challenge does this tug-a-war between present reality and God’s future pose for you?

Psalm 11
In the Lord I take refuge; how can you say to me, “Flee like a bird to the mountains; for look, the wicked bend the bow, they have fitted their arrow to the string, to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart. If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven. His eyes behold, his gaze examines humankind. The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, and his soul hates the lover of violence. On the wicked he will rain coals of fire and sulfur; a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup. For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.

Background
Psalm 11 can be categorized as an individual complaint. The accused is advised to flee, but the psalmist expresses confidence in God’s righteousness and rejects the advice. The problems seem insurmountable because “the foundations are destroyed”. God’s righteousness is the hope of the faithful.

Reflection
As in the previous two psalms, the message in Psalm 11 is eschatological and the psalmist proclaims faith in God’s future actions. How difficult is it to hold onto that faith when everything seems so hopeless?

Like the psalmist, we may have viewed our world as ‘foundations’ destroyed and with little hope. Faced with the same options as the psalmist, to flee or to maintain faith, have we ever chosen the former?

V 5 indicates “the Lord tests the righteous and the wicked.” The options to flee or maintain faith do test us. The psalmist begins by saying, “In the Lord I take refuge.” What does that mean to you?

Psalm 143
Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my supplications in your faithfulness; answer me in your righteousness. Do not enter into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.

For the enemy has pursued me, crushing my life to the ground, making me sit in darkness like those long dead. Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled. I remember the days of old, I think about all your deeds, I meditate on the works of your hands. I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah

Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me, or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit. Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning, for in you I put my trust. Teach me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

Save me, O Lord, from my enemies; I have fled to you for refuge. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Let your good spirit lead me on a level path.

For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life. In your righteousness bring me out of trouble. In your steadfast love cut off my enemies, and destroy all my adversaries, for I am your servant.

Background
While our translation in v 2 says “Do not enter into judgement,” it could be translated “justice.” The psalmist isn’t asking for justice, they are asking for mercy since “no one living is righteous.” God must act out of grace. The psalmist is not proclaiming innocence. V 2 is an appeal to the sinfulness of all humanity. The psalmist longs for God and sees God as compassionate. While the psalmist understands they do not conform to God’s will, they do believe they belong to God.

Reflection
This psalm recognizes an important doctrine of our faith ’sin.’ For the psalmist, sin is universal, and they personally find themselves enmeshed in sin. Is your theology that of the psalmist that “no one living is righteous...”?

There is a strong trust in God’s grace. In v 5, “Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning, for in you I put my trust.” The psalmist calls on God to ‘teach’ and transform. What is it you seek from God to bring you “out of trouble”?

As in previous psalms, we find the Hebrew word ‘hesed.’ “Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning, for in you I put my trust.” (V 8) ‘Hesed’, or God’s steadfast love, seems to be the center of theology in the Psalms. Reflect on a time when you asked for God’s ‘hesed’. What was your personal situation at the time and what transpired from your request?
Thursday

Psalm 12
Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly; the faithful have disappeared from humankind. They utter lies to each other; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, those who say, “With our tongues we will prevail; our lips are our own—who is our master?”

“Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan, I will now rise up,” says the Lord; “I will place them in the safety for which they long.” The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure, silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. You, O Lord, will protect us; you will guard us from this generation forever. On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among humankind.

Background
Psalm 12 is a prayer that would be an appropriate response to the problem addressed in Psalm 11, “the foundations are destroyed.” This psalm focuses on the destructive speech of the wicked. The faithful individual seems to feel alone. The psalmist is surrounded by those whose speech is characterized by deception and hypocrisy. The wicked boast. God has seen that “the poor are despoiled,...” (V 5) God helps those who cannot help themselves. The psalm shows confidence in God, ultimately derived from God’s word.

Reflection
This prayer seems quite appropriate for the contemporary situation, “the faithful have disappeared from humankind.” (V 1) Could this be a prayer we use for the health of a declining church and a culture which seems ‘wicked’?

Have you experienced folks who ‘utter lies to each other; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak’? (V 2) How have you responded to them?

Is trusting in a God who hears the poor and needy a good strategy in a time when wickedness seems rampant, and the poor despoiled?

Psalm 13
How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all day long? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God! Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death, and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”; my foes will rejoice because I am shaken. But I trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Background
The shortest of the prayers for help, Psalm 13 is an individual lament. The psalmist is impatient and desperate, asking the Lord ‘How Long...?’ It’s not a matter of God forgetting about the psalmist, but God has intentionally turned away. “How long will you hide from me?” (V 1) The psalmist is in agony over this. In spite of the anguish of the psalmist, there remains a steady trust in God, and rejoicing.

Reflection
The situation of the psalmist, feeling abandon by God, could lead to a belief that God is causing this pain. Have you ever felt that?

