Selected Psalms: 37, 65

Side note: Our fun-loving pastor, in the course of discussion on the moderately imprecatory Psalm 37, mentioned the smashing of Babylonian infantile craniums no fewer than eight times.

Psalm 37 - another acrostic (skill with words), imprecatory (vengeance is God's alone).

• How to deal with trouble: look out, look up, be constructive.
• vv. 1-3: the above approach applied; extended in 4-6, 8, etc. The whole process is an elaboration on how and why to turn the other cheek.
• v. 3 - "dwell in the land" (being constructive!) usually signifies life by faith (our ultimate promised land, heaven, is still in the future). The older we get, the more that only forgiveness of sins matters.
• Doubting God's control over the situation = doubting His deity. Don't.
• v. 4 - Psalm 46:10. The hard part! How long to wait?
• v. 16 - Proverbs 17:1. v. 39 - struggle necessitates faith. Take refuge in GOD ALONE.

Psalm 65 moves from the temple to individuals' acts of righteousness in Creation - a psalm of thanksgiving. Contrast Psalm 19.

• v. 1 - Christ is the new great Sacrifice. v. 3 - the Atonement!
  
• v. 2 - a reference to the Last Day.
• v. 4 - salvation is not of ourselves! Christ is God's goodness.
• v. 5 - anything God does is righteous.
• v. 8 - all are in awe of God's signs, of which the Cross is the most exalted. Poetry follows.
• v. 11 - God's (metaphorical) wagon of blessings spills some into our laps every time it hits a bump. What lovely imagery!
• vv. 12-13 - the earth is literally coated with God-given abundance.