Summer Reading, part four

Psalm 18 is a psalm of deliverance, which was sung with rejoicing by David. Have you ever been afraid, but you knew God was with you? And when you called on him, he swooped down to save you as if he flew on the wings of the wind. In your relief, did you praise God and tell people what he had done? When God steadies you, you feel secure. When God trains you, you’re ready to conquer any enemy. God gives a warrior the confidence to trample the enemy so that they cannot rise up again. When David said “foreigners cower before me”, he knew it was God, not David, who subdued the nations. “Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing the praises of your name.”  

Psalm 19 is about revelation. The heavens pour forth speech and reveal knowledge. This fact is in the Bible, but few understood it until scientists caught on through use of new technologies. There is much we don’t know, even now in a time when scientists make discoveries every day. But God has given us words in the Bible which are perfect, trustworthy, and firm. The diligent scientists can learn much from God’s words, which are more precious than gold. Even as smart as we are today, we still show our faults. Not all of us are scientists, but God can help us discover things we didn’t know were there. When we are blind to our faults, God is still with us. In our quest to be blameless before God, we can ask God to help us avoid sins which tempt us and forgive us for those we can’t see.

Psalm 22 is a favorite at Easter because we can study the New Testament accounts of the crucifixion of Jesus and notice how the lines in this psalm give more meaning. Verse 16 shows us a picture of the crucifixion with, “they pierce my hands and my feet.” The last line, “He has done it” is similar to the last words of Jesus, “It is finished.”

Now grab your Bible and read Psalms 18 through 22. Don’t forget about 20 and 21. There is a lot to think about when studying the summer reading selections. Take your time and let God bring you unexpected morsels of understanding. His revelations are sweet. Enjoy!