Psalms 15, 24, 42-46
Today we return to the Psalms, a couple by David and some by the Sons of Korah.
I find it interesting that the descendants of Korah turn out so well, with 11 psalms attributed to them. Recall from Numbers 16 that Korah himself led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron. The LORD caused the earth to open up under the rebels’ feet, but Korah’s sons kept their distance, did not join the rebellion, and did not die. And now the Sons of Korah help to lead worship, producing psalms that we still use today.
We all likely have some pretty nasty characters in our ancestry, but we are not doomed to follow in their footsteps. The flip side of that coin is also true. We may well have some godly ancestors, too, and that is a great advantage in life, but that does not itself make us godly.
Are you living your parents’ (or grandparents’ or …) lives? Are you stuck in their destructive patterns? Or are you leaning on their faith? We should all acknowledge the influence of our ancestors for good or ill — or both. But we are not our ancestors. Perhaps it’s time to live our own life in Christ.
See also:
- January 16 (2022) / Psalm 15
- March 16 (2022) / Psalm 24
- April 14 (2022) / Psalm 42
- April 15 (2022) / Psalm 43
- April 16 (2022) / Psalm 44:1-8
- April 17 (2022) / Psalm 44:9-16
- April 18 (2022) / Psalm 44:17-26
- April 19 (2022) / Psalm 45:1-9
- April 20 (2022) / Psalm 45:10-17
- April 21 (2022) / Psalm 46
Two more things…
Who then will climb up there and stay there? Only a person innocent in action and pure in thought. ‘One who has not received his soul in vain,’ that is, a person who has not consigned his or her soul to the things that pass away but realizes that it [the soul] is immortal and longs for a settled, changeless eternity.
Saint Augustine on Psalm 24:4
Let us burn together with this thirst; Let us run together to the fountain of understanding. Let us long … rather for it as a hart yearns for a spring… Let us long for the wellspring of which Scripture says, “with you is the fountain of life”… Long for the fountains of water. With God is the fountain of life, a fountain that can never dry up… God has everything that will refresh you. He is able to fill anyone who comes to him… This is what I am thirsting for, to reach him and to appear before him. I am thirsty on my pilgrimage, parched in my running, but I will be totally satisfied when I arrive.
Saint Augustine on Psalm 42:1