Consider your own experience of being abandon by God. How difficult was it, or is it, to retain trust in God, and to ‘rejoice’?

In this prayer form, Psalm 13 illustrates one who can offer honest complaints and even accusations toward God. Have you found it difficult for your prayers to be this honest?

Psalm 14
Fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is no one who does good.

The Lord looks down from heaven on humankind to see if there are any who are wise, who seek after God.

They have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse; there is no one who does good, no, not one.

Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon the Lord?

There they shall be in great terror, for God is with the company of the righteous. You would confound the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge.

O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.

Background
Psalm 12 is prophetic. The complaints in vs 1 - 3 seem to be universal, “They have all gone astray; they are all alike perverse...” (Vs 3) Verse 4 narrows the complaints to “all the evildoers.” There is an announcement of judgement against the wicked, an anticipation of deliverance. God will help the righteous. The evildoers are those who fail to acknowledge God. Failure to acknowledge God leads to misguided behavior. “God is with the company of the righteous...” (V 6)

Reflection
The psalmist associates knowledge of and recognition of God as the primary foundation for good behavior. Looking at your own moral code, is God the foundation of yours? If there is something else, what else is the foundation of your behavior?

The psalmist is calling on us to be accountable to God in our behavior. For the psalmist there is a direct relationship between acknowledging God and behaving well. Do you see this relationship?

The psalm foresees deliverance in the future. Do you share the faith of the psalmist that these ‘atheists’ can find their way?

Psalm 15
O Lord, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill?

Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, and speak the truth from their heart; who do not slander with their tongue, and do no evil to their friends, nor take up a reproach against their neighbors; in whose eyes the wicked are despised, but who honor those who fear the Lord; who stand by their oath even to their hurt; who do not lend money at interest, and do not take a bribe against the innocent.

Those who do these things shall never be moved.

Background
Psalm 15 is known as an entrance liturgy, as people had to meet requirements prior to entering the temple gates. It characterizes those who find refuge in God. These characteristics may have been formulated around the ten commandments. The list involves both personal conduct and some dealing with the way one treats their neighbors. These characteristics have been shaped in conformity with God’s character.

Reflection
This psalm is meant to be a picture of the person whose life is patterned after God’s character. We find several scriptural sources to determine our behavior, such as the ten commandments or the sermon on the mount. How does these characteristics fit into your own moral code? Are they part of your personal code? Of what importance?

What does God require of us? Sacrifice? Justice? Righteousness? Goodness? Love?

The opening verse asks the most pertinent question, “Who may dwell on your holy hill? If this psalm is not a prescription for entrance (we must do these things) but an illustration, is this ultimately a confession of the grace of God? Only by grace we may enter?
Friday

Psalm 16
Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”

As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble, in whom is all my delight.

Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names upon my lips.

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage.

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure. For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit.

You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Background
Psalm 16 is known as a psalm of confidence. The main theme is refuge and trust in God. The attitude of the psalmist is joyful. This is similar in use to the Apostles’ Creed in Christianity. To take refuge is to live in complete dependence on God. God is the source of all good things. The psalmists whole being is given to God, “my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices.” (V 8) Security comes from entrusting one’s life to God.

Reflection
Can you envision using Psalm 16 as an affirmation of faith liturgy?

The psalmist finds joy and security in trusting God. Do you feel the same depth of stability in saying with the psalmist, “You are my Lord”. (V 2)

The psalm instructs that worship liturgy is a way of maintaining focus on God and that relationship. Do you understand worship as a way to bolster your relationship with God?

Psalm 17
Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry; give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit. From you let my vindication come; let your eyes see the right.

If you try my heart, if you visit me by night, if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me; my mouth does not transgress. As for what others do, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent. My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.

I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me, hear my words. Wondrously show your steadfast love, O savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand.

Guard me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, from the wicked who despoil me, my deadly enemies who surround me. They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly. They track me down; now they surround me; they set their eyes to cast me to the ground. They are like a lion eager to tear, like a young lion lurking in ambush.

Rise up, O Lord, confront them, overthrow them! By your sword deliver my life from the wicked, from mortals—by your hand, O Lord— from mortals whose portion in life is in this world. May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them; may their children have more than enough; may they leave something over to their little ones.

As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.

Background
This psalm protests innocence and a prayer for help. God and the psalmist stand face to face. Enemies are making false accusations. Justice will come from God for the psalmist. While the psalmist lives by God’s word, the wicked prey on others. While the wicked seek to destroy the psalmist, the psalmist is unmoved. As we have seen in previous psalms, the psalmist pleads for God’s “steadfast love,” or ‘hesed’.

Reflection
The psalmist is confident in the ability to stand before God as righteous. Consider how we approach God. Do we always approach God with confidence?

