acrostic psalms

Until All Have Heard

Posted on by Betsy

Several years ago my Lutheran pastor friend Miriam and I were invited to preach at our town’s Community Good Friday service. It was a big deal. It was the 20th anniversary of this event. Pastors from different denominations gathered together to preach the Seven Last Words of Christ. But more importantly for us, it was the first time women pastors had been invited to preach. Mind you, there were denominations that came every year that disapproved of female preachers, so the organizers were taking a big step. To break the ice, when it was my turn to preach I thanked them for inviting us but noted that by assigning Miriam the second word and me the fifth, they had ensured that a women didn’t get the last word. Thankfully, everyone laughed and we went on.

Today’s psalm is the last writing attributed to David in the book of Psalms. While Psalm 72 is considered to be his ‘last will and testament,’ Psalm 145 is placed in the final hallel of praise that closes the book. It is an acrostic poem, meaning that each verse begins with a consecutive letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Psalm 145 serves as a good summary of David’s life-long relationship with God, praising God’s everlasting compassion, goodness toward humanity, kingship, and grace.

Psalm 145 (Common English Bible)

8     “The Lord is merciful and compassionate,
    very patient, and full of faithful love.
9     The Lord is good to everyone and everything;
    God’s compassion extends to all his handiwork!”

14 The Lord supports all who fall down,
    straightens up all who are bent low.
15 All eyes look to you, hoping,
    and you give them their food right on time,
16     opening your hand
    and satisfying the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways,
    faithful in all his deeds.
18 The Lord is close to everyone who calls out to him,
    to all who call out to him sincerely.
19 God shows favor to those who honor him,
    listening to their cries for help and saving them.
20 The Lord protects all who love him,
    but he destroys every wicked person.
21 My mouth will proclaim the Lord’s praise,
    and every living thing will bless God’s holy name
        forever and always.

Did you notice how many times the word “all” was used? In fact, “all” appears eleven times in the full psalm. Verse 9 gives a good summary of David’s point; “God is good to everyone and everything.” In his last missal, David wanted his readers to realize that God’s goodness extends to every living thing. We can depend on God’s faithfulness to us and count on God to hear our every cry and call. There is a great deal of tenderness in this passage. We can feel how deeply David loved his Lord.

In the end, David invites every living thing to bless God’s name and praise the Lord “forever and always.” How can we do that in our lives? Can praising God become a daily habit rather than a weekly activity? What can you do in this moment to bless God’s name?

Perhaps we can start by widening the gate so that “all” may come in. Think about your prejudices and biases. Do they reflect a good and holy God who straightens up all who fall down and are bent low? 

Once upon a time women weren’t invited to preach but when that gate was widened, it became commonplace. May we challenge the gatekeepers until all have come in and can hear of the faithfulness of our loving and compassionate God.

All Are Welcome

How To Be Happy

Posted on by Betsy

A few days ago I sat down to write and nothing happened. I stared down Psalm 112 and it just stared right back at me. I mean, it’s a lovely psalm, but for some reason, nothing was coming to my mind. I looked at the seagulls, went for a run, ran errands, and returned in the afternoon to resume our blinking contest.

It didn’t blink.

In the midst of my writer’s block, I got the most unexpected phone call from a friend who started the conversation with “That opening sentence that you wrote this morning was one of the funniest things that I have ever read.” I was completely startled and a little scared. He went on to say that he thought about it all day and was still laughing. Because I write and schedule my devotionals several days out, I actually had no idea which opening sentence he was referring to. That was embarrassing!

He encouraged me to keep writing and told me he enjoys reading my online devotionals every day. He could not have known how timely and much-needed that phone call was. I have taken on an additional assignment from my Cokesbury publisher that has a short due-date (the original writer suddenly dropped out) and I just needed that boost of support that his phone call gave me. This happy voice with a happy message from a pretty happy fellow was good medicine.

When I went back to Psalm 112, I suddenly realized that it was talking about this man, and the people in our lives who shine in the dark and are truly good people. He indeed is a man who honors the Lord, adores God’s commandments, and is one of the happiest people I know.

