Renewed vigor for the Psalms

This past Sunday our pastor led us in placing our confidence to God through Psalm 27.  One of the things I appreciate from that sermon was how God used a man like David to relate human emotions in trusting our Sovereign God.  The Psalms are often laments over enemies, trials or joy in the goodness of God.  What’s interesting is that our pastor pointed out that often times there is enough ambiguity in the psalm regarding the enemy, trial or even goodness – what enemy, what trial, what goodness?  In other words the specifics are left out purposefully so that we can place our personal battles in the place of the psalmist and join him in his asking from God or praise of God.  The result is our emotions interweave with the psalmist’s.  Clearly this is not a hard-and-fast rule in reading the psalms but can be helpful in applying the psalms to our particular situation.

As an example, here’s today’s reading:

“Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!  Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help!  Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers!  Say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation!’” – Psalm 35:1-3

David doesn’t mention who those who contend and fight against him.  David just asks God to fight them off with weapons if need be!  In the end, whomever those who contend with us or fight with us – we can say along with David’s and trust God to be our salvation!