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Sweet Psalms of Scripture
In the
Beginning The Book of Psalms is a unique part of sacred scripture. To the Psalms we turn for comfort, hope, and sometimes merely pleasant spiritual reading. We trust the Psalms for heavenly wisdom and Godly solace. In them we find expressions of anguished souls, reaching to their faith in God for reassurance that ultimately good will prevail over evil, and good people over afflictions. In the Psalms we find the comforting words, “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want ... surely mercy and goodness shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever” (Psalms 23:1,6). Would we not be much poorer without such gems lodged deeply in our hearts and minds? Our opening article, “Sweeter than Honey,” considers Psalm 119, an acrostic psalm that is longer than any other. This psalm of 22 parts honors the word of God, the precepts and laws of God, that are recorded for us in the Hebrew language of 22 characters. “The Magnificence of the Divine Mind” is an introspective look at Psalm 139. It considers the majesty of God, and the majesty of our hopes and blessings in God. “Halleu-Jah! The Admirable Lord God and a Happy Man” explains that Psalms 111 and 112 form a couplet with similar form and similar meaning. One pertains to God and the other pertains to those who follow God. “Cursings in the Psalms: Reconciling Them with a Loving God” explains that the future is dim indeed for all the works of unrighteousness, but bright for the Godly. “Psalm 61: A Commentary,” looks at a psalm specially appropriate to those suffering serious trials in the present. “Hear my cry, O God ... when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Do we not all have some experience with this sentiment? The author certainly does. “Coming Blessings” is a look at the well known Psalm 90, and its lessons prophetic of the bright day of Christ’s Kingdom, when the sun of righteousness rises to dispel the darkness of the present. “Blessing the Righteous” discusses the way the blessings of God come to His people, in contrast to the empty claims of some who peddle the Gospel for profit. We hope this issue is uplifting, as well as instructive, for our readers. |