Posts Tagged ‘Psalms’
The Pilgrim’s Promise (Psalm 121)
Psalm 121 contains “the pilgrim’s promise” for us today as we journey through life toward heaven. The promise is this—the Lord is our help and keeper, whatever life brings our way. Like its companions in Psalms 120–134, Psalm 121 is “A Song of Ascents,” a song sung while ascending to Jerusalem for one of the…
Read MorePsalm 2:7 in the NT: The Announcement of a King
In Acts 13:32–33, Paul teaches that the promise of a Davidic king who would rule forever (cf. Acts 13:22–23) has been fulfilled in part through the resurrection of Jesus. Since Jesus had been put to death (cf. Acts 13:26–29), God raised Him up in order for Ps 2:7 to remain true of Him: “You are…
Read MoreNo Greater Place: Devotional Thoughts from Psalm 84
Psalm 84 holds a special place in the heart of many. Christians have come to worship and commented with the words of Psalm 84:10: “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness”…
Read MorePsalm 22 – Testimony to the Christ
Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow (1 Peter 1:11). “We should read reverently putting off our shoes from off our feet as Moses did at the burning bush, for if…
Read MoreThanking God as a People; Thanking Him One by One
Thanksgiving comes every year, and giving thanks to God is a standard privilege of the Christian life. It is our obedience: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). It is also a way to glorify God—notice the parallelism in Psalm 86:12: “I…
Read MoreNew Year’s Reading on the Book of Psalms
The new year is here, with a golden opportunity to read more and better in the months ahead. Maybe you were given money for books for Christmas. Wonderful! There’s little that I enjoy more than helping other people spend money on good books! I want to recommend the possibility of your working through three books…
Read MoreOpportunities for the Overwhelmed
Author’s Note: I published this on my blog about seven years ago. It seems timely for us to revisit this psalm. – JO Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is…
Read MoreEncouragement of the Psalms
Mike Stalnaker In the late 1800s, Rowland Prothero compiled instances of how God used the book of Psalms specifically in the lives of people. Prothero divides his book into 12 chapters covering the Psalms from the “Early Ages of Christianity” until the 1900s. His book, The Psalms in Human Life, is the result of his…
Read MoreMy Strong Refuge
Jim Oesterwind Psalm 71.3 “Be my strong refuge, to which I may resort continually” (Psalm 71.3). Shame, escape, the plea for deliverance, refuge, rock, and fortress are all very clear indicators in this psalm. If we linger over these words, they help us to understand the background of this Psalm. All these definitive descriptors and…
Read MoreSing unto the Lord a New Song
by John Vaughn Any discussion of praise and worship will be helped by a review of Psalm 96, which begins with the admonition, O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth. Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. (vv. 1,…
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