June 2 A READ PSALMS 7–12
Let’s Just Praise the Lord
OVERVIEW
The enemies of God’s people are also the enemies of God. Responding to these enemies is David’s burden in each of the psalms in today’s reading. In the face of dangerous opposition, David seeks God’s justice (Psalm 7), protection (9–10), and deliverance (11–12). The God who created people to rule over his creation is the God who will one day silence and subdue his enemies (8).
MY DAILY WALK
A famous author once commented that “one of the difficulties in language is that all our words have lost their edge from loose usage.” Sadly, the church is not immune to this phenomenon. Almost before you realize what’s happening, words that once prompted heartfelt response have turned into empty shells.
The exercise of praising God never became a well-worn routine for David. Rather, it involved a deliberate, reasoned response to God. The first two verses of Psalm 9 summarize David’s pattern of praise. First, he rejoices in God’s person; then, he publicly proclaims God’s wondrous ways. Put them together, and you have meditation turned into communication, inward delight turned into outward demonstration. In a word, praise.
Try David’s plan for praising the Lord. Take an aspect of God’s character that you discover while reading today’s passage, and translate it into the language of praise to God by singing a hymn, composing a short poem of praise, or reading aloud the words of Psalm 9.
ONE WHO IS SINCERE IS SINCERE IN ALL PLACES AND AT ALL TIMES.
INSIGHT
The Psalm with the Split Personality | Ps. 10:1-18
The absence of a title in Psalm 10 and the sequence of initial letters in the Hebrew text (every other verse of Psalms 9–10 begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, forming a handy and memorable acrostic) have led many commentators to conclude that Psalms 9–10 were originally one long song composed by David.
A psalm* of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush of the tribe of Benjamin.
1I come to you for protection, O LORD my God.
Save me from my persecutors—rescue me!
2If you don’t, they will maul me like a lion,
tearing me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
3O LORD my God, if I have done wrong
or am guilty of injustice,
4if I have betrayed a friend
or plundered my enemy without cause,
5then let my enemies capture me.
Let them trample me into the ground
and drag my honor in the dust.
Interlude
6Arise, O LORD, in anger!
Stand up against the fury of my enemies!
Wake up, my God, and bring justice!
7Gather the nations before you.
Rule over them from on high.
8The LORD judges the nations.
Declare me righteous, O LORD,
for I am innocent, O Most High!
9End the evil of those who are wicked,
and defend the righteous.
For you look deep within the mind and heart,
O righteous God.
10God is my shield,
saving those whose hearts are true and right.
11God is an honest judge.
He is angry with the wicked every day.
12If a person does not repent,
God* will sharpen his sword;
he will bend and string his bow.
13He will prepare his deadly weapons
and shoot his flaming arrows.
14The wicked conceive evil;
they are pregnant with trouble
and give birth to lies.
15They dig a deep pit to trap others,
then fall into it themselves.
16The trouble they make for others backfires on them.
The violence they plan falls on their own heads.
17I will thank the LORD because he is just;
I will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.