The Psalms as Windows to Divine Relationship: A Personal Analysis of Psalms 16 and 91

What emotions do you think the psalmist is expressing?

The book of Psalms is a great source of the sacred lyrics of the poems that reflect the whole range of the experience of the people of Israel in their communion with God (Iwański, 2023). Reading Psalms 16 and 91, one can understand how these early written pieces are still significant to present-day spiritual practices as well as a source of solace and direction to people currently in the world. Also, Psalms 16 and 91 show their authors’ commitment to divine care and guidance and how believers can navigate their faith journey and address God, whether they are in a state of serenity or affliction. Notably, Psalm 16 is a praise and thanksgiving psalm, where the psalmist shows so much joy and happiness in the Lord.

Furthermore, based on Psalm 16, the mood expressed is one of confidence and peace as revealed by statements like “Lord, you are my portion and my cup; you make my fate determined” and “I have fixed my face up toward the Lord”. By his side, at my right hand, I shall not be moved. This emotion of the psalmist could be described as that of a person who has found their all in God and in the covenant that exists between him and the Lord (Newton, 2018). This profound sense of satisfaction is almost on par with the many who may end up finding purpose and belonging in the spiritual path they choose in their lives. The implications that one could derive from the message of Psalm 16 are personal and have a chilling relevance to today’s society, where people chase after the things of the world, such as power, wealth, and other materialism, for happiness. The psalmist found in God the only source of happiness and joy, and this is a message that has been lost in modern society, where people are enticed by the lust for money and self-sufficiency.

How do the feelings of this psalm connect with your experience?

One can learn from Psalm 16’s message and focus on the primary source of one’s identity and hope in God rather than in externals. This may look like practicing thankfulness every day, reflecting on God’s mercies every morning, and consciously shifting from focusing on worldly gain to concentrating on the spiritual. Switching to Psalm 91, the reflection is significantly different in terms of emotions but still tells about contemporary spirituality. The central message of this psalm is a deep reliance on God during peril and vagueness. The emotion expressed by the psalmist is the total assurance of divine protection, and that is evident through the pictorial facts, such as God as a “refuge and a fortress” and the protection offered by the “wings.” This assurance of divine protection supposes the feelings of threat, fear, and the unknown that people experience in their everyday lives.

The emotions conveyed in Psalm 91 relate specially to issues of insecurity and fear that many people experience in contemporary society. Whether facing specific health issues, economic problems, or global risks, the psalm’s declaration of divine shield corresponds with a strength that has not lost its relevance. The descriptions of being under the wings and having protector angels are familiar to those who have experienced the desire for protection in an unpredictable world.

How can you apply the message of this psalm to your life?

The practical application of Psalm 91 message to everyday life encompasses a disposition of trust that transcends the mere use of affirmative words or the power of positive thinking. This could entail purposefully deciding to pray over the anxiety instead of panicking, hiding God’s word in one’s heart through memorization, and focusing the mind to consist of confidence in God’s provision as well as the daily challenges faced. The psalm instructs believers to trust God and not lose faith even when confronted with a threatening situation. While there is a certain distinction in what each psalm specifically addresses, some similarities make them useful in modern spiritual development. Psalms 16 and 91 stress the importance of relation to God as the key guideline that would enable facing the difficulties of life as well as its joys. Thus, they show how spiritual literature and poetry of the past can remain relevant and applicable to life today and to faith in particular.

Thus, Psalms 16 and 91 demonstrate that the sacred writings of the past hold meaningful lessons for spiritual living even today. Trusting, joyous, confident, and asserting the protective care of God, these words, even if embodied by seemingly simple people, are encouraging as well as provoking to the modern recipients. As such, every reader can draw appropriate lessons from these psalms and experience the profound personal encouragement that they contain. By their poetic expressiveness and raw passion, these psalms prompt individuals to cultivate a more intimate connection with God and contain valuable lessons for dealing with life’s trials and glory.

References

Iwański, D. (2023). “Rejoice therapy”: Creating and shaping “joy” according to St. Paul of Tarsus. Journal of Religion and Health, 62(4), 2746–2762. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01839-y

Newton, H. (2018). “A double delight”: Thanking God. In www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Oxford University Press. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542699/

ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE

We’ll write everything from scratch

Psalms

Getting Started

The Psalms are a rich and varied collection of poetry that expresses the full range of human emotions. They are a source of comfort and strength in times of trouble and offer hope and joy in times of celebration. The Psalms are a powerful reminder of God’s love and faithfulness and can help us to grow in our faith and relationship with God.

Upon successful completion of this discussion, you will be able to:

• Define the general literary content of the Psalms.
• Discuss ways in which the Psalms remind readers of God’s love and faithfulness.
• Recognize how you can apply the messages of the Psalms to your own life.
  

  The Psalms as Windows to Divine Relationship: A Personal Analysis of Psalms 16 and 91

Instructions

1. Choose two Psalms from this list: Psalm 1, Psalm 16, Psalm 21, Psalm 91, and Psalm 139 (You can look them up on Bible Gateway.) Also, review the reading/video material from activity 3.2.
2. Read the two Psalms you have chosen and then write a discussion post answering the following questions (minimum of 150 words per psalm):
   1. What emotion do you think the Psalmist is expressing?
   2. How do the feelings of this Psalm connect with your experience?
   3. How can you apply the message of this Psalm to your life?
3. Note: It may help you to write your initial and follow-up posts in a Word document before you post in the Discussion Forum.
   1. This will help you edit for clarity, check spelling and grammar, etc. You can then copy/paste your edited text into the Discussion thread.
   2. Copy each of the questions/prompts and respond after each one. (This will help you stay organized and identify which responses correspond to which question/prompt.)
4. Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
5. Make your initial post by Day 4.
6. Post a reply to two of your peers by Day 7.
7. Your postings should also:
   1. Be well-developed in quality by providing clear answers or asking integrative questions that give evidence of critical thinking and meaningful engagement with course resources and/or other resources.
   2. Add greater depth to the discussion by introducing new ideas or thought-provoking questions.
   3. Provide clarification to classmates’ questions and provide insight into the discussion.

Textbook:

•  Spirituality in Nursing: Standing on Holy Ground