I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Psalms 23-31.

Today’s passage begins with Psalm 23, which everyone knows, or thinks they know.  Certainly every Christian should know it.  If you don’t know it, please spend some time familiarizing yourself with it.  Anyway, I am not going to spend much time on it today, except insomuch as it contains themes also in today’s other psalms.  I will cover these themes in the order they jumped out at me as I read this over trying to decide what to write today (yes, that’s right, this is one of those times I went over the passage again and again trying to figure out what to write).

 

So, why should I be afraid?  That is what the psalmist asks in the first verse of Psalm 27.  The psalmist had addressed this same issue in Psalm  23 when he said, “I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.”  Again and again through these psalms he tells us that if we trust in the Lord we not only don’t need to be afraid, we should not be afraid.  In fact, it is our enemies who should be afraid.  Of course, it is not enough to trust in the Lord.  We must give our lives to Him and humbly follow the path which He shows us.  

We will be tempted to sin in order to gain pleasure, comfort, or wealth.  If we remember what the psalmist tells us here it will help us to resist the temptation: God will give us all that we need if we remain faithful.  The earth and everything in it belongs to God.  From that plenty He will supply our needs.  Besides which, not only does everything in this earth belong to God, so do all of the people.  Which means that we belong to Him, so we should do as He commands even if He had not promised to care for our needs.  

Let us praise the Lord and sing of His glory.  He will protect us and care for us.  When we sin, He will forgive us.  If we focus on doing His will, He will not let us be disgraced.  The psalmist even has something for those who feel that their prayers are bouncing off of the ceiling: 

In panic I cried out, “I am cut off from the Lord!” But you heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help.

That’s right, even when we think we are cut off from God He hears us.  Do not lose faith. Continue to put your trust in Him and He will answer you.