You Can Read the Bible

As individual units, the Psalms sometimes take up as their theme an attribute of the LORD, as though the Psalmist took up his pen and, meditating on one quality of the LORD’s nature or character, put this contemplation to verse. Each of our Psalms today seems to focus on one of these qualities.

The theme of Psalm 32 is the LORD’s forgiveness: I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. In 33, it’s the LORD’s power: By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses.

Psalm 34 focuses on the LORD’s attentiveness: This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. And Psalm 35 reminds us that He is the ultimate Judge: Vindicate me, O LORD, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me!

In Psalm 36, the LORD is constant, dependable: Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. In fact look for the number of times the word “steadfast” appears here. And in Psalm 37, He is trustworthy. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

Notice, as we often have, that the primary subject of the Bible is the LORD. Though the Psalms are drawn from the prayers and experiences of their writers, and though they are infused with creativity and artistic flourish, their purpose is to grab our attention and direct it beyond them, to see and worship the LORD Himself.

Our verses for this week are Galatians 5:22-23: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Psalms 32 through 37. Now let’s read it!

Psalms 32 - 37

By David. A contemplative psalm. Blessed is he whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom Jehovah doesn't impute iniquity, in whose spirit there is no deceit. When I kept silence, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me. My strength was sapped in the heat of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin to you. I didn't hide my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to Jehovah, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah. For this, let everyone who is godly pray to you in a time when you may be found. Surely when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach to him. You are my hiding place. You will preserve me from trouble. You will surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah. I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go. I will counsel you with my eye on you. Don't be like the horse, or like the mule, which have no understanding, who are controlled by bit and bridle, or else they will not come near to you. Many sorrows come to the wicked, but loving kindness shall surround him who trusts in Jehovah. Be glad in Jehovah, and rejoice, you righteous! Shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart! Rejoice in Jehovah, you righteous! Praise is fitting for the upright. Give thanks to Jehovah with the lyre. Sing praises to him with the harp of ten strings. Sing to him a new song. Play skillfully with a shout of joy! For Jehovah's word is right. All his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice. The earth is full of the loving kindness of Jehovah. By Jehovah's word, the heavens were made: all their army by the breath of his mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap. He lays up the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear Jehovah. Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spoke, and it was done. He commanded, and it stood firm. Jehovah brings the counsel of the nations to nothing. He makes the thoughts of the peoples to be of no effect. The counsel of Jehovah stands fast forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is Jehovah, the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance. Jehovah looks from heaven. He sees all the sons of men. From the place of his habitation he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions all of their hearts; and he considers all of their works. There is no king saved by the multitude of an army. A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain thing for safety, neither does he deliver any by his great power. Behold, Jehovah's eye is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his loving kindness, to deliver their soul from death, to keep them alive in famine. Our soul has waited for Jehovah. He is our help and our shield. For our heart rejoices in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. Let your loving kindness be on us, Jehovah, since we have hoped in you. By David; when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed. I will bless Jehovah at all times. His praise will always be in my mouth. My soul shall boast in Jehovah. The humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh magnify Jehovah with me. Let's exalt his name together. I sought Jehovah, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to him, and were radiant. Their faces shall never be covered with shame. This poor man cried, and Jehovah heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. Jehovah's angel encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh taste and see that Jehovah is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Oh fear Jehovah, you his saints, for there is no lack with those who fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger, but those who seek Jehovah shall not lack any good thing. Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of Jehovah. Who is someone who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking lies. Depart from evil, and do good. Seek peace, and pursue it. Jehovah's eyes are toward the righteous. His ears listen to their cry. Jehovah's face is against those who do evil, to cut off their memory from the earth. The righteous cry, and Jehovah hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. Jehovah is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Jehovah delivers him out of them all. He protects all of his bones. Not one of them is broken. Evil shall kill the wicked. Those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. Jehovah redeems the soul of his servants. None of those who take refuge in him shall be condemned. By David. Contend, Jehovah, with those who contend with me. Fight against those who fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help. Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, "I am your salvation." Let those who seek after my soul be disappointed and brought to dishonor. Let those who plot my ruin be turned back and confounded. Let them be as chaff before the wind, Jehovah's angel driving them on. Let their way be dark and slippery, Jehovah's angel pursuing them. For without cause they have hidden their net in a pit for me. Without cause they have dug a pit for my soul. Let destruction come on him unawares. Let his net that he has hidden catch himself. Let him fall into that destruction. My soul shall be joyful in Jehovah. It shall rejoice in his salvation. All my bones shall say, "Jehovah, who is like you, who delivers the poor from him who is too strong for him; yes, the poor and the needy from him who robs him?" Unrighteous witnesses rise up. They ask me about things that I don't know about. They reward me evil for good, to the bereaving of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth. I afflicted my soul with fasting. My prayer returned into my own bosom. I behaved myself as though it had been my friend or my brother. I bowed down mourning, as one who mourns his mother. But in my adversity, they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together. The attackers gathered themselves together against me, and I didn't know it. They tore at me, and didn't cease. Like the profane mockers in feasts, they gnashed their teeth at me. Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my soul from their destruction, my precious life from the lions. I will give you thanks in the great assembly. I will praise you among many people. Don't let those who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let those who hate me without a cause wink their eyes. For they don't speak peace, but they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land. Yes, they opened their mouth wide against me. They said, "Aha! Aha! Our eye has seen it!" You have seen it, Jehovah. Don't keep silent. Lord, don't be far from me. Wake up! Rise up to defend me, my God! My Lord, contend for me! Vindicate me, Jehovah my God, according to your righteousness. Don't let them gloat over me. Don't let them say in their heart, "Aha! That's the way we want it!" Don't let them say, "We have swallowed him up!" Let them be disappointed and confounded together who rejoice at my calamity. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me. Let those who favor my righteous cause shout for joy and be glad. Yes, let them say continually, "May Jehovah be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of his servant!" My tongue shall talk about your righteousness and about your praise all day long. For the Chief Musician. By David, the servant of Jehovah. A revelation is within my heart about the disobedience of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For he flatters himself in his own eyes, too much to detect and hate his sin. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit. He has ceased to be wise and to do good. He plots iniquity on his bed. He sets himself in a way that is not good. He doesn't abhor evil. Your loving kindness, Jehovah, is in the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mountains of God. Your judgments are like a great deep. Jehovah, you preserve man and animal. How precious is your loving kindness, God! The children of men take refuge under the shadow of your wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the abundance of your house. You will make them drink of the river of your pleasures. For with you is the spring of life. In your light we will see light. Oh continue your loving kindness to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart. Don't let the foot of pride come against me. Don't let the hand of the wicked drive me away. There the workers of iniquity are fallen. They are thrust down, and shall not be able to rise. By David. Don't fret because of evildoers, neither be envious against those who work unrighteousness. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb. Trust in Jehovah, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture. Also delight yourself in Jehovah, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to Jehovah. Trust also in him, and he will do this: he will make your righteousness shine out like light, and your justice as the noon day sun. Rest in Jehovah, and wait patiently for him. Don't fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. Don't fret; it leads only to evildoing. For evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for Jehovah shall inherit the land. For yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more. Yes, though you look for his place, he isn't there. But the humble shall inherit the land, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord will laugh at him, for he sees that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to kill those who are upright on the path. Their sword shall enter into their own heart. Their bows shall be broken. Better is a little that the righteous has, than the abundance of many wicked. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but Jehovah upholds the righteous. Jehovah knows the days of the perfect. Their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be disappointed in the time of evil. In the days of famine they shall be satisfied. But the wicked shall perish. The enemies of Jehovah shall be like the beauty of the fields. They will vanish-- vanish like smoke. The wicked borrow, and don't pay back, but the righteous give generously. For such as are blessed by him shall inherit the land. Those who are cursed by him shall be cut off. A man's steps are established by Jehovah. He delights in his way. Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for Jehovah holds him up with his hand. I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread. All day long he deals graciously, and lends. His offspring is blessed. Depart from evil, and do good. Live securely forever. For Jehovah loves justice, and doesn't forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land, and live in it forever. The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom. His tongue speaks justice. The law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide. The wicked watch the righteous, and seek to kill him. Jehovah will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged. Wait for Jehovah, and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it. I have seen the wicked in great power, spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil. But he passed away, and behold, he was not. Yes, I sought him, but he could not be found. Mark the perfect man, and see the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. As for transgressors, they shall be destroyed together. The future of the wicked shall be cut off. But the salvation of the righteous is from Jehovah. He is their stronghold in the time of trouble. Jehovah helps them and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked and saves them, because they have taken refuge in him.

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