Honoring a Psalm
AM Psalm 41, 52 • PM Psalm 44
Job 32:1-10,19-33:1,19-28 • Acts 13:44-52 • John 10:19-30
Today’s readings contain a variety of lessons for us all and involve some of the Bible’s most notable characters: David, Job*, Paul and yet another group of unbelieving Jews. I had written a long piece, yet again too long, focusing on a nugget of gold from each one. Then I discarded it all and focused on what my heart had been telling me to write about the entire time. I need to pay homage to a special book and chapter, Psalm 41.
For all of my adult life I have loved the Psalms but in 2012 Psalm 41 became a big part of my life. I was very ill for most of that year, and “the 41” as I call it, was a balm which helped me get through the hardest times, particularly verse 3: “The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.” I would read or recite that verse and it was as if a warm blanket was wrapped around my shoulders, and I could breathe again. I could meditate upon not only my problems but also upon the calamities and the comforts of all people of this world. I knew for me everything was going to be alright. And it was.
However, what if my life had ended that summer/fall? Psalm 41 covers that too. I found solace in a verse near the end. Verse 12 reassured me that if things didn’t turn out the way I hoped that I was still going to be okay. I had confidence that I would in that instance be “set in [the presence of the Lord] forever.” David felt all these emotions just as I did. I’m just glad that I did not have the enemies David had to contend with while I was sick, and that I had a wonderful, supportive, and loving group of friends and family.
In my Bible, it just so happens that Psalm 41 and its annotations/footnotes take up all but a small portion of the page. The only thing not pertaining to Psalm 41 on page 831 is verse one of Psalm 42: “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.” What a great way to close a mediation on Psalm 41.
Do you have a favorite Psalm, one that means more than words to you?
Written by Dennis McKinnie
...who’s feeling good.
* Job has been a constant source of inspiration both for its to and fro between friends as well as its sometimes comedic value. The daily readings omit large portions of the speech of Elihu, and I would encourage you to read the entire thing. As he noted, his words “come from an upright heart” and he “speak[s] sincerely what [he] knows.”