On Saturday afternoons in autumn, one of my favorite things to do is find a hearty stew recipe, throw open the windows, and stream a great playlist of folk music. I once heard someone say that beauty will save the world. I don’t know if this is true, but I fully believe that savoring the beauty in life attunes our attention to God’s goodness. It can help alleviate the darkness pressing in around us by offering a parting of the clouds—a heightened glimpse of light and hope. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I know my life can always use an extra reminder that God is working behind the scenes.
Psalm 92 is said to be a song for the Sabbath. It’s a declaration of God’s justice (v.15) and His faithful love both in the morning and at night (v.2). We need songs like this, songs of Scripture, to bury inside us and remind us what’s true. This way, on an afternoon that doesn’t feel very beautiful, we can sing the song that declares God is just and advocating on our behalf for the rightness of all things. When we meditate on these songs, our hope is restored. And we can find rest again.
In this psalm, we see a lot of interesting metaphors drawn from the natural world to describe the characteristics of the righteous person. Though the wicked “sprout like grass” (v.7), the righteous will thrive like “a palm tree” or a “cedar tree in Lebanon” (v.12). The righteous are planted in the Lord like roots of a tree and will live a fruitful life, becoming “healthy and green” (vv.13–14). These arborous metaphors symbolize—and prophesy about—the vibrancy of life hidden in Christ and the nourishment He gives us, just like water and sunshine to a plant. As we pursue a life of righteousness, our legacy becomes this anthem of God’s faithfulness, declaring “the LORD is just; he is my rock” (v.15).
I love how many layers are woven into this psalm. At first glance, we’re told it’s a song to accompany our Sabbath rest. But in reading the lines of verse, we detect the heartbeat behind it: a desire for all things to be made right. The only reason to declare God as “just” is if you’ve been touched by injustice and, by doing so, participate in an act of rebellion against it.
You’ve probably heard the truism: “All shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.” It was Julian of Norwich who first said it. She was an English woman who lived a solitary life devoted to God during the Middle Ages. Psalm 92 is the undercurrent to her words. They look ahead to a time when the fullness of God’s justice will have its reign on earth, even as we usher in kingdom wholeness today.
We can find true rest in the knowledge that God is just; there is “no unrighteousness in Him” (v.15). But He also chooses to partner with us in confronting the injustices of the world. Oh Lord, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night, – Psalms 92:2 love this reminder. Today and this week in general have been busy busy days! On top my regular job I sell furniture on the side. I had a set of patio chairs go out yesterday and a bench today. I also took some time to make my friend some baby blankets and hooded towels for her baby shower. On top of that I’m also going out of town this weekend so I can’t seem to get ahead of regular every day tasks. While this could be annoying for me I just feel really blessed to have these things to keep my
SARAH D. Happy Birthday!! Sounds like you have had a wonderful day. ❤️
HEIDI – So good to hear from you! I love what you said about rest and agree with you there. On altering your goal – that is not a sign of defeat at all. You are such an inspiration!
SARAH D – HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Glad your observation went well and hope you enjoy the rest of your special day!
SARAH D- that’s amazing! so glad you enjoyed it! and HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! ♥️ I hope it’s the best!
hope tomorrow’s visit goes just as well! :)
Happy Happy Birthday Sarah!! Hope you have a wonderful rest of your day, and glad you had fun at school observing!!
Hi ladies!! Praying for you @Heidi, I’m sure it is a lot. You can do it!!
Just came back from my first observation, it went well!! Was really great to see teachers and the students in person. Going tomorrow as well to see some of the mid-upper elementary grades. Today is also my birthday, so it was nice to have some time off and do something different!! Thankful for you all, thank you for praying for me as I find out what God has for me next. Praying I would trust him and follow his lead.
I needed to read today that I can thrive and grow and produce good fruit. My heart, my focus, my everything has got to be submitted to Him and in that I will thrive.
It has for sure been a season of “surviving”. From moving out, to not moving in where expected, to a lot of back and forth in plans, getting behind, ins and outs of all of our things being in storage, along with all of “regular” life still going on. I’ve struggled so much and I’m so. tired. Yesterday was kind of a breakdown day. I want to stay on a certain degree path I put myself on to complete everything in 2 years but now I’m not seeing if that is possible. THAT realization is very hard for me. I have been questioning my registration schedule this summer (taking 3 classes) and how I will struggle being present for anyone, continuing on this schedule. I told God yesterday, “I just need a break…I need SOMETHING to just STOP.” Part of the issue to is that May is so unbelievably tough if you have school-aged kids. And having 3 of them, one of them graduation elementary school, there is just something always going on. In addition, I am on PTO board and I’m room-parent for my 2 elementary kids. End of year is just insane… Anyway – my point – I’m just tired. I decided today to drop 2 of my 3 classes while I could still get a refund for them. I know the initial reaction is “way to go, that was wise” but it is NOT how I feel. I’m struggling feeling like a failure bc I couldn’t keep up. I’m making my degree-path longer. I set out with a goal and now i’m changing it and that is a very difficult thing for me to accept. Reading the last part of today’s Scripture – The righteous THRIVE like a palm tree; they THRIVE in the courts of our God; they STILL bear fruit, HEALTHY and GREEN. That’s what I want – to be healthy, thriving, bearing fruit. Really pray I can get there.
POSTING THIS FIRST… I had this written out for yesterday but it was such a crazy one-thing-after-another day I didn’t get to finish…
SARAH D: can’t wait to hear how the shadow-days go and if you still feel it is a good space for you!
SEARCHING: if you post on “Mark” let her know we are praying for her support, energy, rest, and strength with such a difficult season for both she and her husband.
CEE-GEE: hope your topical study is going well! I love that – He is already there! HA! THANKFUL FOR THAT TRUTH!!!!!!
This week I’d hoped for a week of “rest” and it is looking differently than expected. Needing to remind myself rest doesn’t always mean being still – or getting to do whatever I want to – but stopping striving, stopping worrying, fully trusting that my minutes are His and He has yet to stop providing for any of His children. Struggling with that today as I feel like I’m just trying to “get through” and I really don’t like that…