–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. 5
In this Psalm David prays, “LORD,…in the morning I plead my case to You” (Ps. 5:3b). I got to thinking about that phrase, “plead my case”. It typically makes me think of somebody either defending their innocence or declaring the injustice being done to them. David certainly had cause for pleading against injustice, as did Jesus, to whom many of these prophetic Psalms allude. However, I then thought that for David – and for us – there could be a third possibility. David could be pleading the case for his need here.
David goes on to point out how God hates evildoers and cannot dwell with wickedness. He later says, “LORD, lead me in Your righteousness” (Ps. 5:8). The thing is, our own nature is evil and our path is wickedness. There is no good in us. Therefore, we can’t dwell in God’s presence without His help. It is His righteousness that covers us and leads us on the path to life. So when we join with David in pleading our case for God to save us from wickedness, evil, boasting, and treachery, are we not admitting our great need for God to save us from ourselves?
Ps. 38
This Psalm adds to my thought from Psalm 5. David’s prayer here certainly sounds like pleading the case for his need to me! David did a foolish, wicked thing and knew he needed God’s help to restore his heart. I think this shows one of the things that made David a man after God’s own heart, though. The wicked people David often writes of in the Psalms delight in their wickedness. David did not. In fact, he was torn up with anguish over what he had done. His great distress came from knowing that his foolish actions separated him from God. They took him off the right path and out from under the protective cover of God’s righteousness. He knew he had put himself in a very vulnerable place. Thus he prayed, “I am anxious because of my sin…. Hurry to help me, my Lord, my salvation.” (Ps. 38:18a, 22).
Ps. 41
There it is again – prophecy of Judas’ betrayal of Jesus! “Even my friend in whom I trusted, one who ate my bread, has raised his heel against me.” (Ps. 41:9). I don’t know how anyone could have seen the prophecy in this before-hand, but in hindsight we see it clearly in Jesus’ words at the Last Supper. “He said to them, ‘It is one of the Twelve – the one who is dipping bread in the bowl with me.” (Mark 14:20). Of course, God didn’t give us His Word to tell us the future, per se. He gave it to us so that we would know and recognize His Promise.
Ps. 42
I can see Jesus praying this Psalm in the Garden before His arrest. Or even as He hung on the cross. He remembered, “leading the festive procession to the house of God” (from Ps. 42:4) at His final entry into Jerusalem before His death. And He thought about the rejection, the taunting, and the moment of separation from His own righteousness that He would face when He took on the sin of the world. You can feel the weight of the moment and hear the anguish of His soul in these prophetic words. Yet you can also grab hold of the very tangible hope, because Jesus knew the outcome of His difficult path. “The LORD will send His faithful love by day; His song will be with me in the night…Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.” (Ps. 42:8, 11b).
Ps. 43
This Psalm is very similar to the one we just read. But I see it right now as the other side of the same coin. While Psalm 42 spoke of Jesus’ saving work, this Psalm speaks of our salvation story. “Send your light and your truth; let them lead me….to Your dwelling place.” (Ps. 43:3a,c). Jesus is the light and truth God sent us to save our souls from turmoil that we might forever praise His name.