Psalm_9

Scripture  Psalm 9:9-10  The Lord also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, A stronghold in times of trouble; And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You. Observation-What does it say?  This psalm was written by David, and it is possible that both chapters nine and ten were written as one psalm.  Several things that indicate this include it’s structure being in the form of an acrostic, the first letter of every other line follows the order of the Hebrew alphabet, and it is the only psalm in chapters 3-32 that doesn’t contain a superscript.  Chapter 9 is mostly concerned with praising God for deliverance from Israel’s enemies, though none are specifically named.  Verses 7-10 are a celebration of God’s righteous rule, which evokes trust in those who seek the Lord. Understanding-What does it mean?  I love to eat, which is largely why I exercise as much as I do.  Otherwise, I might look like Homer Simpson.  I have found that I have some emotional patterns in my eating.  When I am happy, I eat more savory foods.  This is when I like to have groups of people over, like at Thanksgiving and Christmas.  When I am stressed or feeling insecure, I eat more sweets and desserts.  When I listen to the clues of my eating, I can use it as a time to reflect on my life.   The other day, I ate almost a whole box of S'mores cookies before I stopped to question what was wrong. On top of everyone’s normal routine being completely upended, I have had four schedule changes at work since January.  For me, this includes having to cope with new supervisors, a different sleeping schedule, as well as adjusting for things like vacation. Of the biggest concern lately was the supervisor change.  My current supervisor is difficult and I feel like I am walking on egg-shells all day.  It makes it difficult to be motivated for anything while I am at work. When I really consider the cause of my stress, I find it’s because I am trying to depend on my own strength to live day in and day out instead of relying on God’s provision for me.  If I were to look to God’s Word when I feel inadequate, instead of the comfort of a S’mores cookie (which never lasts very long), I would be quicker to remember and be filled with His comfort.  Sometimes, this means I need to praise God when I don’t feel like it, in order to practice the posture of praise.  In praising Him, I will be reminded of how He cares for me in my time of trouble.   Life Application  Jesus, thank You for being a comfort in time of trouble.  Help me to remember that You knew me before I was made (Jeremiah 1:5), and that I am more important to You than sparrows (Matthew 10:29), and that You will make all things work out for good when I search for You (Romans 8:28).  Help me to come to You in my time of need, praising You for the goodness I have always experienced from You.    
-Tyler Galloway