SpoonfulOfDreams

The Lord Loves the Righteous I can't say I expected to enjoy Psalm 146 when I opened up my Bible to its page. I'm not into happy clappy at the moment and this Psalm is the first of the Hallelujah Psalms that conclude this series of books but then I have been surprised how I've suddenly taken to these pearls that I've never truly appreciated before. Predictably it starts with 'Praise the Lord'. You often hear this proclaimed in Pentecostal type churches as if it were a Christian alternative to 'wow'. Of course it's a call to give honour to God not a declaration of happiness. I could spend a great deal of time expounding on each verse but instead I'll major on the line that most caught my eye. About two thirds of the way through we are told, 'the Lord loves the righteous', but why would I find that noteworthy? Surely God rewards us for our good deeds. Is it not the righteous who will go to heaven and the sinners who will be toasted? The pro...

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Psalm 23 vv5&6 Its clear from Psalms that David sees God as a king like himself. Just as the kings of his day had vassal kings under them so David recognises himself as a subject king before the LORD. If David has been called to the table of the King of kings his enemies had better not touch him. That God should then anoint him and fill his cup to overflowing should fill the hearts of his enemies with terror for in opposing God's Anointed, the one God has favoured, they oppose God himself. 'Follow' in 'will follow me' literally means to pursue. While his enemies flee, the blessings of God which 'surely' follow on from his anointing will not only be available for him but will pester him till he receives them. But this is far more than...