April 21 - Psalms 83; 86; 88; 91; 95
Two
of these things are not like the others – while Psalms 83, 86, and 88 are
laments, 91 and 95 are considered wisdom psalms, which are defined as offering
insights for living wise and righteous lives in relationships with God and
others. They are also considered ‘hymns of trust’, expressing confidence in
God’s care and protection.
Today’s
psalms have a multitude of authors. 83 was written by Asaph, 86 by David, 88 by
Heman the Ezrahite, and we don’t know the authors of 91 and 95.
Psalm
88 is considered one of the darkest and most despairing psalms. Heman is
mentioned several times in the Bible. 1 Chron 15:19 and 16:41-42 tell us that
he, along with Asaph and a dude named Ethan were to sound bronze cymbals as the
Ark of the Covenant was being transported to Jerusalem and during the
celebration that followed. He was one of the three chief musicians set aside by
David in 1 Chron 25:1,6. He’s also identified as one of the wisest men in the
nation in 1 Kings 4:31. I wonder if Heman actually suffered as terribly as is
mentioned in this psalm, or if it was written in reference to others? Despite
the emotional and physical pain described in this psalm, the author still
retains fierce trust in God.
I
enjoyed the imagery in Psalm 91 and had a few verses underlined already in my
Bible. Did any of the verses we read today pop out at you?
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