WISDOM FROM THE PSALMS -- ISRAEL'S SONG BOOK

For me, the Psalms have a wonderful way of putting things in perspective, of giving us a deeper, more complete view of the challenges we face in our day-to-day lives. Perhaps it's their honesty their willingness to address God personally in both good times and bad that has brought me back to these ancient Hebrew prayers time and again, as it has men and women of God for millennia.

The Psalmist sings praises to God's glory, cries out to Him from the depths of his despair, laments what he believes to be God's absence from his life, and even freely express his doubts before God. But what's powerful is that the Psalms don't just voice our emotions they remind us of God's character. In them, we come to know God as Creator, Sustainer, Healer, and Redeemer. We are shown His overwhelming power and sovereignty over the world.

The themes of God's power and sovereignty are especially evident in Psalm 76 and Psalm 8. They were meaningful in biblical times because then, as today, Israel was surrounded by fierce foes bent on her destruction. Psalm 76 serves as a sobering reminder of God's power. It leaves no question that it is God alone who rules the earth. David speaks of the invincibility of God in battle, and the futility of trying to stand against Him and His chosen people. Psalm 76 reassures the people of Israel that they can have confidence in God as their Defender.

In Psalm 8, David uses the personal name of God that He gave to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14): Ya-hweh, the God of Israel's covenant. God's majestic name is wonderfully appropriate to this psalm. God is personal in His interaction with His creation, being mindful of mankind and caring for us and yet, He is also transcendent, the Master of creation who rules over all.

This psalm reminds us to have a childlike sense of awe and wonder when it comes to the display of God's glory. His great love for mankind is shown in that He cared enough to place us just beneath the angels in rank of creation. Verse 9 ends the psalm the way it started, extolling the Lord's majesty.

Are we in awe of God's greatness? Do we sometimes forget that He is our ultimate defender and protector? Both of these psalms remind us to have the proper attitude when coming before God. It is both exhilarating and humbling to know that He goes ahead of us in our challenges, and that we are objects of His tender affection and care. May we always be awed by the things of God. And may we, like David, always be reminded of God's power, and his sovereignty over all things.

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein