Psalm 3

Psalm 3

Yahweh, my list of enemies is growing!

I am beaten down by this gang.

Others whisper,

“Even Yahweh can’t come to the rescue.”
Rest.

Oh, but Yahweh, you shelter me;
holy one, you wrap your arms around me,
and you direct my eyes to yours.

When I call for you, Yahweh,
you respond from your throne.

Rest.
I can let go and relax;
my sleep is sweet because Yahweh is my everything.
There is no reason to fear these hordes.
Come on, Yahweh!
Come to the rescue!
Smash them all to bits.
Yahweh directs the rescue operation,
and your joy covers the church.
Rest.

psalm 2

Psalm 2

Why is there so much unrest in the world?
Why do these men use their energy for foolish thinking?
They strut around and plan to fight;
they think if they stick together,
they can take on Yahweh
and hurt his chosen leader. 
“We don’t need to submit to Yahweh!
Let’s run free and go where we want.”
But Yahweh smiles grimly;
he mocks their simple thoughts.
With power and fury, he disciplines them,
frightening them with his anger.

Yahweh tells them, “I picked this leader for my people;
he is right where he should be.”
And I will tell them--
Yahweh called me to this place, claiming me as his own.
He adopted me and changed my name.
He said, “If you ask me, I will give you everything;
all these countries and people are yours.
You can rule them with discipline
and destroy those who are unworthy.”

So listen, you leaders!
Be wise, for I have spoken Yahweh’s truth.
Honor him, fear him,
praise him.  Take joy!
If you don’t listen to me, Yahweh’s chosen one, I will terrify you
and wreck everything you have built.

Trust me, my anger is no joke.
But it is a blessing to rest in my leadership.

Psalm 1

Blessings are abundant for those who don’t

listen to the advice of fools,
spend time with evil people,
or participate in pointless banter.
But they take great joy in Yahweh’s Word,
thinking about and praying over it throughout the day.
They will flourish and thrive,
producing evident spiritual fruit.
They will not wear out,
and their hands will find success.
But evil people can forget about it!
They are dirt and dust, and the wind blows them all over.
Yahweh will pronounce judgment on them,
because wicked people don’t belong with Yahweh’s holy people.

Yahweh attends to the plans of his beloved people,
but wicked people are doomed.

hello, old friend

yeah, i have been absent.  not just from posting.  from reading blogs, too.  so if you have been writing super important things with funny little jokes that i should be laughing at, i haven't read them.  sorry.  i will spend some time catching up on those.

life update: i am still in madison.  still working for dan.  still playing frisbee.  but i am tired.  my body is worn out, and i miss home.  i love madison, and it will always be a home place for me, but it is not home anymore.

i am still looking at and applying for jobs.  waiting on one in particular, but we'll see how it goes.

i decided i am moving back to indiana in the middle of november.  unless i am called somewhere else earlier.

finally, a new little project.  miranda and i are doing beth moore's bible study on the psalms of ascent.  it's called stepping up, and i am super loving it.  one of the things i love most is that we are rewriting those 15 psalms in our own voice at the end of each section.  so great.  really helping me connect to the Word and to the Lord.

so...i think i am going to rewrite all the psalms.  and i am going to post them here randomly.  no timeline.  just want to share my heart a bit in that way.  i welcome your comments.

the end.