Five Psalms for Summer
I love the Psalms probably more than any other book of the Bible. They are so filled with every emotion, and remind me that David journeyed with God in all seasons, and therefore, I can too. The summer I worked at Camp Greystone, the Psalms were the scriptures I couldn’t stop reading. Now that it’s Camp time again, I am thinking about some of the Psalms that meant so much to me that summer I was a counselor. I hope they encourage you too!
“That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.” Psalm 1:3
Summer is a very hot season where I live, and if I do not water my plants regularly, they suffer. The same is true for our spiritual walk with God. The more I come to Him in prayer and the more I am in the Word, the more rooted and “hydrated” I will be. When I try to get filled up by something else, I suffer the way my plants do when there is no water. I want to be rooted and thriving like Psalm 1 suggests.
“He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.” Psalm 18:19
Camp was one of those “broad” or “spacious” places for me, a place where I could breathe and laugh and live without the cares of ordinary life. But what I’ve learned since that summer is that God loves to bring space to our lives, even in really crazy seasons. This Psalm is one of my favorites because all before this verse, David is crying out for help, and God comes to rescue him. God is fierce in love for us and wants to help us in our troubles. All we have to do is cry out and He is mighty to save.
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14
Oh how I want my words and my heart and mind to be centered on the goodness of God! Psalm 19:14 is one of my regular prayers because I want to be more Christ-like, and need His strength to do it. Another gift inspired by this Psalm is Ellie Holcomb’s song “May the Words.” I sing this all the time as a reminder, and it continues to put my heart in the right place to seek Him above all else.
“You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. LORD my God, I will praise you forever.” Psalm 30:11-12
Psalm 30 is all about the love and rescue of God. I love this one for the way David calls to mind all the good things God has done for him and the ways God has been faithful. This Psalm reminds me to do the same thing in my own life!
“Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God? Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once more.” Psalm 71:19-21
Psalm 71 is one of my absolute favorites because it carries such praise of God and at the same time acknowledges that life is hard. This Psalm is my favorite to turn to when I am in a hard season because it reminds me that God is good and in control in every circumstance. I can continue to seek and praise Him even in trouble.