Psalms

I want to take a journey into Psalms this year, 2025. I just came up with the idea so first I have five days of catch up to get me rolling. I am using the book The One Year Book of Psalms published by Tyndale publications. I will take it chapter by chapter and see what and if I understand what the Psalms are telling me.

January 1-5

Psalm 1:1-6

There is joy if we do not follow the wicked or hang around sinners. Watch out for scoffers. Those who please the Lord do so by doing what he tells us to do. We thinks about pleasing Him day and night by doing what his laws say. And in doing what our Lord wants, we prosper. It relates us to strong trees growing along the banks of a river, strong, bearing fruit without fail. In contrast, God tells us this is not true of the wicked. The wicked, or those that do wicked things, are compared to chaff, worthless and scattered by the wind. Those will be condemned at judgment day.

Psalm 2:1-6

We are asked why nations rage? We are questioned why we waste our time with futile plans (useless things such as games, laziness). There are those who plot against the Lord and against his anointed. Many consider it slavery to be in God presence. They want to be free. But our ruler in heaven laughs, he scoffs at us and in anger He rebukes us. We should be terrified with his fury. He tells us, he is in control. He has placed His chosen king on the throne.

Psalm 2:7-12

God is in control of the earthly kings. He chooses them. He will be their father. He wants them to act wisely and serve the Lord with reverent fear but rejoice with trembling fear. We are to fear Him out of respect and find protection in Him.

Psalm 3:1-8

Here David is telling us of his sorrows and strife. He is crying out to God for comfort. He tells us he is safe, to rest, to sleep. God will protect him and David owns that assurance of what the Lord will do. We should also feel safe knowing He will do as He promises. It is nice to know we can lie down and awake in safety, knowing the Lord is always with us.

Psalm 4:1-8

Once again, David is reassuring himself (and us) that when he calls upon the Lord, the Lord hears him. David speaks of the joy that the Lord gives us. David has reassured his readers that the Lord we keep him safe and will take care of his enemies. We learn that peace comes in believing in our Lord, trusting He will do what He says if we honor him and obey His laws. We all should lie down for sleep in peace knowing everything will be alright.

January 6

Though Psalms are poetic in nature, they teach us so much. We can learn prayer at its best. Some are geared toward instruction that we need to stay tune to the Word and God. Others help us to be part of our community. We also learn thanksgiving, blessings and special occasions. They are beautiful songs, expressions of experiences that we all can learn from.

Psalm 5:1-6

Here we see that David is starting out by getting God's attention (not that He isn't attentive to us always). He asks God to hear him; he says LISTEN to his cry and he tells God he would not pray to anyone else. David also acknowledges that he brings all request to God and he waits expectantly. This is probably the hardest for all of us...waiting. I find it interesting that in the next breath David assures God that he is aware of what God is and does. David mentions that God takes no pleasure in wickedness, does not tolerate sin, the proud do not get to stand in God presence, God hates evil, liars, murderers and deceivers.

After reading this, something came to mind. Even though most of us would not murder, we must not forget that even to think of it, speak of it in anger, we are guilty of it! That is a wake up call.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Today is January 7. Yesterday I was trying to set up a bank account and when leaving the bank went home to make a transfer from one bank to another and that wasn't working. This morning, Miss Google (assistant device) failed. Just out of the blue she says she is off line. The internet was still active however, so I reboot, no luck. Now it has me into the app! Holy Cow....I didn't set it up original. My husband's grandson did so I am at a loss...frustrated with the device.

Where does this go or have to do with anything related with Psalms? Oh how I need Psalms today. I need to mellow out, read my Bible and take a breath because these devices drive me crazy! So now back to what I need the most.



Psalm 6:1-10

David, in this Psalm is really crying out to God for help. He is tired, sick in body and sole. Do you feel like that at times. I am going through a time similar. Things happening too quickly. I have a bug problem inside my house. I had a new roof installed a few years ago and a new bedroom window several months and I have a leak at the new window. The contractor says it is not the window. I had the roofer come out and fix what they thought may have failed. I still have a leak at the roof. Get my drift?? Contractor and myself did a hose test on the roof and the window. The window didn't leak so I had the roofer fix that area of the house. The window still leaks!! I feel like things are falling apart, including me. I am 79 and have felt aging a lot in the last 3 to 4 years.

