The love of God as manifested in the Psalms
As the poets say; love is a many splendid things. This is true not only of the love a man has for a woman and a woman for a man, but love in general. There is nothing in this life any greater or more important than love, and specifically the love of God.
From a tender heart springs wonderful shoots that grow into mighty trees producing delectable fruit. By our fruit we are known, but to produce fruit that is appealing and bursting with flavor, there must first be a heart tenderized by the love of God.
The greatest love story ever told was of course how God so loved the world that He gave us His only son. The second greatest love story ever told was how Jesus so loved us that he willingly gave his life on our behalf. Unknown to many, perhaps the next great love story (other than the Song of Solomon) is found in the undying love and adoration David had for his God as manifested throughout the book of Psalms.
If one read the psalms written by David, the entire range of emotion is conveyed. At times David absolutely adored God and loved Him as a man loves a woman. Other times he was angry at God because he did not understand what God was doing. Other times he was distressed and full of anxiety; at these times he poured out his heart before his God. Still other times he was afraid of God and of His power and might.
There were many times when David was extremely thankful for all God had done for him, so much so that an entire psalm is nothing but pure praise. Other times, without knowing the context, one would think David almost despised God. At times when he felt crushed, David would write in a way some would say meant he was depressed. Perhaps he was, for he was a man, and men get depressed at times.
David spent years hiding from Saul while being hunted as prey by him. Cowering in dark and cold caves, David would plead with God for help, strength and wisdom. Lying with his face on the ground, knowing he had sinned against the Lord, David would beg God for forgiveness, mercy and kindness. Standing with the people, rejoicing in a victory God had given; David would cry out psalms of deliverance and triumph through his God.
David was not a well educated man. His education came in fields, watching over the flocks for his dad. David did not receive degrees from any colleges or universities. His degrees were earned through his years of learning how to survive and win. David was taught by God himself on many matters. Learning directly from the greatest teacher allowed him to become His star pupil.
David was a man of war. He was a soldier whose mission involved the physical destruction of the enemy. He communicated this warrior mentality in many psalms. David was a man of incredible compassion. Much of all he wrote has a thread of compassion running through it. David was a man who delighted in obeying God's Word more than anything else in life. His heart's greatest desire was to please God and to do His will.
Why are the Psalms in the Bible? They are there to learn about and see God's heart as manifested by a man who was after God's own heart. They are there to provide comfort when we are hurting. They are there to give us inspiration when we are down. They are there to heal our hearts when they are broken and lift our hearts when crushed.
The Psalms are a mirror that when looked at honestly from the heart, reflect the very heart of God in a man. The Psalms are for those who love God with all their heart. The Psalms are in the center of the Bible to remind us to go there often to drink of their living waters, eat of their tender meat and to wear their precious jewels of wisdom and understanding.
In this month when people are consumed with the subject of love; perhaps it would be a very good idea to spend some time curled up with a blanket and some hot tea and the book of Psalms. For some reason, I believe this is exactly what David would be doing if he were living among us today. I pray we never forget that in matters of love and the heart; the first and great commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Perhaps the heart of Almighty God might be tenderly touched by receiving a valentine from you today.
 Creative Commons: Public Domain
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Author: blessings2you
Location: Warrenton Missouri USA
Gender: Male
Age: 57
Blog Entries: 822 (archive)
Blog Comments: 4
god called me to serve him when i was 16 years old while on a church work trip in new mexico in 1969. in the 40 years since; i attended bible school/leadership training, been ordained to the christian ministry and worked full time for a non-denominational ministry for nearly ten...
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in 1969 god stepped in and transformed my life as a sixteen year old teenager. after a couple of years of intense emotional ups and downs, i decided i needed a firm foundation in my life that went beyond emotional experiences. it was the decision to become involved with a...
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