Paul uses the disappointment the Corinthians expressed towards him as a contrast to God's unfailing love for them. The Greek gods were notoriously fickle towards their subjects. Our God, to the contrary, is always favorable towards us because of the love we have received from Him.

How often do we think of God as a kind God? Those of us who know His goodness and kindness, we call to Him in love. The peace of knowing His kindness and love allows the godly to close their earthly eyes in death, looking forward to being welcomed by the God Who is always kind to us.

These three psalms of praise fit nicely into the psalter as reflections of the faithful person as this earthly life draws to a close. The entire psalter is a reflection on God's enduring faithfulness throughout life. As the book draws near its conclusion, we praise God for His unending goodness.

Just as the Corinthians were encouraged to prepare for Paul's return, we also are preparing for Christ's return. When we invest in His kingdom, we look forward with joy to see how our "investments" paid off in the eternal well-being of others.

Towards the end of the psalms, in the middle of psalms of pure praise, we have our last Messianic psalm, a psalm of deliverance. Here we confront the evil of lies. We learn how God delivered His Son Jesus from lying lips and how He promises to rescue us from the same.

God loves you even when you don't love yourself! He made you and knows you inside and out. This classic psalm extols Him for His wisdom and love.

When we set our hearts and minds on things above, we are practicing for eternity. It is good for us to pursue godliness for the sake of those we serve. There is also the blessing of knowing that godly love gives us a preview of heaven.

Paul's legendary words, "if there is no resurrection, then we are of all people to be pitied," are recorded in this chapter. We learn how the reality of the physical resurrection of the death transforms every aspect of this life, while giving us unwavering hope for the next.