Sweeter Than HoneySample

The Comfort of Vanilla 

Joyful are people of integrity, who live according to the Lord’s instruction! Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. —Psalm 119:1-2

The world’s most popular flavor of ice cream is vanilla. It’s a little rich, but smooth and satisfying, without being too heavy. If you’re stuck on what to read or you’re feeling down, nothing says comfort like the Psalms.

King David and his contemporaries excelled in beautiful poetry and psalms that spoke to the very heart. There isn’t a topic of life not covered by the Psalms: love, hate, betrayal, depression, abandonment, victory, defeat, death, sadness, sickness. The list goes on. 

Many of the Psalms start out with a cry or complaint about the injustice of life. It’s comforting to know we can be real by bringing our troubles to God. But even better, these kinds of Psalms end with trust that God is able to deal with these issues because He is sovereign, loving and faithful—even when we are not!

There’s even more to discover in the Psalms than life’s ups and downs. The New Testament frequently quotes the Psalms because many spoke of Jesus: He’s the son of God (Ps. 2), He’s worthy of worship (Ps. 97), He’s the forever king (Ps. 45), He atoned for our sins (Ps. 110). In fact, it’s hard to find a psalm that doesn’t somehow reference Jesus.

Are you hurting? Are you angry? Are you curious about finding clues about Jesus? Find comfort and confidence in the Psalms.

 Points to Ponder: 

• What’s your favorite Psalm? Why does it speak to your heart?
• Have you ever thought that you can’t “be real” with God?
• Read the Psalms and start a list of each time you find a reference to Jesus. What does it tell you about Him and his character?