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. 50
“Our God is coming; He will not be silent! Devouring fire precedes Him, and a storm rages around Him.” (Ps. 50:3). The Bible gives us the same messages in so many different ways. This is one of those repeated truths. God’s righteous judgment is a consuming fire; a raging storm. It will consume anything that is not pure, which includes all of us. If we don’t respect this truth about God and ourselves, we don’t stand a chance. In His mercy, however, He made a way to save us. “Gather my faithful ones to me, those who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” (Ps. 50:5). This is God’s new covenant with us through the sacrifice of Jesus.
Ps. 53
The fool denies God and does not call on His name. Fools will be filled with dread like no other. The wise, however, seeks God. Thus, they will rejoice and be glad.
Ps. 60
Strange. The intro to this Psalm says that David wrote it for teaching at the time of the battles we read about yesterday in 2 Samuel 8 and 1 Chronicles 18. It also noted that Joab killed twelve thousand Edomites at that time. That’s the first oddity. The accounts we read in 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles put that number at eighteen thousand. The next oddity is the first line of the Psalm, “God you have rejected us” (Ps. 60:1a). The accounts we read both state twice that God made David victorious everywhere he went. So what’s up with the cries of rejection? The third thing that leaves me scratching my head is the designation, “for teaching”. I can’t say I clearly see the teaching point.
One thing I will say, though, is that the second part of this Psalm definitely supports the truth that the victories were God’s. David lists out all those places that God subdued under him and quite plainly gives the credit to God. “Give us aid against the foe, for human help is worthless. With God we will perform valiantly; He will trample our foes.” (Ps. 60:11-12).
Ps. 75
How can we boast against God, argue with Him, or speak arrogantly to Him? As He told Job, He is the Creator. He is more powerful than the mightiest of His creation and is intimately acquainted with the tiniest details of every living thing. And, “When the earth and all its inhabitants shake, I am the one who steadies its pillars.” (Ps. 75:3).