Reading Psalms 6 helps because my problems I know are not that severe but controlling my temper to my problem, I need to calm.. Psalms calms!

David speaks to God all that he is feeling. He asks God to make he enemies to go away. He tells God he knows he will take care of him. It is the best of communication with Our Lord and man that can take place. It shows us how to really pray...how to ask God for his help. Oh how I need your help Lord, I pray, Amen!

January 8

Psalm 7:1-9

Wow, this Psalm is full of action to the point that it drains me. And to think that it was a song that David sung to the Lord. I wonder what that sounded like? David asks the Lord if he has done anything wrong. Knowing we sin and I am guessing David knows that, I would be afraid the Lord would answer back. But David's communication to his creator is such that in his misery he wants to know. And he also asks the Lord to send on his enemies for his punishment. I could not do that. We do know that God uses other people to interact with us for good and for bad. Strange concept don't you think?

On the other hand, David does say that he is innocent and wants God to declare him righteous. David tells us that God looks deep into our minds and hearts. That is a reminder that I needed to hear; how about you?

As I study this Psalm, I see that David tries to solve his problems but does realize he needs God to get them done. Sometimes we wait too long, problems get bigger and we have even more problems. We need to stop and ask God for help before that happens.

January 9

Psalm 7:10-17

This group of Psalms speak of justice. David sees the unjust not for himself but for others. He tells God that He is a fair God but that there is so much injustice and those who cause it do not seem to become punished. David knows that if he ask God for justice that he will deliver. He will punish those that are unjust. He thanks and praises God for his ultimate justice.

Life is a game and sometimes it seems that it is not played fair with others. What is out-of-bounds for some seems not to be for others. God judges and makes the appropriate decisions on punishment. He will correct, He will punish, He will provide justice.

Our nation just went through a lot of unjust actions, I believe. The political party that seem to rule the country was losing. We now have a new controller in the country and the other side is reacting poorly. I believe our new ruler has God on his side. Maybe now things will be more fair, more just!

January 10

Psalm 8:1-4

This is one of the prettiest Psalms as it give acknowledgment to our creator. David once again writes a Psalm that is to be accompanied by music. I love this so much that I am going to quote in here in full:

"O Lord, our Lord, the majesty of your name fills the earth!
Your glory is higher than the heavens.
You have taught children and nursing infants to give you praise.
They silence your enemies who were seeking revenge.
When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers --
the moon and the stars you have set in place --
what are mortals that you should think of us,
mere humans that you should care for us?

So true, what are we compared to all that he has created? Amazing to me that I can be a part of His great creation!

January 11

Psalm 8:5-9

This Psalm is one of the shortest. However that doesn't take away for its message of God's greatness. David reminds us of the wonder of God, His creation and that He has given man the responsibility to care for His creation. This Psalm tells us that we were made a little lower than God and crowning us with glory and honor. What a responsibility we have been given! But does man really understand that? I am not so sure.

God put us in charge of all his creation, animals including the birds in the sky, fish and the earth. He is a generous God, a loving God, a trusting God, but our we as trusting? Do we give God the same respect and acknowledge Him as the amazing creator that He is by honoring him with the love and respect that he deserves? Let us give that respect and lets us be the great caretakers that God expects of us.

January 12

Psalm 9:1-10

This group of Psalms is giving thanks to God. David explains that enemies are in trouble as God has listen and has judged David's enemies and overthrown them. Prayer is powerful and God does hear us. David has acknowledged what God has done to protect him and to protect us. Our lord reigns forever. He loves justice and rules the nations with fairness. God protect and shelters us and watches over all forever and forever.

How wonderful is the thought of our lord
How majestic, how powerful, how everlasting
Not unapproachable, not standoffish
Like many men in high places

My lord is always there for me
Always accessible, ready to hear me
I feel Him in a gentle breeze
I see Him in the falling of soft rain
His strength comes to me as I look upon the Redwoods
Oh how I love to think of our Lord!

