Psalm 11: The Foundation and the Tempest
Like birds, the righteous fly to the Lord’s mountain (the temple), where they find safety as He rains fire and brimstone on the wicked (a callback to Sodom and Gomorrah: Genesis 19:24). (Note the reinterpretation of the birds’ flight in the Joseph Smith Translation of this psalm.)
Book of Mormon connections:
- Helaman counsels his sons to build their foundation on Christ, so that the mighty storm of the devil will have no power over them (Helaman 5:12).
- Jacob portrays hell multiple times as a “lake of fire and brimstone” (2 Nephi 9:16, 19, 26; Jacob 3:11; 6:10; compare Revelation 19:20; 20:10; 21:8). Nephi, Benjamin, and Alma also use the phrase (2 Nephi 28:23; Mosiah 3:27; Alma 12:17). The leaders in Ammonihah hurl the phrase back at Alma as they burn to death a group of believing women and children (Alma 14:14). After that, it no longer appears in the Book of Mormon.
Psalm 12: Pure Words Like Tried Silver
The flattery of untrustworthy people is contrasted with the words of the Lord, which are “pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.”
Book of Mormon connection:
- Alma dedicates himself to the ministry, concluding that the best way to pull down “pride and craftiness” is through “pure testimony” (Alma 4:19).
Psalm 13: How Long?
Four times, David asks, “How long,” before reaffirming that he trusts God and will sing in remembrance of prior blessings.
Book of Mormon connection:
- David pleads for God to lighten his eyes, lest he sleep the sleep of death. When Lamoni lies unconscious (and some of his servants think he is dead), the light of everlasting life is being lit in his soul (Alma 19:6).
Psalm 14: None That Doeth Good
God looks down from heaven and finds that everyone has turned away from Him. “There is none that doeth good, no, not one.” This psalm is nearly identical to Psalm 53.
Book of Mormon connection:
- Moroni warns that if we stop receiving power and gifts from God, “there shall be none that doeth good among you, no not one” (Moroni 10:25).
Psalm 15: Who Shall Abide in Thy Tabernacle?
David identifies characteristics of those who will live in God’s “holy hill”: walking uprightly, not backbiting, not taking advantage of the innocent. See also Psalm 24, which asks the similar question, “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?” and also provides a set of requirements.
Book of Mormon connection:
- In his Zarahemla sermon, Alma asks a series of questions intended to help his listeners gauge their worthiness to stand in God’s presence. For example: “Is there one among you that doth make a mock of his brother?” and “Will you persist in turning your backs upon the poor, and the needy?” (Alma 5:30, 55).
Psalm 16: Thou Wilt Not Leave My Soul in Hell
David pleads with God to preserve him and expresses confidence that he will rise from the grave: “Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”
Book of Mormon connection:
- Jacob testifies that God will deliver us from both death and hell, which he calls “the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit.” He says that our bodies will become “incorruptible” (2 Nephi 9:10-13).
Psalm 17: Night Visit
David testifies that God has visited him in the night and proven his heart. He looks forward to the time when he will awake and behold God’s face in righteousness.
Psalm 18: The Steel Bow
David praises God for not only delivering him but also for giving him power. “He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.”
Book of Mormon connection:
- “As I, Nephi, went forth to slay food, behold, I did break my bow, which was made of fine steel” (1 Nephi 16:18).
Psalm 19: More Precious than Gold, Sweeter than Honey
David testifies that God’s creations declare His glory. God’s word converts, makes wise, brings joy, enlightens, and endures. It is better than gold or honey.
Book of Mormon connections:
- Alma tells Korihor, “All things denote there is a God,” including “all the planets” (Alma 30:44).
- Lehi describes the fruit of the tree of life as “most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted” (1 Nephi 8:11). Alma describes it as “sweet above all that is sweet,” (Alma 32:42).
Psalm 20: The Lord Hear Thee
The psalmist asks God to hear another person’s prayer and to grant that person’s petitions. He says, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”
Today, as I pray, I will both ask and praise, expressing my conviction that God will hear and answer me.
Leave a Reply