Good Morning, Siblings!

Today’s readings are Psalms 36-39

Click here to read today’s passages on BibleGateway.

Rabbit Trails

Today I wanted to share a bit of how I read the Psalms. If we read it in a different light, they are actually giving us far more information than we realize and I’m going to show you some examples of that from today’s reading so you can see what I mean.

Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes. Psalm 36:1

Now when I read a sentence like this, I queue in on the fact that it is referring to one who is wicked. My immediate question is “What is it about them that makes them wicked in YHWH’s eyes?”. Because I need to know that. In the second half of that sentence we see the answer, they do not fear YHWH. However, we go on to read more of their behavior so let’s keep gleaning.

For he flatters himself in his own eyes

    that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.

The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit;

    he has ceased to act wisely and do good.

He plots trouble while on his bed;

    he sets himself in a way that is not good;

    he does not reject evil. Psalm 36:2-4

From this we see that the person who is wicked in YHWH’s eyes thinks very highly of himself, and that he is so clever he thinks can get away with sin and no one will know. He uses his speech to stir up trouble and deceive people, he doesn’t act wisely or do good. He hatches plots even while sleeping and does not reject evil.

What did I just glean here? You know how I’ve told you before about how we need two sets of examples to live by : what not to do and what to do. I just added to my catalog of behaviors that the Father considers wicked and evil.

Of course, there is nothing new here. We’ve already received instruction from Him to avoid behaviors such as this (and many more we still choose to take part in)  but we are a stiff necked people and for a wise person seeking the Father with their whole heart, these verses serve to remind, reinforce, and strengthen our resolve.

So this is what I gleaned from these few sentences:

  • Fear the Father.
  • Do not think your sin is hidden from Him.
  • Do not speak words that stir up trouble or deceive others.
  • Make wise decisions based on the Father’s wisdom.
  • Reject evil in every way possible. Do not be around it, do not speak to it, do not associate with it, and do not allow it in your home or workplace.

Now, let me show you another way I read the Psalms.

I see an embedded question to us in Psalm 36:5-7

Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
your judgments are like the great deep;
man and beast you save, O Lord.

How precious is your steadfast love, O God!

    The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Did you see it? Honestly, I’d be surprise if you did because my brain just works in strange ways but I want to share my thought process with you in case it might make sense.

Your judgements are like the great deep….

This passage is talking about the Father’s righteousness, His faithfulness, and His steadfast love. But that line about judgements caused me to pause and ask something:

Do we trust in His judgements or our own? I know 99% of us will immediately answer “His, of course!”.

But do we really? Do we really consider His judgement to be above ours?

There is one way to tell. Do we obey Him fully or do we pick and choose what we feel we should obey? Because when we pick and choose, we are saying that our judgement is better than His.

Remember:

People used to ask “what must I do to be saved?”

And now they ask “What can I do and still be saved?”

A wholehearted God requires wholehearted children.

With these tricks in mind, see if you can find more questions being asked and more descriptors of how we are to live and how we are not to live in the rest of today’’s readings. I underlined and circled several in my Bible. It is my hope that this may give you a new tool to use when reading the Word.


Test everything, hold tight to what is good.~ 1 Thess 5:21

We are saved by Grace alone: Obedience is not the root of our salvation, it is the fruit!

May YHWH bless the reading of His Word!

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Christy Jordan
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