“My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad” (Psalm 34:2).

Too often, the boasting in the secret chamber of my own heart has been in me.

And now what do I have? Key “accomplishments” now seem as sawdust and glorious dreams as the fading sparkles of short-lived-but-spectacular fireworks.

May such bitter lessons be well-learned . . . and not forgotten to be repeated another day.

“Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14).

So often, I want peace to come to me. I want peace to happen. I want peace to be.

But peace is something to be sought and pursued. Hmmmm!

“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

Since that’s what it takes, that’s what I want.

(But I don’t like the breaking process!)

I went outside a while ago. I saw green trees and green grass and gray gravel. I know I did because I know that stuff is out there. But I don’t recall any of it registering in my conscious mind.

God’s mercy and goodness is the same:

“He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD” (Psalm 33:5).

Everywhere and all the time, the Lord’s goodness is “there.”

But too often I’m too busy and preoccupied about other things . . . and His goodness just doesn’t register with me.

That’s my loss to my own poverty.

Lord, open my eyes and my heart that I may see and rejoice in and be encouraged by Your abundant, earth-filling goodness.