RE: Psalm 26

I don’t want to upset anybody, but I think this psalm sounds self righteous.  The psalmist sounds an awful lot like the pompous Pharisee in Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14).  Arrogant or not it’s in the Bible; at times like this it is essential to remember that the Bible is what we call, Divinely Inspired.  The speaker in this psalm is not a religious windbag, but the very Spirit of God, and the Spirit of God has every right to brag.  The Spirit of God cries out on our behalf, here in this psalm and in every moment.  This poem even takes on new meaning when we read it from a New Testament perspective.  Consider the words, “LORD, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells” (26:8).  The temple mentioned is us (1 Cor 6:19).  You and I are the house where God lives and the place where his glory dwells.  He loves it here; he loves you.  Read this psalm joyfully, knowing that God finds pleasure in you and his Spirit intercedes for us. (Rom 8:26)

RE: Psalm 25

No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause. -Psalm 25:3

During times of doubt and struggle I have read and reread this verse until the words echoed in my head for days at a time. At times the world is an oppressive and bewildering place to live. At I do not even feel that I understand my own life. In these times Psalm 25 is of particular value. This psalm is simply a promise that God is worth the faith we've put in him.

There are many little proverbs that we use to encourage one another, sadly I do not usually find them encouraging. Truisms are well meant, but I can't buy into them. It would be better to take the encouragement wherever I can find it, but God reaches out to me, even in my cynicism, and offers Psalm 25.

What do you put your hope in?