Vol III: #38 The Psalms
I am five chapter (or individual Psalms) away from reading through the book of Psalms, having read one per day since the end of May. (Or course, the epic Psalm 118 took an extra day or two.) And what I find most interesting is how human the Psalms are. Some Psalms are upbeat and inspiring, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Some Psalms are full of self-pity and lament. And, I always get a kick out of the songwriters desire for the Lord to destroy my enemies. These types of Psalms would have an entirely different meaning if I were Ukrainian, I assume.
The Book of Psalms is full of every kind of human emotion, desire, and condition which make them an excellent place to “find oneself.” The first time I heard of this of concept finding oneself was last year. A wise old man was asked “how do you handle disappointment and grief” to which he responded,”I pray and read the Psalms until I find myself. Then, I stay in that place.” Now, I know why. I’ve felt forgotten by the Lord, belittle by my enemies, and hopeless. And more than those low moments, I’ve experienced His lovingkindness and generosity.
The only departure I have from the Psalms are when they ask the Lord to bring the hammer down on evil or wicked people, and the aforementioned enemies. Jesus explicitly gave us a new commandment during the Sermon on the Mount concerning hold to handle those who mock and/or attack our well-being: to love, bless, and pray for them.
I think my favorite part of the Psalms is the knowledge that what I experience in life isn’t new. My problems aren’t unique. We fly in metal birds and harness the power of charged particles but we not more sophisticated than the ancients. Our heart and minds and need to known the Lord is the same as it ever was. The best part of the Psalms is knowing the Lord is good and always will be.
