Previous Reflections
REFLECTIONS
May 6, 2012 From the Archives of June 7, 2009
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
Psalm 23:1
Strolling Through the Psalms
My grandmothers loved the Psalms. They were so much a part of their relationship with God. The Psalms are indeed beautiful, and like my grandmothers, I find it comforting to stroll through the Psalms from time to time.
Psalm 1 is a favorite. It sets the stage for the others in the way it describes God’s blessing of those who walk with him and the way God watches over us. For the same reason I am touched by Psalm 23, the one we all turn to when we are in need of God’s presence in our lives. King David must have found God’s perfect peace when he composed it. What a masterpiece.
When strolling through the Psalms we discover the depths of all human emotions. Along the path we pass by a trickling brook and feel God’s peace; we feel the blowing wind and his kiss touches our cheek. We face a threatening storm and see his attack against wrongs in the world; we hear cries of fear and listen to his voice of comfort. Our stroll reveals expressions of love, songs of thanksgiving, prophecies of things to come, requests for forgiveness, and solace in times of loss.
For almost everything that happened in his life, David composed a psalm. Each time the world became larger than he was, he talked to God through the verses he wrote. And it seems to me that King David set a good example for the rest of us.
Perhaps we are not gifted poets or song writers, but we can talk to God in our own private ways. We can reveal our weaknesses when we are plagued by the complexities of the world. We can give our praise for the love He gives; and we can express thanksgiving for the blessings he bestows. But we can also seek comfort from the Psalms when things are not going our way. That’s what my grandmothers did.
When my grandmothers faced the trials of life, they would take a stroll through the Psalms. I think they did it right. Along the way, they heard cries for help that mirrored their own; they sang words of praise that expressed their joy; they found comfort that they were not alone in their troubles. I’m sure they felt God’s love for the children He created, and they pictured his artistry in the beauty of the earth. They discovered his majesty when the Psalms looked toward the heavens, and they found God’s perfect peace and love to face the daily challenges the world presents.
In strolling through the Psalms we find comfort when things are not going our way. God’s love and peace are there to give us strength we need to face each day.
“You are the light of the world,”
Richard Ì
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