Psalms in 6 Words: the first third

I started a short morning devotional idea of putting to my words a thread from a Psalm each morning in a short six-word phrase.  Obviously, they capture only a part of the voice of the Psalm (each Psalm itself only a voice in a large chorus) but it makes me listen to what thread feels “most important” to me this day.  I could do the same Psalms over and over again with a new phrase because there are infinite threads in the tapestry… and so could you.  I’m not always happy with what the phrase claims, but the discipline for me is about let’s six words speak without a need to try to say all that should be said.  I recommend – after spending a time with the short phrase – making sure to read the whole Psalm to understand its full voice.

Here is the first third of the Psalms from 1 to 50.

Psalm 1: “Roots mirror their soil; plant wisely”

Psalm 2: “Nations seek greatness; steadfast love endures.”

Psalm 3: “God’s dead, they say… Alternative facts.”

Psalm 4: “When all is deception; seek silence.”

Psalm 5: “Sigh! Cry! Plead! Marinate in Love.”

Psalm 6: “Dry-heaving tears without end… God?”

Psalm 7: “Not just what, but how, matters.”

Psalm 8: “Everything is awesome; keep it so.”

Psalm 9: “Be a herald of steadfast love.”

Psalm 10: “God, you need to adult today!”

Psalm 11: “God examines the heart for violence.”

Psalm 12: “We follow vileness and it proliferates.”

Psalm 13: “My soul bleeds unbandaged… how long???”

Psalm 14: “We are consumers of each other.”

Psalm 15: “Deeply root in self-giving not blaming.”

Psalm 16: “What god are you following today?”

Psalm 17: “Save us from hearts without pity.”

Psalm 18: “God does as you do… infinite-fold.”

Psalm 19: “Wherever there is, God is. Wonderful.”

Psalm 20: “Personal strength and independence inevitably fail.”

Psalm 21: “God’s strength inspires praise AND fear.”

Psalm 22: “God, You gave me more than I can handle.”

#Ibroketherules #sodidGod #forsaken

Psalm 23: “Stop! Lie down! Rest! You’re welcome.”

Psalm 24: “We don’t own, we gratefully steward.”

Psalm 25: “Don’t forget yourself, God – be love.”

Psalm 26: “My only companion is my self-righteousness.”

#thisPsalmdoesntworkforme #stillspeakstohumanexperience #elderbrother

Psalm 27: “God overcomes fear… ‘God, …overcome fear?!?!’”

Psalm 28: “God perpetuates reform, breaking and building.”

Psalm 29: “God speaks more powerfully than calamity.”

Psalm 30: “Hell is God’s favorite fishing hole.”

Psalm 31: “Literally, nothing goes right. But love.”

Psalm 32: “Silence is fertile soil for sin.”

Psalm 33: “God frustrates us to good end.”

Psalm 34: “Peace is cultivated not simply found.”

Psalm 35: “God, make karma a real thing.” 

Psalm 36: “God trips up self-flattery and deception.”

Psalm 37: “Give abundantly; care passionately; eschew violence.”

Psalm 38: God. Life is royally #^@%*& up.”

Psalm 39: “We are motes of self-important dust.”

Psalm 40: “Living love out loud is worship.”

Psalm 41: “God helps those who help others.”

Psalm 42: “God: tuning fork for my soul.”

Psalm 43: “Hope is knowing the next step.”

Psalm 44: “Our military power cannot save us.”

Psalm 45: “Royal pomp reflects (overtakes?) God’s glory.”

Psalm 46: “God is fearfully powerful. For peace.”

*Psalm 47: <This Psalm is ancient praise music.>

I broke the rules this day, the Psalm is very repetitive and felt happy clappy so my take      away was that it struck me as ancient contemporary worship music.

Psalm 48: “God wraps us in protective love.”

Psalm 49: “Death shepherds those who please themselves.”

Psalm 50: “God needs nothing but desires gratitude.”