Psalm 44:1-8 From today’s reading it may not look like it, but Psalm 44 is a lament. You’ll see in tomorrow’s reading that Israel’s foes have overtaken them – at least some tribes or portions of the land have been overrun. So the whole Psalm is a lament with all its elements – the psalmists’ …
Category Archives: RTB 2022 – Psalms and Wisdom Literature
April 15 / Psalm 43
Psalm 43 Recall that today’s reading, Psalm 43 continues the lament that began in Psalm 42. In today’s first two verses the psalmist speaks of an ungodly nation, an unjust man, and the oppression of the enemy. Since the psalmist likely lives in the far north of Palestine, one wonders if the enemy, that “ungodly …
April 14 / Psalm 42
Psalm 42 Two Study Bibles pointed out that Psalms 42-43 are clearly one Psalm, but for some reason they have been split up in the Psalter. (See Ps. 42:5,11 today and Ps. 43:5 tomorrow.) Again, Study Bible information… The heading, “…to the Sons of Korah” and the geographical names in verse 6 suggest that this …
April 13 / Psalm 41
Psalm 41 I was struck by the benefits accorded a person who gives to the poor – s/he is blessed, delivered, protected, praised, defended, sustained, and healed. (vv. 1-3) Makes me think that we should be doing more… David ties his sin and his illness together in verse 4. Shades of Job’s friends…! But this …
April 12 / Psalm 40:9-17
Psalm 40:9-17 Today’s reading has a mix of themes – praise and thanksgiving in verses 9-11 and a lament in verses 12-17. It’s interesting that David speaks to the larger assembly of his own proclamation of God’s love and mercy to him. In so doing he mentions a number of the Lord’s attributes in those …
April 11 / Psalm 40:1-8
Psalm 40:1-8 In contrast to the many laments we have read this past month, in today’s reading we see David thanking and praising the Lord for deliverance from past difficulties, although we have no idea of the nature of those difficulties. The first three verses are direct, more personal thanksgivings. Then David goes on to …
April 10 / Psalm 39
Psalm 39 I’m not sure what to make of this Psalm. It has all the elements of a lament, but in describing his situation it almost seems like David’s “enemy” is God Himself (see verses 9b-11), not unlike Job’s friends seeing Job’s illness as God’s punishment for Job’s sin. Most prominent in this Psalm is …
April 9 / Psalm 38:13-22
Psalm 38:13-22 Psalm 38 is a full-bodied lament, with all of the necessary elements: David’s situation, his plea for help, his claim of his innocence or his cry for vindication, and his thankfulness for deliverance (past or confident future). Yesterday’s reading was full of David’s situation – his pain, physical or emotional. Today we see …
April 8 / Psalm 38:1-12
Psalm 38:1-12 Almost all of today’s reading is David’s lamenting of his situation (vv. 1-8, 10). What’s left is his reaching out to the Lord (v. 9), his friends distancing him (v. 11), and his enemies taking advantage of his condition (v. 12). I don’t recall any of our earlier laments where David is so …
April 7 / Psalm 37:35-40
Psalm 37:35-40 Tom said it all for Psalm 37 yesterday. Putin and the Ukrainians are a nice fit for the wicked and the righteous! But will Putin disappear, as David suggests in verse 36: Then he passed away, and behold, he was no more; I searched for him, but he could not be found? Hitler …