Psalm 11: The Song of Foundations
The Psalms bring us into the middle of the situations that the psalmists are experiencing. The action is happening, the conversation is already taking place, and we’re pulled into it because this is how real life works. We need God’s help in the midst of the mess.
Psalm 10: The Song of the Afflicted (Part 2)
The Psalms offer us an analysis of evil. When the psalmists cry out to God for justice and refuge from suffering, they often describe those who are causing them this misery. Therefore, the Psalms serve as a warning for us. If we see ourselves in these descriptions of wickedness, it will hopefully lead us to […]
Psalm 9: The Song of the Afflicted (Part 1)
The Psalms are often written from the perspective of the sufferers and the oppressed. We are given an opportunity to hear the cries of the victims, and when we ourselves are victims to injustice and evil, we can find comfort in these ancient prayers that give voice to our pain.
Psalm 8: The Song of the Image of God
The Psalms are about God; they are prayers and songs meant to guide our hearts in worship to the Creator and Savior. Yet the Psalms are also about us; they explore the human experience, they demonstrate the depth and breadth of human emotion, they show us the role of human beings. The Psalms ask, “Who […]
Psalm 7: The Song of the Hunted
The Psalms have a balanced perspective on justice. The Bible doesn’t often allow us to see people as entirely innocent or entirely guilty, because even the most innocent victim can do wrong in the way they call for justice and even the most guilty criminal can change their ways and be reformed. There is right […]
Psalm 6: The Song of Weary Tears
The Psalms are much more honest with emotions than we are. We often hide how we feel not only from others but also from ourselves or from God. We might feel pressure to say that we’re fine even when our lives are crumbling. But the Psalms can open a pressure release valve that allows us […]
Psalm 5: The Song of Sacrifice
The Psalms invite us to meditate not only on what we are experiencing and how we are feeling but also on the character of God. They honor the troubles and distress that we’re in, but then they lift our eyes out of our circumstances so that we can see how God fits in with everything […]
Psalm 4: The Song of Sleep
The Psalms are literary masterpieces, some of the greatest poems and songs ever written, and like all great works of art, they surprise you and take you down paths you didn’t expect. They force you to think, to ask, “Why did the author say this and not that?” They are meditation literature, intentionally written for […]
Psalm 3: The Song of the Surrounded
The Psalms are sometimes written out of a specific situation and life event for the author, but they are also written to be sung and prayed by the people of God in every time and age and situation. For example, most of us have not experienced a time when our child formed a rebellion against […]
Psalm 2: The Song of the Anointed Son
The Psalms are global in their scale. Yes, there are many psalms that are intimate and personal prayers, but there are also many psalms that are broad and universal, aiming to give us a grand vision of the world from God’s perspective. Beggars and kings, those who suffer and those who rule — all can […]