Do you have people in your life who stop what they are doing to speak a good word into your faltering afternoon? Are you the kind of person who reaches out to friends who are feeling low? What a gift you are!

Psalm 112 is an acrostic poem, which means that the first word of each line follows the Hebrew alphabet. Writers liked the order and convention that this form gave their poetry. There is also a sense of completeness, as the psalm goes A to Z … or Alef to Tav, actually.

Psalm 112 (Common English Bible)

Praise the Lord!
    Those who honor the Lord,
    who adore God’s commandments, are truly happy!
2 Their descendants will be strong throughout the land.
    The offspring of those who do right will be blessed;
3     wealth and riches will be in their houses.
    Their righteousness stands forever.
4 They shine in the dark for others who do right.
    They are merciful, compassionate, and righteous.

5 Those who lend generously are good people—
    as are those who conduct their affairs with justice.
6 Yes, these sorts of people will never be shaken;
    the righteous will be remembered forever!

Verses 7 and 8 speak of the hearts of these righteous people. Their hearts are steady, trusting, firm and unafraid. In contrast, the wicked will disappear to nothing.

Like Psalm 1, Psalm 112 offers us the choice of pursuing the path of righteousness which leads to happiness or wickedness that leads to nothing. Pretty simple, yes? Well, not always. Heartache, circumstances beyond our control, betrayals, and other life disappointments will come our way and interfere with our happiness, but it certainly gives us something to strive for.

7 They won’t be frightened at bad news.
    Their hearts are steady, trusting in the Lord.
8 Their hearts are firm; they aren’t afraid.
    In the end, they will witness their enemies’ defeat.
9 They give freely to those in need.
    Their righteousness stands forever.
    Their strength increases gloriously.
10 The wicked see all this and fume;
        they grind their teeth, but disappear to nothing.
    What the wicked want to see happen comes to nothing!

Are you looking to increase your happiness? Read Psalm 112 again. It’s all spelled out from A to Z.

Happiness by Michelle Robertson

Grateful

Posted on by Betsy

We recently studied the passage from Luke 17 where Jesus healed ten lepers and only one came back to thank him. In that devotional, we were reminded to give thanks to God in all seasons and for all things, and never take what we have, who we are, and what our future holds for granted. Some of you commented that it was a much-needed reminder. One commenter said she got “pinged”. When that happens, I hope you know that it isn’t me doing the pinging!

Today, we will practice offering God the thanksgiving he deserves. This eloquent psalm focuses on all the reasons to thank God. We thank him for his works. We thank him for his righteousness. We thank him for the company of our congregation. We thank him for food, wonderful deeds, grace, mercy, power, our heritage … everything. Are you having a bad day/week/year? Read this one aloud. Twice.

Psalm 111 is an acrostic psalm, which means that each line of the psalm starts with a letter in the order of the Hebrew alphabet. Acrostic psalms were written to help people memorize them, much as elementary school kids do when they learn the song about the state capitals in alphabetic order. I know adults who can still sing the State Capitals song. Can you?

I can’t imagine the skill it would take to write a piece of poetry like this and ensure that every verse started with a specific letter in the alphabet. We should endeavor to memorize it for that very reason.

Psalm 111 (New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition)

Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
    in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

Giving thanks with our whole heart is something God deserves from us. Charles Spurgeon put it this way: “God cannot be acceptably praised with a divided heart, neither should we attempt so to dishonor him; for our whole heart is little enough for his glory, and there can be no reason why it should not all be lifted up in his praise.” Wise words.

2 Great are the works of the Lord,
    studied by all who delight in them.
3 Full of honor and majesty is his work,
    and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds;
    the Lord is gracious and merciful.
5 He provides food for those who fear him;
    he is ever mindful of his covenant.

God’s covenant with his people is a pledge to give protection, provision, and blessing. When the psalmist says that God is mindful of his covenant and that he has commanded his covenant to last forever, he reassures the reader that God’s promises last forever. As modern Christian readers, we know that God’s covenant was fulfilled on the cross when he sent his only son for the salvation of the world. Through Jesus, we received a new covenant. Thank God!

