Which Psalm is Your Favourite?

There are 150 psalms; some praise, some laments – no matter what you are feeling, at least one will fit every life situation and emotion. Can you pick your favourite? This week on Kingdom Bloggers, the writers are doing exactly that – we’re narrowing down the options to write about our favourite, the “go-to Psalm”. Which one would you choose?

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I spent a lot of time in the Psalms during a particularly tough season in my life. All of the Scriptures helped me through but the Psalms were my way to vent and express myself when no one picked up my 4am calls (I don’t blame them). Many Psalms are near and dear and I return to my favourites often but without a doubt, I can easily say Psalm 37 is my favourite.

It’s a longer than many, and I haven’t memorized it as I have with some of the others but it speaks life to me when I feel cut off and want to retaliate, and to seek justice for myself. Multiple times David, the Psalmist, exhorts, “Wait, don’t fret, be still.” It’s so hard to do. My soul and my flesh want to strike back at the one who is hurting me, or opposing me, but David writes, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him...do not fret – it only leads to evil.”

My favourite verses are 5-6, “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: he will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” This promise provide so much peace for me – justice of your cause like the noonday sun, only commit to the Lord.

It also brought me comfort when I left women’s leadership. The Lord directed me to step down a few years ago and I knew when I left women’s ministry would [momentarily] be out of commission. I longed to obey the Lord’s word to me but I felt responsible for the women I had been leading – where would they go?

In my questions, I returned to my favourite Psalm and verse 25 spoke to me, “I was young and now I am [less young, but not old] yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.” I was a spiritual mother to them (even though most of the women were older than me). There was a lot of growth during the time I lead the women, particularly in a faithful few, myself included.

We finished women’s ministry on a very high note, which stirred hunger in many of the women. Although we were not continuing with a program, God was going to continue to give them bread [of life]. They would be okay. Yes, they were upset, surprised, confused and worried about what would happen to them but I relayed to them what the Lord spoke to my heart through this beautiful Psalm.

There is so much promise and assurance in this Psalm without minimizing the threats that come at us. It’s lovely and comforting at the same time.

Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace. ~verse 37