I love Psalm 82—86. This morning, I note Psalm 82:3-4
Defend the weak and the fatherless;
uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
Rescue the weak and the needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
As I look out upon the day, I think of who among us lives weak and fatherless, poor and oppressed. At some point in our lives, we transition from living as hurt and weak and powerless ourselves to then helping those in need. And we do so because we need nothing in return. We are so full of God’s love and healing that we move out into the day as agents of blessing and help.
Next, I read Psalm 84:10 and the beautiful words of the psalmist:
Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
So many of us wish we were “elsewhere,” but truly, even standing near the threshold of God far exceeds the joy and peace and even the fun of “elsewhere.”
Lastly, I note Psalm 86:5, a verse I underlined so many times in my younger days that I read with new, older eyes today:
You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love to all who call to you
As this day will unfold, I think of blessing and helping others, staying near to God because nothing elsewhere is better, and rejoicing in the forgiveness, goodness, and abounding love of God.