The perspective of  Psalm 9 is simultaneously wide and narrow. It begins with a personal “I” responding to God with “my whole heart” (9:1). The camera comes in for a closeup on me and my response. But what I am responding to are ALL God’s wonderful deeds. With just one line, the camera bolts from one individual to… Read More ›

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. (Psalm 8:1-2) The first two verses of Psalm 8 make no sense next to each other. God’s majesty is… Read More ›

I often pray the psalms. But sometimes, a particular psalm or verse in a psalm makes me shift in my seat a bit. I don’t always feel like I can always pray all of the psalms. Psalm 7:8 is one such verse that I just don’t think I can pray: ”judge me, O LORD, according to… Read More ›

The writer of Psalm 6 is suffering. His life is in turmoil, and he cries out to God: “my bones are troubled” (6:2). When our bones are troubled, we can take solace in the knowledge that all these psalms of suffering were fulfilled in Jesus. He can empathize with all the struggles and challenges we… Read More ›

I like to divide the world into black and white. Person A is a good person, someone who likes me, has done nice things for me, with whom I generally agree, someone I enjoy being around. Person B, on the other hand, has sinned against me, bothers me, has different interests than me, a different… Read More ›

Psalm 4 is characterized by a quiet confidence that is ours in the gospel. That confidence helps us to come to God on account of Christ, and it helps strengthen us in the midst of trials brought on by other people. He begins by asking God to hear him, and then remembering that He has. It’s… Read More ›

One of my favorite theologians (pictured below) calls the Psalms the “prayerbook of the Bible,” and rightfully so. The psalmists are speaking to God as they write these inspired songs, and they teach us a great deal about how we ought to speak to Him, especially in the midst of trials. Psalm 3 is written… Read More ›

In Psalm 2, the nations are raging and the peoples are plotting. There is dirty work afoot, the work of human beings trying to wriggle themselves free of the loving, gracious rule of God and of “his Anointed,” the Messiah. As sinful humans we plot, connive, and scheme to get rid of the Lord. God laughs… Read More ›

In conjunction with Christ Church’s new series in the Psalms, I will be updating a series of entries I did through the Psalms last year.  Psalm 1 explains that there are two sorts of people, two kinds of “trees” a person can be. There is the fruitful person who delights in God’s law (v.2). And there… Read More ›

“I will awake the dawn!” (Psalm 108:2). I’ve lived in cities most of my adult life. I spent almost all my 20s in urban environments. The three years I wasn’t in a city during that decade, I was pursuing a degree of some kind. I suppose you could say the only thing I like better… Read More ›