Soulfood

The Psalms of the Day for the 4th day of the month are 4, 34, 64, 94, and 124.

Psalm 4 begins with a plea for the God of righteousness to answer us when we are in distress. We pray that those who seek to dishonor us would themselves come to shame, and that those who love empty words and seek after lies will be shown to be false. In a culture that increasingly demands that we lie about reality, we pray that YHWH will set us apart from them and deliver us from their lies. We don’t set ourselves apart – we ask YHWH to do it for us while we are faithful in doing what He commands us (v 4-5). We end this prayer with joy and thanksgiving to the One Who is faithful in blessing us from His abundance and giving us rest and peace.

In Psalm 34, we praise the LORD in the midst of our enemies. We pray that He will strengthen us to magnify His name and we invite one another – and our enemies! – to exalt His name with us. We remember all the times He has delivered His people, even us, in times past, and we give thanks. We pray for wisdom and courage to teach our children rightly in word and deed, that they will desire life and to see His goodness. We pray as those whose afflictions are many to the God Who delivers us from all of them!

By Psalm 64 we pray that God will preserve us from those who seek to destroy us with their words. In praying that God would bring to ruin those who aim bitter words at us, seeking our downfall, we remember in humility that we do these same things, and we ask God to forgive us and have mercy on us for the times when we have laid snares for others. May we not be ruined by our own tongues! But let us pray for one another that we would rejoice in YHWH, taking refuge in Him alone and not seeking our own vengeance or vindication, so that we may remain upright in heart and not become like our enemies. Lord, have mercy!

Psalm 94 picks up this theme even more strongly – vengeance belongs to God! We pray that we ourselves, though we may have cause, will not be arrogant or proud in seeking vengeance. We ask God to act in repaying workers of evil for their wicked deeds and words. We ask Him for mercy in disciplining us for our good – that in the chastisement we receive from God in afflictions and trials, that we would learn from them and remain righteous rather than falling into pits of despair, bitterness, resentment, and rebellion. Rather than justifying and vindicating ourselves and slipping into self-righteous anger, we ask God that we would rely instead on His hesed (steadfast love) to hold us up and that we would be cheered by His consolations. Let us pray for one another that we would be people who take refuge in God our rock, not in any other!

Psalm 124 is a psalm of praise and victory in which we give thanks to the LORD for delivering us! We have not been left in our sin and misery, but are those whose help is YHWH, the creator of heaven and earth. Thanks be to God!