January 13

Psalm 9:11-20

Singing praises to the Lord is something I do not do enough of. I do think of Him a lot and talk with Him during the day. I hope that counts. David is asking his people to sing praises to God and to tell the world about his deeds. David is concerned about his people and he knows God is truly concerned about the poor, helpless, sick. His Psalms tells us what God will do to those who do not believe in Him, praise Him. David reminded us that we are mere mortals and that we will be judged. David prays to God to judge the nations, make them tremble in fear; let them know that they are merely human.

Human, yes. I believe man is so wrapped up in himself that he forgets he has a creator! But as I read more and more, I see how frail we are, how depended upon our creator for His guidance, His forgiveness, His shelter, His gift of breath!

January 14

Psalm 10:1-11

This Psalm, as I read it, sounds as if it is describing today and our current world. It touched my heart as I read it. The Psalmist is asking God many questions, so many "why" questions like we do sometimes. We may not get answers in our lifetime here on earth but I truly believe God will revile them to us in the next life. I do not believe God would allow us to exist in his world without giving us answer in the future. I do believe if we had the answers now, we would not continue to pursue things in life. He wants us to continue, fight the good fight even if things seem too tough for us.

I encourage you read this Psalm again and again. We as a nation have not been left behind. God know our hearts and wants us to know His.

God bless you for reading this.

Seabreeze

January 15

Psalm 10:12-18

Where do we put our trust today? Is it in man or God. I am guilty in trusting outside things before trusting God first. It is easy to get caught up in man's promises toward solving problems. But experience tells me that man cannot solve them and only God can solve or allow them to be solved in his great plan. We need to trust in God first, only He has the power to solve and He wants us to seek Him out, trust Him and have faith that He will do as He promises.

January 16

Psalm 11:1-7

We have come a long way since the King of England when James VI took away what freedom the people had. We are still seeing persecution of believers but we do have so much freedom to worship our creator. Most of us don't realize how blessed we are and how much we owe of beloved God. Psalms reminds us what true evil is like and teaches us how we should pray to God for His protection. He is a righteous and loves justice. If we do right He promises we will see His face some day.

As it says in the first verse of Psalm 11: verse 1,

I trust in the Lord for protection. So why do you say to me, "Fly to the mountains for safety!"

January 17

Psalm 12:1-8

This first part of this Psalm makes me think of today;

Help, O Lord, for the godly are fast disappearing!

I don't know about you, but I feel this past year that there are a lot of ungodly people, especially in high places. It says to quote, "We will lie to our hearts content. Our lips are our own--who can stop us?"

But our Lord is not silent. He hears, He sees and He says He will rise up to rescue them. Our Father is constantly telling us He will protect us. This Psalm is very calming and reassuring.

No matter what our circumstances today, people of the past have gone thru similar or maybe the same situation. Reading Psalms can give us incite to our problems as we read and see what others have gone through. I am praying I will pick up some of that through my journey of Psalms.

January 18/19

Psalm 13:1-6

Once again David is crying out to the Lord. David feels as if God has forgotten him. He feels that God doesn't know him and David feels so much anguish in his soul. He communicates to God how he feels but he also tells God that he trusts Him. David rejoices in being rescued in the past and so David knows he will be again. God has been so good to him.

Psalm 13 has given us a look into how many of us see God when we cry out. We have five areas that we seem to fall into when it comes to viewing how we see God handling our problems. 1) we feel forsaken by God, 2) our prayers are not answered, 3) we are discouraged with life's possibilities, 4) we have difficult financial and/or physical stresses; and 5) we are stuck in a job or family situation and feel hopeless. David was going thru some of these and he reacted by: a. complaining about two of them; b. then he is praying, c. by the end of his Psalm, David shifts and he has eyes on God instead of himself. He is trusting in the Lord.

Let us avoid all that David was stuck in and trust in the Lord with prayer and thanksgiving to our savior. We can benefit from David's trials!

January 20 (no contribution)

January 21

Psalm 14:1-7

It is hard to believe that when God looks down on us that He cannot find one soul that is good or does good. One out of billions? It is more amazing that we have a God who loves us that he cares for all souls given how many He has under Him? Also, I am most amazed that really bad souls can change for the good. In this Psalm, the phrase "There is no God" rings to many of us who at one time or another have felt that way, maybe even for a moment. But then, God does something amazing to us or for us and we see the light!

