For a full description of the (Y3) reading plan, see the “About” page.
- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
Ps. 17
“I call on you, God, because you will answer me” (Ps. 17:8a). I like that. If I need to ask for help, it makes sense to ask the one I believe is most likely to help. Well, there is no one more capable, knowledgeable, and loving than God. Thus, I can trust Him because He is trustworthy. I can rely on Him because He is reliable. I can seek Him because He will be found. His love is perfect so I can love Him without reserve. God is worthy of everything I can give, so why not give Him everything?
Ps. 35
David asked God to oppose his opponents in this Psalm. But he didn’t stop there. He also said, “and assure me, ‘I am your deliverance.’” (Ps. 35:3b). To assure means to cause someone to know something with certainty. So David was asking God to remove his doubts. To take that one step further, doubt stems from fear. So we could say that David was asking God to remove his fear. That’s one of the many awesome things about God. He doesn’t just ask us to trust Him; He actually helps us to do what He asks. He gave us His Word and His Spirit so that we can know with certainty who He is because, “He takes pleasure in His servant’s well-being.” (Ps. 35:27b).
Ps. 54
I wrote yesterday, after reading about the Ziphites, about the multitudes willing to support evil’s agenda. David wrote about the Ziphites, and thus others like them, in this Psalm. He said of them, “They do not let God guide them.” (Ps. 54:3b). Whether intentionally or unintentionally, such people allow evil to guide them. I mentioned yesterday that those who are not intentionally evil are typically either ignorant, misguided, or scared. This gives me clues as to how to let God guide me. By seeking wisdom, knowing truth, and gaining confidence, I set my life on the right course. Because all of these things come from God, they lead to God. Thus, they are the means to actively pursuing God. When I do that, I can then say with David, “God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my life.” (Ps. 54:4).
Ps. 63
I occurred to me this morning that God handed Saul his kingship without any hardship. One day he was just Saul, the next he was King of God’s people. What was likely many years later, Saul lost sight of what God had done for him. Thus, his heart turned away. David, on the other hand, went through what must have been at least a few years of fairly constant hardship before taking his rightful throne. Because his need was constantly before him, he learned to rely steadfastly on God.
I think God set a precedent for us in that. He shows us the reason that we have to travel through this difficult life before entering into our promised inheritance. It tests our hearts to see if we will continue to acknowledge our need and turn to God to meet it. The hardships we face, if we remember God in them, create a lasting faithfulness in our hearts.