"Looking for Lovely"

Read Psalm 34.

Honestly, I couldn’t think of another thing for us to do today other than read, study, and enjoy all of Psalm 34. This particular Psalm has meant so much to me for many years. In 2007, I found the title and focus of my blog in the middle of this Psalm.

“Oh taste and see that the LORD is good: How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” (verse 8)

Several times since 2011, my soul has been nourished by the words of verse 18,

“The LORD is near to the broken hearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

Most recently, I’ve found joy in uncertainty through the words of verses 4 and 5,

“I sought the LORD, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.”

The word “sought,” daras in Hebrew, means to tread a place, resort to, to seek with care, consult, and to follow. I would tell you that I’ve sought the Lord most of my life. This isn't a bragging statement. It’s what I’ve been taught to do, and I’m grateful. The past 18 months have taught me to seek the Lord in a new way.... out of sheer desperation. I have trod a deeper place with the Lord. I have consulted and I have followed in a more real way than ever before. He has been faithful!

Yesterday, I told you about deep fears that were uncovered in my heart. I never paid attention to these fears. I thought they were “bad.” I needed to ignore them, control them, and attempt to control everything that brought them to the surface. This Psalm says that God will deliver me from all of my fears, but not in one fatal swoop. This is the long game. I’m learning to tread this place with Him daily, and daily He will deliver me from all of my fears.

There’s such a sweetness in the Psalms. They teach us to live honestly with our human emotion. Stuffing, hiding, and numbing emotion leads to addiction. We’ve already talked about the different kinds. Offering emotion to God and allowing Him to care for us in it leads to the radiance of true joy, security, and love.

Which part of Psalm 34 has meant the most to you today or in the past?

God, speak to us through the words of this Psalm. Teach us to live fully alive with all the emotion and feeling that you gave us. We aren’t robots. We are human beings with the ability to feel. Teach us to do that well. Amen.