However, for a toe-dipper Psalter prayer, having a bit of direction can help one move away from timidity toward confidence. So, I give suggestions. And I talk about my own personal Go-To psalms, psalms that will do for me in all situations, no matter what lies before me. So, the labels are my attempt to provide direction in a more global fashion.
Just as the labels on the quotes from the Christian Book of Concord (BOC) on the Snippets blog, I choose each with much fear and trepidation. What if I label something wrongly? What if I leave off an important topic? SIGH. So, I added this page, this note, to publicly announce that if you believe I have missing or inaccurate labels on a psalm, please feel free to let me know. I would welcome the input!
Just as I long for people to find the solace and comfort in the BOC and thus created a small tool to help them "find" bits to do so in the Snippets blog, I long for people to find the solace and comfort in praying the Psalter. That is, after all, why I have created this blog. Hence, I fervently hope and pray that any misdirection in labeling that might occur is covered by the riches found if you end up at a Psalm speaking about that which you might not have intended to pray.
After all, we have another great promise of the Living Word:
"Ho! Every one who thirds, come to the waters;
And you who have no money come, buy and eat.
Come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without cost.
"Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And delight yourself in abundance.
"Incline your year and come to Me.
Listen, that you may live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
According to the faithful mercies show to David.
"Behold, you will call a nation you do not know,
And a nation which knows you not will run to you,
Because of the Lord our God, even the Holy One of Israel;
For He has glorified you."
Seek the Lord while He may be found;
Call upon Him wile He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
And let him return to the Lord,
And He will have compassion on him;
And to our God, for he will abundantly part eon.
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord.
"For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And my thoughts than your thoughts.
"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth,
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and the bread to the eater;
So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding, in the matter for which I sent it.
"For you will go out with joy,
And be led forth with peace;
The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you,
And all the trees of the field with clap their hands.
"Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up;
And instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up;
And it will be a memorial to the Lord,
For an everlasting sign which will not be cut off."
~Isaiah 55 (NASB 1977) [emphasis mine]
Or, as I love to quote from Luther in Part IV of the Large Catechism:
"That is because of the Word, which is a heavenly, holy Word, which no one can praise enough. For it has, and is able to do, all that God is and can do. (17) [emphasis mine]
Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!
No comments:
Post a Comment