Psalms 1, 91, 119:1-80
Today we jump back into the Psalms, reading those that were likely written during the “postexilic” period. We might notice that — on the surface — some of these psalms may seem somewhat contrary to the message of Job, sounding a bit like Job’s friends with the “good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people” world view. Psalm 1, for instance says that the one who delights in the law of the LORD is blessed and like a tree planted by streams of water (Ps. 1:3) while the wicked are like chaff that the wind blows away. (Ps. 1:4) Similarly, Psalm 91 makes it sound like the righteous is invulnerable to all dangers and troubles. As we read these psalms, we need to look deeper than what they might say on the surface and read them in the context of the rest of Scripture. We need to remember Job and his suffering. We need to remember the ill treatment of righteous Jeremiah. We need to remember the Exile that is the experience of these psalmists. And we would also do well to remember that Satan quotes Psalm 91:11-12 to tempt Jesus (Mt. 4:6; Lk. 4:10-11), which just goes to say that if we interpret these words the same way Satan does, then maybe we’re off track…
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