Day 118—We have been reading the Bible daily for a third of the year.   What have you learned about God? About yourself?

Day 118 – Psalms 81, 88, 92, 93 – (Songs by Asaph and Ethan, and for the Sabbath & praise.)

(As we saw yesterday in 1 Chronicles 6,  David appointed three men among the Priests to be in charge of the “service of song.”  Two are mentioned in today’s reading; Asaph and Ethan.)

From Asaph’s Psalm 81 – (Can you imagine him leading the congregation in song?)

“Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob! Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with a harp.”  He tells of promises to Israel from their God, “Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways! I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes.”   “…..with honey from the rock, I would satisfy you.”

Ethan’s Psalm 88 is a song of lament, and the congregation would sing it together, perhaps in times of gloom and repentance. (Yes, we, too, can pray like this to God.)

“O LORD, God of my salvation; I cry out day and night before You. Let my prayer come before You; incline your ear to my cry!  For my soul is full of troubles and my life draws near to Sheol.”    “But I, O LORD, cry to You; in the morning my prayer comes before You. O LORD, why do you cast my soul away? Why do You hide Your face from me?”

In contrast is  Psalm 92, to be sung on the Sabbath.  “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night.”    “For You, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy.”

Asaph sings this sweet promise to “older” believers and worshippers of God. — “The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in OLD AGE; they are ever full of sap and green…”

Psalm 93 is another song of praise and worship to God.  “The LORD reigns; He is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting.”    “Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits your house, O LORD, forevermore.”