How do we see God face to face? Is it in worship? Is it in saving acts? Is it in the midst of life’s difficulties?

This prayer, as in many of the Psalms, there is a request to destroy the enemy. How does this approach to God mesh with the Gospel call to love all, including our enemies? Can you see this as simply an emotional outburst, or is there more to it?

Psalm 18
I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, so I shall be saved from my enemies.

The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of perdition assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.

In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.

Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry. Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. He bowed the heavens, and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. He rode on a cherub, and flew; he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his covering around him, his canopy thick clouds dark with water. Out of the brightness before him there broke through his clouds hailstones and coals of fire. The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice. And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; he flashed forth lightnings, and routed them. Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

He reached down from on high, he took me; he drew me out of mighty waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from those who hated me; for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity; but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his ordinances were before me, and his statutes I did not put away from me. I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt. Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

With the loyal you show yourself loyal; with the blameless you show yourself blameless; with the pure you show yourself pure; and with the crooked you show yourself perverse. For you deliver a humble people, but the haughty eyes you bring down. It is you who light my lamp; the Lord, my God, lights up my darkness. By you I can crush a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. This God—his way is perfect; the promise of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

For who is God except the Lord? And who is a rock besides our God?— the God who girded me with strength, and made my way safe. He made my feet like the feet of a deer, and set me secure on the heights. He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand has supported me; your help has made me great. You gave me a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip. I pursued my enemies and overtook them; and did not turn back until they were consumed. I struck them down, so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet. For you girded me with strength for the battle; you made my assailants sink under me. You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed. They cried for help, but there was no one to save them; they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them. I beat them fine, like dust before the wind; I cast them out like the mire of the streets.

You delivered me from strife with the peoples; you made me head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me. As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me; foreigners came cringing to me. Foreigners lost heart, and came trembling out of their strongholds.

The Lord lives! Blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation, the God who gave me vengeance and subdued peoples under me; who delivered me from my enemies; indeed, you exalted me above my adversaries; you delivered me from the violent.

For this I will extol you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to your name. Great triumphs he gives to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.

Background
One of the longest of the psalms and categorized as a royal psalm of thanksgiving. The identical piece can be found in 2 Samuel 22, recited by King David. The purpose of Psalm 18 is to keep hope alive by proclaiming God’s sovereignty over he nations. The use of cosmic imagery reminds us of the end time stories from Revelations. It is most certainly eschatological. The situation appears to be urgent, the king already in the clutches of death. In this theophany, God “was angry”. (V 7) God rescues the servant. God is the source of the psalmist’s deliverance and for that, the response is praise.

Reflection
To keep Israel hopeful when they were repeatedly in danger must have been difficult. This psalm was intended to help in that effort. How can we maintain hope among the faithful in the midst of a pandemic and other cultural issues?

You’ve likely heard he phrase, ‘there are no atheists in a foxhole.’ This psalm indicates the king to be a faithful servant of the Lord, and relies on the Lord in times of need. Reflect on how faithful we are, consistently, in good and bad times.

There is a strange twist in this psalm that is not present in most. “...he delivered me, because he delighted in me.” The immediate praise after being saved focuses on the psalmist, not on God. God acts because of the righteousness of the king. Is that ever true of us?

Psalm 112
Praise the Lord! Happy are those who fear the Lord, who greatly delight in his commandments.
Their descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.
They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.
It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever.
They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord.
Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor; their righteousness endures forever; their horn is exalted in honor.
The wicked see it and are angry; they gnash their teeth and melt away; the desire of the wicked comes to nothing.

Background
Psalm 112 offers a description of those who fear the Lord. Interestingly, the description could be of God too. Remember in Psalm 1 we noticed that the opening and closing words formed the theme, “happy” and “perish”. Notice that the same two Hebrew words open and close this psalm. Both Psalm 1 and Psalm 112 are about the “righteous” and the “wicked.” “Happiness” here refers to delight in God’s commandments. Happiness is being right with God. It is not an earned reward but is the experience of being connected to God. Those who love God become like God.

Reflection
One of the themes of the Old Testament (seen in Job, for example) is that God rewards faithfulness with material wealth. This psalm is a reminder that faithfulness to God does NOT guarantee success. How do you respond to that?

Psalm 112 is an expanded beatitude, “Happy is the one who.....” For the psalmist happiness is in following the commandments. How would you finish this statement?

One of the characteristics of the faithful is generosity. “They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor; their righteousness endures forever;...” (V 9) This is sandwiched between a description of the faithful as having a good heart, and how the wicked will ‘melt away.’ Think about how your own generosity is motivated by a commitment to God.
Saturday

Psalm 19
The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat.

