Psalm 44 (summary): We have heard!

This psalm is a lament written by the Sons of Korah. It first of all recalls the good old days when God gave victory upon victory to his people. It is stressed that these victories were exclusively possible thanks to the arm of the Lord and not by their own swords. However now God's people feel abandoned. The authors cry to God to wake up and stop rejecting them. For they feel forgotten. God's people feel they are enduring undeserved suffering and disgrace and cry to God to rise up and help them!

Psalm 43 (summary): Vindicate me, O God!

 Someone summed up Psalm 43 in 4 words: From depression to praise! The psalm cries to God for vindication asking God to rescue the author from deceitful and wicked men. The psalmist says he is mourning and feels oppressed. So he prays for God's light and truth to guide him so that he can go to God's altar where he will praise him with the harp. The psalm ends with the psalmist reflecting on his unnecessary low mood and he encourages himself to put his hope in God and praise him.

Last service

Last night was Philip's last service with us on this trip and we are so glad he came. What a blessing he has been at the Carnival camp, in the Patos church etc. It has been wonderful! After the service last night everyone was hugging him and wishing him a good journey, and sister Veronica said "come back soon because your ministry is SO blessed"! So I ask everyone to pray for Philip, Gylmara, Lucas and Luis to be back permanently with us as soon as possible... by the middle of next year or even in December this year. How great it would be for them to be here for Christmas!

Very Green Pastures

Yesterday afternoon I had a spin out to Green Pastures and with 329 mm of rain to date in this rainy season it is very green and we are making the most of the wet earth to put up some more fencing for our donkeys. Francisco reports many sightings of deer which is great. I saw Picui Ground-Doves, Chalk-browed Mockingbirds, Striped Cuckoos, Campo Troupials and Spot-backed Puff Birds.

Last night I dealt with more pastoral matters whilst Liz and Philip went to the service at the Pastor Frank Dyer School.

Men's Fellowship

Last night the men's fellowship was really good with Philip leading the praise and speaking really well. The meeting was led by school teacher Claudivan. There were 15 men present.

Yesterday it rained another 16 mm at Green Pastures.

Reservoirs

Patos has 2 principal reservoirs and these are taking in a lot of water with the heavy rains now falling. The Farinha reservoir has gone from zero to 79% and Jatobá has gone from almost zero to 30%. PTL! Please keep praying.

With the heavy rains the road up the mountain to Teixeira is very dangerous as trees are falling and rocks and boulders rolling down on to the road. 

I have finished the résumés or summaries of the first book of Psalms covering psalms 1 to 41. Now it's on to book two from psalm 42 to 72.

Last night we had a family pancake night wishing Philip a good trip home to Basingstoke on Friday. It was a great evening. 

Psalm 42 (summary): As the deer pants for streams of water

This psalm of the sons of Korah apparently expresses people's longing for God when they were far away from Jerusalem ("the heights of Hermon - from Mount Mizar - verse 6) maybe in exile. The writers say their soul thirsts for God, and critics ask where is your God? The writers remember nostalgically about the "festive throng" at Jerusalem. People are downcast and feel forgotten by God. The psalm ends proposing hope in God as the solution for all their woes.