February 6, 2024: Thursday Bible Study on Psalm 6
Grace and Peace be with you today.
Though we need more rain, I hope that you are really enjoying this warm weather. The Gem Show on Ajo Way is packed with cars every day, and we are only a few short weeks away from Rodeo and its 100th anniversary. If you don't drive regularly down Toole from the east, you may not have seen the massive new mural celebrating Rodeo's anniversary. It covers the entire east wall of the city court. It is glorious in the morning sun. I truly love living in a community where all this mural artwork is considered a treasure. Another treasure that we get to see every Sunday is the faceted glass windows in American's sanctuary. When you come to church take the time on Sunday mornings to enjoy the colorful story of the life of Christ, and once we have finished the Sundays after Epiphany, the DeGrazia stations of the cross will be back up, offering us yet another opportunity to take that last walk with Christ on His journey to the cross.
Today we continue our study of the book of Psalms, #6. In our hymnal the Psalms are included in our hymns for the first time, and though we may not use the Psalm every Sunday, you can take the time to read it and consider how the author of the Psalm understands their relationship with the LORD. (Though YHWH is often pronounced by commentary writers today, it is truly considered disrespectful and offensive to speak these letters out loud. No one knows for sure the certain way to speak YHWH.) In this Psalm this morning we see a person, the writer, who is terribly afraid, spending his days and nights in terror of the uncertainty in their life. They appear to be persecuted for their faith, and they are surrounded by danger which causes night sweats and a host of the health issues that can be exhibited when a person's life is filled with anxiety. What this Psalmist does have, is confidence in his relationship with the LORD, as well as the LORD'S willingness to intervene in the Psalmist's problems. In fact, the writer of the Psalm, uses a rather wily approach to his problem with being assured that God will choose to answer. If he is dead in Sheol how will he be able to stand and shout about his faith in the LORD, or to do any of the things which a living person is able to do in the worship of the LORD. In Psalm 6 the writer is trying to convince the LORD that they are better for God alive instead of dead. In verses 8,9,10 we run into a change in the Psalmist writing and topic. In these verses the Psalmist is confidence already of God's answer. Between the first section of the Psalm and these final verses something has happened. Perhaps the writer has received encouragement for their faith by some caregiver, or person who gives them spiritual guidance in this time of grief. A fairly normal pattern for Psalms is how they are often structured.
First part - The LORD hears the supplications of the Psalmist and then chooses to answer.
Second Part - The LORD acts in the Psalmist's life.
The issue that is in between these two parts is that time of uncertainty which simply means that a person must get through based on their faith. All of this tells us that prayer makes a difference. We must live in a dynamic relationship with God, keeping our prayers going constantly as we deal with the ins and outs of living our lives, knowing how much the LORD loves each and every one of us.
With Love in Christ, Pastor Kim
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