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Background
Psalm 19 is sometimes considered to be two poems...vs 1 - 6 which deals with creation, and vs. 7 - 14 which deals with Torah. It also could be seen as three poems in that vs 11-14 focuses on the psalmist, “your servant.” The sun is mentioned in all three segments, other than that, there is very little that ties them together. Psalm 19 is a teaching moment. The universe instructs humans about God’s rule. There is no end to God’s creation, “to the end of the heavens.” (Vs 6) God’s Torah is all encompassing. Through the Torah God intends wisdom for the faithful. The God who set the sun on its course is the same God the psalmist personally experiences.

Reflection
The God whose cosmic actions are noted is the same God who relates to us personally. Consider that image and think about how you understand it for yourself.

Nature (the sun) knows God and can proclaim God’s sovereignty. Can you understand God through nature?

Pantheism would say that God is ‘in’ nature. That is not the claim of this psalm. God, the creator is kept apart from creation. How do you understand the relationship between God the creator and the created?

Psalm 20
The Lord answer you in the day of trouble! The name of the God of Jacob protect you! May he send you help from the sanctuary, and give you support from Zion.

May he remember all your offerings, and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices. Selah May he grant you your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your plans. May we shout for joy over your victory, and in the name of our God set up our banners. May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

Now I know that the Lord will help his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with mighty victories by his right hand. Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses, but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God. They will collapse and fall, but we shall rise and stand upright.

Give victory to the king, O Lord; answer us when we call.

Background
It should be apparent from the closing that Psalm 20 is a royal psalm. Only the 9th verse is a prayer. This may have been used as Temple liturgy, possibly in preparation for battle. God is primary in the psalm. The word ‘answer’ is interestingly present in the opening and closing verses. The psalm calls for protection of the king, but is also a prayer for the people.

Reflection
Psalm 20 could be read as God will give us victory, and that God sanctions whatever the nation does. It also could be read that God is the primary actor, not the king nor the people. How do you understand the psalm? Have you heard anyone suggest the former, that God will ‘be on our side’?

This is a prayer for the king, where the people enter into the prayer with the king, for victory. We have seen chaplains of political bodies. You may even have been called to pray ‘for’ a political body. How do you feel about that?

It seems that this psalm moves from prayers for the king of Israel, to understanding the Lord to be the king. Does this verge on a theocracy, either making God a political head, or making the king a god?

Psalm 21
In your strength the king rejoices, O Lord, and in your help how greatly he exults! You have given him his heart’s desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah For you meet him with rich blessings; you set a crown of fine gold on his head. He asked you for life; you gave it to him— length of days forever and ever. His glory is great through your help; splendor and majesty you bestow on him. You bestow on him blessings forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.

Your hand will find out all your enemies; your right hand will find out those who hate you. You will make them like a fiery furnace when you appear. The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath, and fire will consume them. You will destroy their offspring from the earth, and their children from among humankind. If they plan evil against you, if they devise mischief, they will not succeed. For you will put them to flight; you will aim at their faces with your bows.

Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.

Background
Psalm 21 is a celebration of the fulfillment of the wishes found in Psalm 20, for the king and victory. The psalm rests on v 7. “For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.” This again is more about God than the king. The king lives in dependence upon God. Again, the word ‘help’ appears in v 1, in this case, the ‘help’ has been realized.

Reflection
The king is portrayed as a model of faith, depending not on himself, but on God. The king may be surrounded by the enemy, but maintains faith in God. What is your reaction when you see political leaders who are clear about their faith directing their behavior?

When the psalmist uses the term “blessings” to be bestowed by God (vss 3, 6), is it referring only to military victory?

In v 7 as the king and God are referred to in the third person, the congregation seems to take over the prayer. Do you see this as the king serving as a conduit to God? Or is it that both the king and the congregation trust in God and find blessing from God?

Psalm 113
Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord; praise the name of the Lord.

Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time on and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised. The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.

Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the Lord!

Background
Psalm 113 is the beginning of the Hallel for Jews (Psalms 113 - 118). Hallel means ‘praise, Halelu-yah’. For Christians, Psalm 113 is used as liturgy for Easter. Psalm 113 asserts that God’s power is manifested in compassion toward the ‘poor’ and ‘needy.’ (V 7) The ‘servants’ mentioned at the beginning are those who submit themselves to God, to praise. God is seated on high to look down “on the heavens and the earth...” (V 6) But God also “raises the poor” and “lifts the needy.”. (v 7) Given the Hebrew root words, God is humbled, and the humbled are exalted.

Reflection
God’s exaltation of those who are humbled is an important theme throughout scripture, and evident in the life of Christ. It is mentioned in a number of psalms. How does this fit in psalms that are mainly concerned about royalty?

While we are invited to join God in God’s work in the world on behalf of the humble, we can sometimes leave God out of this work. Do you see this happening with those around you?

Another aspect of Psalm 113 is to ‘praise’ God. Is the call to exalt the humble an act of praise?