Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: Psalm 30 and Psalm 46

As we continue our journey through Psalm 46, you’re invited to memorise Psalm 46:8-9 today:

⁸ Come and see what the Lord has done,
    the desolations he has brought on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease
    to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.

First take some time to commit it to memory and then meditate on it throughout the day in light of Psalm 30, and particularly v.11-12:

¹¹ You turned my wailing into dancing;
    you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
¹² that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
    Lord my God, I will praise you for ever.

Psalm 46:8-9 and Psalm 30:11-12 awaken an awareness that God is at work in and often despite the brokenness of our lives and our world.

The fallen nature of individuals, communities and nations, and the ways our lives are so often a significant distortion of the image of God (and of the will of God), all contribute to the brokenness of our world. In this broken world there are wars (Ps. 46:9) and there is weeping and wailing (Ps 30:11). There are constant conflicts and wars between individuals, groups and nations, and there are constant reasons for agony, grief and despair.

BUT the Lord Almighty is gracious! And because He is gracious, He is still with us (Ps. 46:7) despite our sin, and He continues to work for the salvation, restoration and healing of our world, despite the world’s rebellion against Him. In His absolute grace, He is still lovingly at work to make “wars cease to the ends of the earth” (Ps. 46:9), to turn my “wailing into dancing”, and to “remove my sackcloth and clothe me with joy” (Ps. 30:11).

Praise be to You, all-gracious LORD, forever! Please forgive me for the ways my brokenness and weakness has caused harm to others or to my family or community. Please guide and empower me to bring Your healing to the world, even (and especially) where my fallenness has caused pain. Please make wars and wailing cease in my world today! Amen!