6 He has shown his people the power of his works,
    in giving them the heritage of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
    all his precepts are trustworthy.
8 They are established forever and ever,
    to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption to his people;
    he has commanded his covenant forever.

Holy and awesome is his name.

10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
    all those who practice it have a good understanding.
    His praise endures forever.

I always prefer to understand the word “fear” in these passages as “reverential trust.” This word is not meant to imply quaking and trembling in terror before a powerful entity, but rather it portrays a picture of a respectful reverence that acknowledges God’s power and might and our insignificance. Only by grace may we approach the throne. But approach it, we may.

Holy and AWESOME is his name!

Grateful for Sunsets

Wholeheartedly

Posted on by Betsy

Can you name something that you love with your whole heart? Something you love unreservedly, unconditionally, with no-holds-barred? My spouse, my daughters, their husbands (my girls married UP!) and my grandchildren fit into that category for me. Oh, and my dog, even at her orneriest. Wholehearted love is easy to feel for these special people in my life. (The dog thinks she’s a person. Who am I to argue?)

Psalm 111 is a joyous celebration of wholehearted love for the Lord. It was written as an acrostic psalm, which means that each line begins with a letter in the Hebrew alphabet, written in order. It is paired with psalm 112 (also an acrostic psalm) which extols the virtue of the godly person. But today’s passage extols the virtue of a majestic and magnificent God:

Psalm 111 (Common English Bible)

Praise the Lord!
    I thank the Lord with all my heart
    in the company of those who do right, in the congregation.

When the psalmist says that he thanks the Lord with ALL his heart, it is a reminder to us that we cannot love God with a divided heart. We can’t worship God and worship little gods such as privilege, wealth, prosperity, status, or fame. We can’t love God and hate his people. We can’t preach the Gospel and post hateful memes. Divided hearts are not what the Lord desires.


2 The works of the Lord are magnificent;
    they are treasured by all who desire them.
3 God’s deeds are majestic and glorious.
    God’s righteousness stands forever.

Johannes Kepler was a 17th Century German astronomer who studied the works of the Lord. Kepler discovered the three laws of planetary motion, changing the way we understood the nature of earth, the sun, orbits, and the universe. Against great opposition, he celebrated God’s magnificent works through a telescope and brought meaning and understanding to the science community. All of his observations were credited back to God:

“It is a right, yes a duty, to search in cautious manner for the numbers, sizes, and weights, the norms for everything God has created. For He himself has let man take part in the knowledge of these things … For these secrets are not of the kind whose research should be forbidden; rather they are set before our eyes like a mirror so that by examining them we observe to some extent the goodness and wisdom of the Creator.”  (From Epitome of Copernican Astronomy and Harmonies of the World)

Kepler was a scientist who treasured all the works of the Lord, and he didn’t allow the conventional wisdom of the time stop him from his research and exploration. His work proves that faith and science can coexist in harmony when the scientist loves God wholeheartedly.


4 God is famous for his wondrous works.
    The Lord is full of mercy and compassion.
5 God gives food to those who honor him.
    God remembers his covenant forever.
6 God proclaimed his powerful deeds to his people
    and gave them what had belonged to other nations.

In addition to the stars and the planets, God’s wondrous works include mercy and compassion. When we love God with our whole heart, these things should be our work, too. His handiwork is honesty and justice: those who love the Lord pursue these things as well. Where is God calling you to be an advocate of mercy, compassion, honesty, and justice?


7 God’s handiwork is honesty and justice;
    all God’s rules are trustworthy—
8         they are established always and forever:
        they are fulfilled with truth and right doing.
9 God sent redemption for his people;
    God commanded that his covenant last forever.
        Holy and awesome is God’s name!

Today is a good day to reflect on your covenant relationship with God. If you say you love him wholeheartedly, do your words, deeds, thoughts, actions, and posts reflect that? Wisdom begins with a reverential trust of the covenant. Keeping God’s laws brings knowledge and redemption. God always does his part in keeping the covenant…are you doing yours?


10 Fear of the Lord is where wisdom begins;
    sure knowledge is for all who keep God’s laws.
        God’s praise lasts forever!

The Works of the Lord are Magnificient by Michelle Robertson