Many of you who are reading through the Bible are probably breathing a sigh of relief at getting beyond the wars of Israel. You are now in the more familiar zone of the Psalms. As you read through and meditate on the various Psalms, you will notice that human conflict has not disappeared but the solution to those conflicts has been added through utilizing the power of God in every and all situations.

David bewails and bemoans his “falling short” of God’s best but is learning he can trust God in any and every situation. The strength of God’s care and God’s power comes through clearly in the Psalms. His tenderness and love beak into view in Psalm 1 when the writer says “The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need.” That is about as inclusive as you can get. In Psalm 34:18, David reminds us of the compassion of God when he writes “God is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” I have quoted that verse hundreds of times to those who are trapped at broken places in their lives. You can literally take Psalm 1:1 and Psalm 34:18 and use them as bookends for the 150 Psalms. You can put your life between those two verses and understand how God meets your needs and heals your hurts.

Is there someone today that you can share those powerful verses with? Someone who needs to know that God is faithful and in charge of our lives.

Jim Smoke