A Devo From Scot - Psalm 9
Dear Church,
I pray our trek through the worship songs and prayers of the Old Testament is encouraging to your heart and inspiring to your intimacy with Jesus, who, by the way, referenced these song-prayers often. Today, I invite you to Psalm 9, which seems a bit scattered. It begins with “For the choir director, on Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.” These opening lines are important. Muth-labben, a Hebrew phrase, means “death to the son.” After that note, the song begins with thanksgiving, proceeds to words about enemies and ends with God’s judgment on nations. I told you. Scattered.
Often there is unexpected beauty in connections that are hard to find, like in Psalm 9. Please take a moment to read it for yourself. Read slowly, hopefully more than once.
Do you ever feel a little scattered? Are you familiar with the pressure of staying on task, concentrating, integrating your scattered heart and mind? It’s a constant battle, especially in a world that seems increasingly hostile to women and men of faith in Jesus. In fact, herein lies the theme that connects the shards of Psalm 9 - the sure, conclusive victory of God and the present, visible, victory of the wicked. Thus the praise and thanksgiving sections (see verses 1-2, 7-14) give immediate way to sections of lament and petition (see verses 3-6, 15-20) without transition or expansion.
Yet this is the reality of life here - this side of perfect Eden and still this side of perfect Heaven. Perhaps Psalm 9 gives you language to borrow for prayer and worship in the midst of the tension, holding fast by faith to God’s final victory while holding fast through the present "victories" of darkness and evil. Say it with me…
“I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders… And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, O LORD, have not forsaken the who seek You… for the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted perish forever.”
While I’m not convinced it was directly intended, I’m encouraged to remember that it was indeed the death of a Son (Muth-labben) that offers curative assurance, by faith, of that ultimate victory.
Hold fast.
I love you church,
Scot
I pray our trek through the worship songs and prayers of the Old Testament is encouraging to your heart and inspiring to your intimacy with Jesus, who, by the way, referenced these song-prayers often. Today, I invite you to Psalm 9, which seems a bit scattered. It begins with “For the choir director, on Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.” These opening lines are important. Muth-labben, a Hebrew phrase, means “death to the son.” After that note, the song begins with thanksgiving, proceeds to words about enemies and ends with God’s judgment on nations. I told you. Scattered.
Often there is unexpected beauty in connections that are hard to find, like in Psalm 9. Please take a moment to read it for yourself. Read slowly, hopefully more than once.
Do you ever feel a little scattered? Are you familiar with the pressure of staying on task, concentrating, integrating your scattered heart and mind? It’s a constant battle, especially in a world that seems increasingly hostile to women and men of faith in Jesus. In fact, herein lies the theme that connects the shards of Psalm 9 - the sure, conclusive victory of God and the present, visible, victory of the wicked. Thus the praise and thanksgiving sections (see verses 1-2, 7-14) give immediate way to sections of lament and petition (see verses 3-6, 15-20) without transition or expansion.
Yet this is the reality of life here - this side of perfect Eden and still this side of perfect Heaven. Perhaps Psalm 9 gives you language to borrow for prayer and worship in the midst of the tension, holding fast by faith to God’s final victory while holding fast through the present "victories" of darkness and evil. Say it with me…
“I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders… And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, O LORD, have not forsaken the who seek You… for the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted perish forever.”
While I’m not convinced it was directly intended, I’m encouraged to remember that it was indeed the death of a Son (Muth-labben) that offers curative assurance, by faith, of that ultimate victory.
Hold fast.
I love you church,
Scot