Comfort Food for the Soul

You know how foods like chicken soup and chocolate cake just make you feel so good when you eat them? I decided today that the Psalms of David have the same effect on the soul.

80-year-old Harold Sharlin was our service leader today, since Danny takes the summers off. He opened the service by reading Psalm 121, which he reads every morning just after he wakes up. This beautiful psalm leaves behind the Torah's image of God as one who smites people right and left and sends people to war against their enemies. Instead it evokes almost a feminine image of a God who is nurturing and who really cares about us. I think I prefer this God and I definitely like the idea of comfort food for the soul.

*Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills --
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip --
He who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, He who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you --
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm --
He will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forever more.
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