Day 118 – Psalm 81, 88, 92-93

Talking Points

• Psalm 81 – Another song praising God. This psalm highlights God’s greatness and His people’s fickleness. Just think of God’s patience and mercy! God says, “O Israel, if you would listen to Me!” (81:8). I wonder how many times God has called out to us, just wanting us to hear His voice and to walk in His ways? I wonder what blessings we have missed when we didn’t listen.
• Psalm 88 – Fearful of death, this psalmist cries for help. He pleads his case: Surely he is better alive than dead. Will the dead praise God? Really, death is foreign to us; everything in us screams that death is not natural, not what we are built for. And, even knowing the provision in death that God has made for those who trust Him, we crave life.
• Psalm 92 – God is good, and it is good to praise Him! A great truth of worship is that we are blessed, we are encouraged as we remember the greatness of God. In fact, God raises up righteous people, causing them to flourish, that they may praise His nature and His works.
• Psalm 93 – Our God is majestic. See all the images of our God through the Psalms. He is great. He is strong. He is good. And, now, He is majestic. Majestic translates “excellent, supreme greatness, noble, stately.” Is Psalm 93, He wears majesty like a robe.

Thoughts

One of my favorite realizations of the past few years is that God is better known, understood, and worshiped when we engage the fullness of our minds. As we deeply consider God, our intellects lead us to more clearly see the richness of who He is. We do not disengage our minds, rather we vigorously use them. In Psalm 92, speaking of God’s greatness, it says, “A senseless man has no knowledge, nor does a stupid man understand this…” (92:6). Our God is infinitely wise, incalculably smart, ridiculously creative, and He gives us minds that are capable of brilliantly considering Him. What a joy!

Lord, help us to ponder, to contemplate, to deeply consider You and Your truth that we might worship You more fully! Lord, thank You that we can!