June 10 - Psalms 88-90
In Psalm 88 Heman expresses his distress to the Lord. There is no doubt that he is hurting. The question in my mind is, "why is he hurting so badly?" I see two choices. He could be suffering the wrath of God because of unconfessed sin in his life. He makes several references to the fact that it is God who has laid him in the lowest pit and that His wrath lies heavy upon him. If this is the reason for his suffering, he should confess his sin and be restored in his relationship with God, so the pain can be relieved. However, sometimes people are guided by pride or selfishness, and they refuse to do what they know needs to be done to remove sin from their lives. The second option is that Heman is depressed. The pain he is experiencing comes from hopelessness. Things are not as bad as they appear to him, but he can't see the light, because he is drowning in his depression. I think this is the most likely reason for his pain, because he speaks of being afflicted and ready to die from his youth. He says that his loved ones and friends are far from him. His depression has brought him to the place where he can't see the goodness and grace of God. Satan uses this weapon often. If you suffer from depression, remember I Corinthians 10:13, and realize that nothing is ever hopeless with God. Get medical help if you need it, and turn your heart over to the Lord instead of only seeing your troubles. Get out of your house and hang around positive people who will lift you up. Spend time in prayer and reading the Word of God. Find His promises and trust them for your life and future. You don't have to stay depressed.
Psalm 89 is a good example of a psalm that emphasizes the faithfulness of God. It speaks of His covenant with David and His blessings on his family, but it is using David as an example of what God can and will do for someone who trusts Him. When David's family turned from God, there was punishment, but God never broke His covenant, because Jesus came from David's family, and He will reign forever. God is so good! You can always count on what He says.
Psalm 90 is a very important psalm for me. Life is short. Don't waste it on labor and sorrow. Ask God to teach you to number your days, so you can live wisely. If you will follow the creator's design for life, you will have a wonderful life. If you follow your way, your life will be in vain. When God afflicts you, it is to turn you back to Him and away from the sin that would destroy your life. He knows that life is like a sleep, so we don't have long to get things right. I hope you have found that God is your refuge, and abiding in Him brings an abundant life.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Psalms 91-94.
Psalm 89 is a good example of a psalm that emphasizes the faithfulness of God. It speaks of His covenant with David and His blessings on his family, but it is using David as an example of what God can and will do for someone who trusts Him. When David's family turned from God, there was punishment, but God never broke His covenant, because Jesus came from David's family, and He will reign forever. God is so good! You can always count on what He says.
Psalm 90 is a very important psalm for me. Life is short. Don't waste it on labor and sorrow. Ask God to teach you to number your days, so you can live wisely. If you will follow the creator's design for life, you will have a wonderful life. If you follow your way, your life will be in vain. When God afflicts you, it is to turn you back to Him and away from the sin that would destroy your life. He knows that life is like a sleep, so we don't have long to get things right. I hope you have found that God is your refuge, and abiding in Him brings an abundant life.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Psalms 91-94.