The appointed Psalm for April 7, 2020 in the lectionary is Psalm 71.
This particular psalm is one of lament. Lamentation psalms look to lay a troubled situation before the Lord and ask him for help. Psalms of lament are by far the largest category of psalms in the whole Psalter, they make up one third. This may tell us something about the reality of life and troubles and faith. They are not mutually exclusive.
The psalmist opens with a great declaration of faith! Despite the circumstances and opposition, there is assurance in God’s promises:
71 In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame!
2 In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
incline your ear to me, and save me!
3 Be to me a rock of refuge,
to which I may continually come;
you have given the command to save me,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
The heart of this psalm is the declaration of hope in God’s deliverance:
14 But I will hope continually
and will praise you yet more and more.
15 My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,
of your deeds of salvation all the day,
for their number is past my knowledge.
16 With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come;
I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.
May you hope continually in God’s righteous deliverance. God is your refuge, your rock, your fortress; no one and no thing can take that away.
Listen to this song and be encouraged this morning:
https://youtu.be/c-1EFZbxTdw
Paz
Ken
