chapter 2, 3

(this discipline thing is kinda tough for me, but I soldier on; here's ch. 2,3 ... I also realize there's not always going to be a ground-breaking insight, but through the discipline I hope to find some ground-breaking insights)

Ch. 2

This is a psalm about the Messiah (the “anointed one”) … the rulers of the world will conspire against Him (which happened), but Yahweh defends Him in anger, affirming the Kingship of the Messiah. His anger is against the wicked, but the blessed man can take refuge in Him. (and yet, even though His anger is directed against the wicked, the Anointed One takes that anger upon Himself for all who call on Him to do so, even the very wicked that have conspired against Him)

Ch. 3

A lot of the psalms deal with David just crying out to God, being real about how he feels, particularly about his trials/enemies. This is one of those. I find it interesting that one of the comments that his enemies were making about him was that “God will not deliver him.” But then David reminds himself who God is: “You are a shield around me.” He puts his fears aside in light of God’s protection and sustaining power in his life; he calls on the Lord to deliver him, and he again reminds himself: “from the Lord comes deliverance.” And finishes with a plea for blessing on “your people” … so even in his distress, his prayer is not only for himself, but for the people, and, it’s a prayer for God’s blessing – a theme that runs throughout Scripture, starting with God “blessing them” and telling them to be fruitful and multiply.