May 19,2025 - Psalms 1-5

A statement I make every time I begin the book of Psalms:  “If pushed to name my favorite book of the Old Testament (A hard thing to do because every book is from God and essential to the story.), I suppose I would say the Psalms.  Here are the testimonies of faithful saints who experienced the same joys and sorrows we all face.  Their testimonies are our testimonies.  Hear David.  Distraught, threatened by foes, he cries out to God who is his shield.

O Lord, how many are my foes!

      Many are rising against me;

many are saying of my soul,

      “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah

But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,

      my glory, and the lifter of my head. ­(Psalm 3:1-3)

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

      You have given me relief when I was in distress.

      Be gracious to me and hear my prayer! (Psalm 4:1)

Give ear to my words, O Lord;

      consider my groaning.

Give attention to the sound of my cry,

      my King and my God,

      for to you do I pray.

 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice. (Psalm 5:1-3)

New ev’ry morning is the love

our waking and uprising prove;

through sleep and darkness safely brought,

restored to life and pow’r and thought.

New mercies, each returning day,

hover around us while we pray;

new perils past, new sins forgiv’n,

new thoughts of God, new hopes of heav’n.   --John Keble (1822)