Study Desk

God makes his people strong. God gives his people peace.

A David Psalm I give you all the credit, God — you got me out of that mess, you didn't let my foes gloat.

God , my God, I yelled for help and you put me together. God , you pulled me out of the grave, gave me another chance at life when I was down-and-out.

All you saints! Sing your hearts out to God ! Thank him to his face! He gets angry once in a while, but across a lifetime there is only love. The nights of crying your eyes out give way to days of laughter.

When things were going great I crowed, "I've got it made. I'm God 's favorite. He made me king of the mountain." Then you looked the other way and I fell to pieces.

I called out to you, God ; I laid my case before you: "Can you sell me for a profit when I'm dead? auction me off at a cemetery yard sale? When I'm ‘dust to dust' my songs and stories of you won't sell. So listen! and be kind! Help me out of this!"

You did it: you changed wild lament into whirling dance; You ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers. I'm about to burst with song; I can't keep quiet about you. God , my God, I can't thank you enough.

A David Psalm I run to you, God ; I run for dear life. Don't let me down! Take me seriously this time! Get down on my level and listen, and please—no procrastination! Your granite cave a hiding place, your high cliff aerie a place of safety.

I hate all this silly religion, but you, God , I trust. I'm leaping and singing in the circle of your love; you saw my pain, you disarmed my tormentors, You didn't leave me in their clutches but gave me room to breathe. Be kind to me, God — I'm in deep, deep trouble again. I've cried my eyes out; I feel hollow inside. My life leaks away, groan by groan; my years fade out in sighs. My troubles have worn me out, turned my bones to powder. To my enemies I'm a monster; I'm ridiculed by the neighbors. My friends are horrified; they cross the street to avoid me. They want to blot me from memory, forget me like a corpse in a grave, discard me like a broken dish in the trash. The street-talk gossip has me "criminally insane"! Behind locked doors they plot how to ruin me for good.

Desperate, I throw myself on you: you are my God! Hour by hour I place my days in your hand, safe from the hands out to get me. Warm me, your servant, with a smile; save me because you love me. Don't embarrass me by not showing up; I've given you plenty of notice. Embarrass the wicked, stand them up, leave them stupidly shaking their heads as they drift down to hell. Gag those loudmouthed liars who heckle me, your follower, with jeers and catcalls.

What a stack of blessing you have piled up for those who worship you, Ready and waiting for all who run to you to escape an unkind world. You hide them safely away from the opposition. As you slam the door on those oily, mocking faces, you silence the poisonous gossip. Blessed God ! His love is the wonder of the world. Trapped by a siege, I panicked. "Out of sight, out of mind," I said. But you heard me say it, you heard and listened.

Love God , all you saints; God takes care of all who stay close to him, But he pays back in full those arrogant enough to go it alone.

Be brave. Be strong. Don't give up. Expect God to get here soon.

Count yourself lucky— God holds nothing against you and you're holding nothing back from him.

Then I let it all out; I said, "I'll make a clean breast of my failures to God ." Suddenly the pressure was gone— my guilt dissolved, my sin disappeared.

God 's my island hideaway, keeps danger far from the shore, throws garlands of hosannas around my neck.

God-defiers are always in trouble; God -affirmers find themselves loved every time they turn around.

Celebrate God . Sing together—everyone! All you honest hearts, raise the roof!

Good people, cheer God ! Right-living people sound best when praising. Use guitars to reinforce your Hallelujahs! Play his praise on a grand piano! Invent your own new song to him; give him a trumpet fanfare.

For God 's Word is solid to the core; everything he makes is sound inside and out. He loves it when everything fits, when his world is in plumb-line true. Earth is drenched in God 's affectionate satisfaction.