Psalm 86

Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.
Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
listen to my cry of supplication.

For several days the psalms have shown a vengeful God.

Breaking teeth was yesterday's divine preoccupation.

Today, among other similar passages we read, "God will shatter the heads of his enemies, the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways."

I understand God would be justified to offer a crack or more.

But this is not my experience of God. Instead I have known patience, forgiveness, steadfast love, generous blessing and great joy.

Psalm 86