This is something that I’ve been wanting to do for a while, and finally today, I decided to begin reading a psalm a day. As I do this, one thing I want to watch out for is not to just breeze through each psalm, especially with the longer ones. I’m afraid I might on the particularly busy day (e.g. finals week), and I really don’t want to do that. I want to meditate, to think and drink deeply from each psalm. I know that that may take time, but in light of reading a verse from my psalm for today (Psalm 1:2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night), I see the psalmist’s desire for the Word of God, and I’m convinced that it’s okay if it takes a long time.

So today, by the grace of God I spent some time in Psalm 1 and came across something that was really interesting-

vv. 1-2 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

That first word “blessed” is plural in the Hebrew, as in blessednesses (or whatever the plural would be). It could be read, “O how blessed!” or “O how happy!” I thought that was interesting to know.

This psalm really called me today to live according to God’s Word. It also reminded me of the Gospel, and the imputed righteousness of Christ, and of Christ as the vine (v. 3; John 15:5). If it was not for the Gospel, I would read this psalm and see myself as being one of the ones in the “wicked” camp, who “will not stand in the judgment” (v. 5). But because of the Gospel, I know that my sins are forgiven and punished, that I stand before God counted righteous in Christ, and that I’m empowered by the Spirit of God to live according to the Word of God. Those truths reassured me today to live with all my might in obedience to God, and at the end of the day, to look at my failures and repent as I come to the cross. God is so good, the Christian life is so right and good, and living to please God in light of the Gospel is the only thing that makes sense in this life to do.

My soul is in the midst of lions;
I lie down amid fiery beasts-
the children of man whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!
Psalm 57:4-5

I am so struck every time I read these verses. In one verse, David’s talking about horrifying circumstances and in the next, he’s entirely concerned with God’s glory. David wrote these words while hiding from Saul in a cave, and with his very life threatened, here you have his response.

My heart is steadfast, O God,
My heart is steadfast!
I will sing and make melody!
Awake, my glory!
Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn!
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations. (vv. 7-9)

How wonderful is that! He’s not just passively enduring a difficult situation, he’s giving thanks and making music and singing praises to God, giving God glory through his response. Will we respond in the same way in the midst of affliction, with steadfast hearts because we trust in Him.

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
till the storms of destruction pass by.
I cry out to God Most High,
to God who fulfills his purpose for me. (vv. 1-2)

The psalm begins with these words, and here, David finds his sole place of refuge until the storms of destruction pass by. Oh how I love these verses, yet I wonder, when faced with incredible difficulty, if I’m more eager to respond in this way than in the way in which we see in v. 5.