July 4, 2022: Day 141 – Proverbs 17-19 and Psalms 40-41

We find ourselves away from a story of the return to Israel and Jerusalem back to poetry in both Proverbs and these two Psalms.  Proverbs read like an instruction manual for those who want to be wise and live a life of safety and security.  This how-to booklet gives us things we ought to do: “a friend loves at all times”, and things we ought not to do: “one who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.”

The chapters we read are filled with this kind of advice without any real scheme or reason.  There is no real clear theme that is followed, just a bunch of advice.  When we read these two Psalms we find king David grateful for the faithfulness of the Lord even in the midst of times when things don’t seem so great.  David is able to say consistently and without hesitation: “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.  Amen and Amen.”