The poem Amazing Grace, which became a song, tells us how wonderful God is and most of us have sung that song over and over. But just that one verse reminds us how blessed we are to have a loving God:

Amazing Grace! how sweet the sound.
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see.

Does this resonate with you? I hope it does. Praise our amazing God!

January 22

Psalm 15:1-5

This is a very interesting Psalm. It is about who can enter God's sanctuary. What is required of us to do so. David tells us that we must be blameless in our lives; speak truth from our hearts; keep our promises; don't charge interest, on and on. But I am not so sure If I agree with David completely. This may have been true of his time, trying to enter into the temple. But God is always here for us and we can enter His sanctuary just by asking Him. We can be with Him even though we are not in a physical sanctuary. We can be in the sanctuary of His heart! After all, we are not perfect. He will let us in if we ask!

January 23

Psalm 16:1-6

This Psalm speaks of our inheritance! We come to Jesus for his forgiveness but also for his protection. He gives us so much; we have so much to be thankful for. David reminds us that God is our master. He watches over us, gives us wonderful things; blesses us. We have so much available to us if we would be His. We have beauty in land, sky, animals, people. We have the best gift even; life! What a wonderful inheritance!

January 24

Psalm 16:7-11

The One Year Book of Psalms tells us that Psalms 16 references the resurrection! Can you imagine living in those days? Someone you have loved, walked beside, was willing to die for is taken from you; he dies. And then, you see him again and again and then you know he is alive; you touch him and speak to him. What a time to be living in!

"I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me."

We can claim that same statement from Psalms 16, because He has risen, he is alive for us as well.

January 25

Psalm 17:1-8

This Psalm tells us how much faith David had in the Lord. One statement that touched me is, "Bend down and listen as I pray." said David. He is giving us a true picture of how immense God is! David continues with "Show me your unfailing love in wonderful ways. You save with your strength." How wonderful it is to have a God so loving and so powerful!

January 26

Psalm 17:9-15

Such a beautiful Psalm. Much of what is said here gives credit to God for he loving and caring nature. It speaks of the assurance of hope, in this life, and in the next. To think, as a believer, that I will see the face of God:

Psalm 17:15

"But because I have done what is right, I will see you. When I awake, I will be fully satisfied, for I will see you face to face."

January 27

Psalm 18:1-6

David once again shows us his faith in God. He praises God, and tells God how he trust him and knows He will take care of him. David is thanking and thanking God over and over. I believe God never get tired of us giving Him praise.

January 28

Psalm 18:7-19

This Psalm gives me mixed emotions. It sounds like it is out of a fairy tail. It is very poetic. The last stanze, however, gives you a feeling that the writer feels the presence of his Lord. "He reached down from heaven and rescued me..." This tells you of the relationship that the writer has with his creator. He goes on to say that he is delivered from his enemies and is lead to a place of safety. Oh to feel that feeling of safety! This Psalm speaks of a God who shoots arrows and flashing lightning. We who believe feel this is possible because God is so powerful. He is a God of loves His people, who promises to take care of them if they obey. We know He delivers. Our God is magnificent!

January 29

Psalm 18:20-30

I Father in heaven knows when we do right be His standards. He knows when we are innocence. He rewards those who do what He wants. David has acknowledged his weaknesses. He knows that God sees him as a sinner, when he is weak, when he is good and when he needs help. David recognizes that God is all powerful, knows all and blesses those who believe. David tells us that through God strength. David can crush an army and with God, David can scale any wall. This reminds us that we can do anything that is good with God's help.

Psalms speaks of a new covenant. As we look at the meaning of covenant: an agreement, a contract. God has made an every lasting covenant with and for us. His son, Jesus, has sealed the deal for us, all of us. He died for us, for our sins. This is still hard for me to comprehend. We only need to accept the covenant, the gift as presented. What a beautiful gift it is.


January 30

Psalm 18:30-36

This is a beautiful Psalm, like many. Here we read: "For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? Solid rock, wow. We can depend on Him not to wavier, to change, to differ between us. We know no one like Him. We know that humans can play favors between friends, family but not our Lord. His promises are for all who obey and claim his true Love.