Truth for the Trenches of Life

While I've not been posting blogs on my daily Bible reading lately, I'm currently in the book of Psalms. My focus for today was Psalms 34-36, and I wanted to share this thought which came to me after I finished my reading.

Check out the "title" for Psalm 34: "[A Psalm] Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left."

The historical background for this Psalm is very likely to be 1 Samuel 21:10-15 which chronicles how David fled from Saul to Achish, the Philistine king of Gath. The NIV Study Bible explains that the name "Abimelech" rather than "Achish" appears in the Psalm's title because "perhaps Abimelech was a traditional dynastic name or title for Philistine kings" (see the commentary note in the NIV Study Bible Psalm "34 title").

But here's the main question: Don't you find this title interesting? I certainly do. I think this title (and many others) show how God's Word is truth for the trenches of life. In other words, the Psalms are prayers, praises, pleas, and petitions offered to God in all seasons of life - times of worship and war, community and conflict, deliverance and disaster, pleasure and pain, triumph and tragedy, etc.

And here's the comfort and confidence this truth breeds in my life: The truth of God's Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path, indeed! Isn't this the self-proclaimed testimony of the Psalter? Sure it is. The Psalmist declares to God in Psalm 119:105, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (NIV).

I don't know about you, but I'm thankful that the truth of God's Word is for the trenches of life. It's not flowery sentiments locked away in the unreachable heights of stained glass windows in the sanitary confines of cathedrals. Rather, it's truth you can sink your fingernails into as you navigate every season and situation of life's oftentimes stormy journey.

I've personally sung through many Psalms and sweated through many others. I've celebrated through many Psalms and cried through many others. I've shouted "Amen" at times when my heart agreed with the Psalmist's proclamation of praise originally uttered thousands of years ago, and I've whispered my own "questions" to the Lord from my heart filled with pain as I saw a reflection of myself in the pleas of a Psalmist who was suffered thousands of years ago as well.

"Truth for the Trenches of Life." I guess, I could use this title for any blogs on the Scripture because this is what all of God's Word, Genesis through Revelation, is: Truth for the Trenches of Life.

May we always thank God for His inspired, inerrant Word! And may we always seek to be doers of His Word by the power of His Spirit and not just hearers of His Word (see James 1:22-25). By doing this, we'll build our lives on a rock which will stand through every storm of life (see Matthew 7:24-27).

Blessings...