Last week I spent some time flipping through the first half of the Psalms. I was looking for major themes, similarities that jumped out, stuff I miss when I’m reading one at a time. Here are three major thoughts from Psalms 1-75:
- There is an inseparable link between God’s character and His blessing. God is totally authentic. Every interaction He has with us in an overflow of part of His character.
- David cried out a lot - but he wasn’t needy. In Psalm 73:26 David says, My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart; and my portion forever. I’ve always loved the power of the thought of God as our portion - all we need. Everything. No seconds, extras or fillers. God is it. For David, God was his portion and when he cried out to Him, every need was met
- Many Psalms begin in lament and rise to trust. David would cry out to God and through his time with God, David would be built up in trust for His Father and end His prayer with his life submitted faithfully before God.
One thing is for sure, David’s relationship with God was unlike anything else. It was a blessing David never knew to ask for, yet certainly did not take for granted. He was totally dependent on God, yet he wasn’t outside community on earth. His God was his portion and his community was support to that relationship, not substitute for it.
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