Bringing the Psalms to Life

This afternoon we returned from a camping trip on to the shores of the Dead Sea near En Gedi. The purpose of this trip was to focus on Ancient Israel, specifically a period of time in the life of King David. As Abner, one of the professors put it, David probably didn't float in the Dead Sea, cover himself with black, stinky mud that's really good for your skin, build a campfire and eat smores, sleep out with his friends under the stars, or swim in the pools of the valley stream named after him, because he was trying to preserve his life by hiding from Saul. It was amazing to look at Psalms 57 and 63 that David probably wrote in the very place that we were staying. I woke up in the night many times (partly because I was so hot and right up against the two girls next to me) but immediately forgot my discomfort when I looked up at the heavens that were marvelously declaring the greatness of God. The moon was so bright that I could see all around me clearly. The multitude of stars were beautiful. David must have witnessed nights such like this, even while he was hiding, so that he wrote, "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let Your glory be above all the earth" (Psalm 57:5,11).

Today as we were hiking up a route that David probably would have took, I was reminded at how amazing David's walk with the Lord was. We were so hot and so thirsty! When we were hiking, that was almost all we could think about: must have water! David didn't have water bottles, ice, or premade snacks. Yet when he was hiking/hiding what he longed for was the Lord. He was fighting for his life, yet instead of thinking of what he needed to physically live, he praised the Lord for providing for him and giving him what he needed spiritually. "O God, You are my God; early I will seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water...because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus will I bless You while I live" (Psalm 63:1,3-4a). Talk about the Psalms coming to life! How much more we should be praising the Lord? We have so much to be thankful for. Thankful for friends, food, and water bottles. Israel, life, and peace. And the fact that we don't have someone seeking to end our lives. Praise the Lord for His goodness to us!